Berlin, Germany: Policeman Wore Nazi-Brand During Commemoration Ceremony for the Victims of the Reichspogromnacht

November 09, 2008.

According to a report by the Jewish Forum for Democracy and Antisemitism a police officer in civilian clothes apparently wore clothes of the notorious neo-Nazi brand “Thor Steinar” during a commemoration ceremony for the victims of the Reichspogromnacht in Berlin. Berlin Police indicated that a disciplinary procedure had been initiated.

Sources: Tagesspiegel, 11-12-2008; Berliner Morgenpost, 11-12-2008

Waren, Germany: Commemoration Ceremony Disrupted

November 09, 2008.

Before the laying of so called “Stolpersteine”, a group of persons with covered faces went threw the city of Waren and shouted anti-Israel paroles. When the police arrived, the group dispersed. The “Stolpersteine” are memorials for former Jewish inhabitants of the city who were murdered in the Shoah.

Source: ddp, 11-10-2008

Frankfurt (Main), Germany: Central Council of Jews in Germany Appeals Against Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

November 08, 2008.

The Central Council of Jews in Germany confronted the Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) at the German Press Council. In a report dealing with Christian Wulff’s remarks concerning a “pogrom-atmosphere” connected to the discussion about scapegoating managers in the current financial crisis. The FAZ r describied the situation in the following terms: “In the talk show moderated by Michel Friedman, a Jew, Wulff did not dissociate from his word choice despite demands demands from the moderator for him to do so”. Stephan Kramer, the secretary general of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said that the FAZ borders on antisemitism with this type of formulation. The insertion of the phrase “a Jew” is “completely intolerable” Kramer said.

In a reaction the editorial journalist in charge, Carsten Knop, spoke about a “unfortunate phrase”. The FAZ is the most important conservative daily newspaper in Germany.

Source: Sueddeutsche.de, 11-10-2008

Belgium: Extreme-right Leader Delacroix Has Resigned

November 06, 2008.

Michel Delacroix, the leader of the National Front, a extreme-right Belgium party, resigned after a video was broadcasted on the public RTBF television channel showing him performing an antisemitic song. The video shows Delacroix singing a song to the tune of “l’eau vive” by Jewish singer Guy Beart, but with the lyrics changed to make fun of a story of a Jewish woman sent to a gas chamber. The party said in a statement “Mr. Delacroix, perfectly aware of what his actions would mean for him, has decided to resign from his post as president of the National Front”.

Source: ejpress, 11-07-2008

German Politician Compares the Critique of Managers With “Pogrom-atmosphere”

November 06, 2008.

Christian Wulff, a politician from the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU) and the prime minister of the federal state of Lower Saxony, said in a talk show that if someone pays 40 million euros tax as a person and guarantees tens of thousands of jobs, then a "pogrom atmosphere" should not emerge against them. He was referring to the criticism of managers and the world finance crisis.

A day later, Wulff said that he regrets the use of the phrase "pogrom atmosphere," and apologized. Nothing can be compared to the persecution of the Jews and the horrible pogroms against the Jews, he said.

Sources: Welt Online, 11-07-2008

Auenwald, Germany: Jewish Cemetery Desecrated

November 05, 2008.

Unknown perpetrators besmirched the entrance and the wall of a Jewish cemetery in Auenwald with Nazi-slogans. Several swastikas and SS runes as well as antisemitic slogans like “Jews out” and “Holocaust, we deny it” were painted on the wall and the entrance of the cemetery. The police are investigating the incident.

Source: ddp, 11-10-2008

Berlin, Germany: Two Suspects Admit Attack on Rabbi and Rabbinical Students

November 05, 2008.

According to police reports two suspects, 16- and 18-year-old males, confessed to the attack on Rabbi Yehudah Teichtal, the director of Chabad Lubavitch, and eight other rabbinical students in Berlin. Both come from families who immigrated to Germany, with one of them from Lebanon.

After the police identified his accomplice as a suspect, the younger of the two turned himself in.

