German Jewish leader: ‘Decisive’ action needed to fight anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism has surged in Germany, the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said on Sunday as the organization opened an exhibition to mark its 75th anniversary.

“Since October 7, we have seen an explosive rise in anti-Semitism,’ Josef Schuster said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition in the northern city of Braunschweig, which is titled: “With Our Own Voice: 75 Years of the Central Council of Jews in Germany.”

“If we want to stand up to anti-Semitism, then decisive political action is needed,” he demanded, though he said this alone is not enough. “Decency and democratic culture cannot be imposed by political decree.”

The exhibition highlights a “painful reality,” he added.

Hatred of Jews has never disappeared from Germany, but since October 7 it has taken on a new dimension, Schuster said.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking some 250 hostage. Israel retaliated with a massive attack that has left at least 70,000 Gazans dead. The war has provoked massive demonstrations worldwide and also a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in many countries.

The Jewish leader praised the exhibition in Braunschweig for understanding the role of his organization, saying he was proud that the council was seen as the “ethical centre” of the post-war country, as a guardian of the German constitution and its achievements, and as a champion of an open society.

The Central Council was founded on July 19, 1950 in Frankfurt and is a political, social and religious representative body for the Jewish community in Germany.

Only exhibition in Germany

The exhibition at Braunschweig’s Municipal Museum runs from February 24 until September 20 and is the only one in Germany marking the anniversary, organizers said.

It is designed to honour the Central Council’s services to the Jewish community and its significance for the democratic development of German society.

The exhibition is primarily sponsored by the Foundation for German Democracy History and the Braunschweig Cultural Heritage Foundation.