Jew-hatred in Germany Up by 80% in 2023

June 26, 2024

by: JNS

Wednesday, 26 June 2024 | The 4,782 documented instances of Jew-hatred in Germany in 2023—2,787 of which happened after October 7—represent an 80% increase over 2022, according to a report from the Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information Centers on Anti-Semitism [RIAS].

On average, about 33 anti-Semitic incidents occurred per day in Germany from October 7 until the end of the year, compared to a little more than seven daily from January 1 to October 7, 2023, according to the new data, released on Tuesday by the Bundesverband RIAS, which is funded by the German state.

Two-thirds of the instances that involved “extreme violence, assaults and threats” also took place after October 7, per the study.

“The anti-Semitic massacres and terrorist attacks in Israel motivate people in Germany to engage in anti-Semitic behavior,” said Bianca Loy, research associate at the Bundesverband RIAS and co-author of the study. “Many well-known anti-Semitic stereotypes have been updated and applied to the Hamas massacres and the war in Israel and Gaza.”

Owing to this, she added, “violence against Jews has been justified, trivialized or denied.”

Loy called the situation, in which many have to hide their Jewish identities, “alarming and unacceptable.”

“The unprecedented rise in anti-Semitic incidents must be understood as a wake-up call,” stated Benjamin Steinitz, managing director of the Bundesverband RIAS. “The state has the responsibility to ensure that Jews can safely participate in civic life.”

Posted on June 26, 2024

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on June 25, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images/jns.org