Incidents and Controversies
This list of antisemitic incidents in Europe provides readers with an overview of incidents and controversies all over Europe. It is definitely not complete and to some extent unbalanced, i.e., some countries are better represented than others. However, that does not mean antisemitism is more virulent in countries that are more present in this list; it is simply better monitored there. You can help improve monitoring by reporting incidents that have occurred in your country to the Forum.
Springe, Germany: Holocaust Denier Detained
December 02, 2008.
The County Court Springe (Lower Saxony) sentenced the Holocaust denier Arnold Hoefs to 4 month in prison and a fine of 1500 Euros. The 72 years old Hoefs wrote more than 100 letters to public authorities and media under the pseudonym “Herbert Hoff”, in which he claimed that the remembrance of the Holocaust in the USA is only used for fundraising campaigns but is historically wrong. Hoefs participated under his pseudonym in the Holocaust denier conference in Teheran in December 2006. He also published a book with the title: “Hitler’s Benefits for the Folk, Why the Folk Loved Him”.
Source: Redok.de, 12-03-2008
Poltava, Ukraine: Nationalists Try to Block Synagogue Construction
December 02, 2008.
The chief Rabbi of Poltava, Yosef Yitzchak Segal accused Ukrainian national activists of trying to block construction of a synagogue. Ukrainian nationalists subsequently erected seven wooden crosses on the land allocated for the Jewish house of prayer. According to Segal, the nationalists told him there was no need for a synagogue in the city. The new synagogue would be the first in Poltava since World War II.
Source: Haaretz.com, 12-2-02-2008
Berlin, Germany: Memorial Site Vandalized
December 02, 2008.
Unknown perpetrators besmirched a memorial tablet in Berlin-Steglitz extensively with black color. The memorial site refers to the so called “Antisemitism Dispute” which was caused in 1879 by the historian Heinrich von Treitschke who described Jews as a “disaster” for Germany. Thus the police assumes an antisemitic motive for the incident.
Source: Welt.de, 12-02-2008
Norwegian Comedian Jokes About the Shoah
November 30, 2008.
The Comedian Otto Jespers told a controversial joke during a show broadcasted by the Norwegian national TV, TV 2: “I would also like to take the opportunity to remember all the billions of fleas and lice that lost their lives in German gas chambers, without having done anything wrong other than settling on persons of Jewish background.”
Kurt Valner, who lost nine relatives in the Holocaust reported Jespersen to the police when he saw the show. The director of TV 2, Alf Hildtrum, supported Jespersen: “The claims that Jespersen has antisemitic sympathies is completely false. I don’t believe it. Otto Jespersen is trying to make a point in these monologues, and the text should be judged in context. It shouldn’t be taken in isolation.”
Source: Aftenbladet.no, 12-01-2008; blog.z-world.com. 12-03-2008
Perm, Russia: Antisemitic Chants During Demonstrations
November 30, 2008.
During a demonstration against illegal immigration, organized by far-right movements and the labor union Solidarity, antisemitic slogans were shouted. According to the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda protesters shouted slogans like “Hale the Holocaust!” and “Beat the Jews! Save Russia!”
Source: JTA, 12-02-2008
Berlin, Germany: Policeman Wears Neo-Nazi Apparel
November 29, 2008.
Berlin Police has opened a disciplinary procedure against a policeman who wore apparel by the brand Thor Steinar, popular in the right-wing movement, several times during his employment.
Sourece: NPD-Blog.info, 11-29-2008
Germany, State of Hesse: Nazi Activist Wants to Shoot All Jews
November 28, 2008.
Anti-Fascistic activists posted a video in the internet which documents antisemitic statements of Sascha Soeder, an important Nazi activist in the Rhine-Main area who is also active in the National Democratic Party of Germany. The video shows Soeder during a neo-Nazi celebration. Smilingly he asks the camera: “Couldn’t we shoot all Jews in a human way?” Later in the video he adds: “Ceterum censeo: Israel should be bombed.”
Source: NPD-Blog.info, 11-28-2008; Redok.de, 11-28-2008
Norway: Ex-Norwegian Prime Minister Slams Israel
November 27, 2008.
Kare Willoch, former Norwegian prime minister, spoke out against Israel following a symposium of Israeli scholars, held a few days before. The symposium, organized by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs discussed Scandinavia’s approach to the Jewish people and state. During the symposium Dr. Manfed Gerstenfeld, an expert of Western European antisemitism said: “Norway is the most antisemitic country in Scandinavia”. Referring to this Willoch told a Norwegian daily newspaper: “It’s a traditional deflection tactic aimed at diverting attention from the real problem, which is Israel’s well-documented and incontestable abuse of Palestinians.”
Source: Haaretz.com, 11-28-2008
Germany: 18 Percent of Germans Distrust Jews
November 26, 2008.
According to a census by the University of Leipzig commissioned by the social-democratic Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, 18 percent of the Germans were found to distrust Jews.» Read more.
Zossen, Germany: Holocaust Denier Complains About “Stolpersteine” in Front of his House
November 26, 2008.
Rainer Link, who was convicted several times for denying the Holocaust, and who maintains ties to the prominent Holocaust denier Horst Mahler, complained in a letter to the mayor of Zossen about memorial plaques in front of his house, where he also runs an internet café. The memorial plaques, so called “Stolpersteine” commemorate the former Jewish inhabitants of a house who were murdered by the Nazis. Link wrote that he wouldn’t have moved into the house three years ago if he had known this fact. Now he tries to cover the plaques with beer crates.
Source: Märkische Allgemeine, 11-26-2008
Moscow, Russia: Antisemitic Newspaper in Moscow Classified as Extremist
November 24, 2008.
A Moscow court ruled on November 24 that the newspaper “Duel” had published an extremist article in 2006. In this article, “Death to Russia!” the author characterized Russia as a state ruled by “kikes” who intent on continuing their domination of their “Russian slaves”.
Source: Union of Councils for the Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 11-25-2008
Moscow, Russia: Employee of Action Reconciliation Service for Peace Threatened
November 24, 2008.
Ute Weinmann, Germany’s representative to the Action Reconciliation Service for Peace (ARSP) was threatened by neo-Nazis in Moscow. ARSP is a German peace and volunteer service organization founded in the aftermath of World War II to confront the legacy of the Nazi regime. » Read more.
Landshut, Germany: Notorious Neo-Nazi Horst Mahler Must Appear in Court Again
November 23, 2008.
The 72-years old neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier Horst Mahler must appear in court again after he greeted the journalist Michel Friedman with the Hitler salute during a Vanity Fair interview. Furthermore Mahler allegedly denied the Holocaust during this interview. Mahler was already sentenced to nine months of probation in the same case by a lower court, but he appealed this verdict. Now the District Court of Landshut has to retry the case.
Source: Sueddeutsche Zeitung, 11-25-2008
Eisenhüttenstadt; Germany: Jewish Cemetery Desecrated
November 23, 2008.
Unknown perpetrators knocked over four headstones at the Jewish cemetery of Eisenhüttenstadt. The police are investigating the incident.
Source: ddp, 11-24-2008
Freiburg/Berlin, Germany: Central Council of Jews in Germany Criticizes State Secretary and the Mayor of Freiburg for Welcoming Mohammad Khatami
November 22, 2008.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany criticized the Social Democratic Foreign Ministry State Secretary Gernot Erler and the Green Party’s mayor of Freiburg, Dieter Salomon for welcoming Mohammed Khatami, the former president of Iran.» Read more.
Moscow, Russia: Antisemitic Attack in Moscow Metro
November 22, 2008.
Mikhail Altshuler, a well known Jewish musician, was attacked in Moscow metro by three neo-Nazis. During the attack, the aggressors screamed nationalistic slogans. Police could detain two under-aged suspects.
Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 12-03-2008
Berlin, Germany: Government Partially Bans “Al-Manar TV”
November 21, 2008.
According to a newspaper report the Federal Ministry of the Interior has banned the Islamist TV station Al-Manar. The program of the channel, which is connected to Hizbullah, could be deemed unconstitutional due to its antisemitic content. Nevertheless, Al-Manar will still be able to broadcast to private homes.
Al-Manar TV Director Abdullah Kassir said the German government acted on a request from “Zionist lobbies” in Europe.
Source: Jerusalem Post, 11-20-2080,ddp, 11-21-2008; Ynetnews, 11-22-2008
Schwerin (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Germany: Antisemitic Scandal in State Parliament
November 20, 2008.
Member of State Parliament Tino Müller was excluded from a session of the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerianian State Parliament. After declaring in a parliamentary speech that he thought the Jews themselves were responsible for the violent pogroms against their life and property in Germany in November 1938.
Schöneiche, Germany: Jewish Memorial Desecrated
November 20, 2008.
A Jewish memorial stone in Schöneiche was desecrated again by unknown perpetrators. Wreaths were knocked around and a flowerpot was thrown at the stone.
Source: ddp, 11-21-2008
Germany: More than 1000 Right-Extremist Felonies in September
November 20, 2008.
According to the German Government 1094 Felonies with a right-extremist background were registered in Germany in September 2008. Among them 67 atrocities, 725 propaganda offenses and 222 hate crimes.
Source: NPD-Blog.info