Sources: taz.de, 11-05-2008, Welt Online, 11-05-2008

Germany: Antisemitism and Right-wing Extremism on the Rise

November 04, 2008.

Antisemitic and right-wing criminal offenses in Germany are on the rise. According to a report by the Deutsche Bundestag (lower house German Parliament), there have been almost 800 antisemitic and 14,000 right-wing felonies in the first nine months of 2008. Twenty one of the offenses are categorized as grievous bodily harm, though 27 people in total were harmed in antisemitic attacks. The police investigated 471 suspects, but only four were arrested. No arrest warrant was issued for this type of incident in 2008 up to now.

Source: Welt Online, 11-04-2008

Greece: Antisemitic Headline in Mainstream Daily Newspaper

November 04, 2008.

The Greek mainstream daily newspaper “Avriani” published an antisemitic front-page headline referring to the US-election. The headline, in bold letters, read: “The anticipated victory of Obama in the U.S. elections signals the end of Jewish domination. Everything changes in the USA and we hope that it will be more democratic and humane.”

The director of the American Jewish Committee, David A. Harris, referred to the incident saying that “this vile and scurrilous headline draws on classic antisemitic canards of Jewish conspiracy and domination.”

Source: ajc.org, 11-04-2008

Saratov, Russia: Headquarter of the Jewish Agency in Russia Vandalized

November 03, 2008.

According to Jewish.ru, unknown perpetrators painted swastikas and antisemitic graffiti on the Jewish Agency for Israel headquarters in the southern Russian city of Saratov during the night between November 2-3. During the day, the building had been used for classes for Jewish children and teenagers.

Source: JTA.org, 11-05-2008

Berlin, Germany: Attack on Rabbi and Rabbinical Students

November 02, 2008.

According to police reports, unknown suspects attacked a rabbi and eight rabbinical students in Berlin. After forcing the van to the side of the road, the assailants shouted antisemitic slogans and threw a burning object towards the van. Fortunately, no one was harmed. State security is investigating the incident.

Sources: Berlin.de/polizei, 11-02-2008; Tagesspiegel 11-03-2008

Schöneiche (Brandenburg), Germany: Mayor Offended With Antisemitic Slogans

October 28, 2008.

The mayor of Schöneiche, Heinrich Jüttner, was verbally attacked with antisemitic slogans during the night of 27/28 October. Unknown persons insulted him after they appeared at his private home and rang his doorbell. They escaped when Jüttner called the police. The police assume that there could be a connection between the incident and Jüttner’s appearance at a Sukkot celebration.

Source: Die Welt, 10-28-2008

Berlin, Germany: Memorial Site Vandalized

October 28, 2008.

The memorial of the former Jewish nursing home in downtown Berlin was vandalized with a swastika by unknown perpetrators. The police are investigating the incident.

Source: Ddp, 10-29-2008

Germany: Leading German Economist Compared Criticism of Bankers With Antisemitism in 1930s Germany

October 27, 2008.

In an interview with the Berlin newspaper “Der Tagesspiegel” the president of the Munich-based IFO Economic Research Institute Hans-Werner Sinn compared the criticism of bankers over their role in the global finance crisis with Antisemitism in Germany in 1930.

Sinn told the newspaper: “In every crisis, people look for someone to blame, for scapegoats (…) Even in the global economic crisis of 1929, no one wanted to believe in an anonymous system failure. Then it hit Jews in Germany, today it is managers.” According to “Der Tagesspiegel“ Sinn had authorized the quotes.

In a reaction, the General Secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Stephan Kramer, told the newspaper “Neue Ruhr Zeitung”: “This comparison is outrageous, absurd and completely misplaced, an insult to the victims (…). It would be news for me if managers were being beaten, murdered or locked up in concentration camps.”

Volker Beck, a Green party representative in the Bundestag, characterized Sinn’s comparison as “cynical“.

Meanwhile Hans-Werner Sinn retracted his statement in a letter to the Central Council of Jews in Germany. In reference to his statements he said: “In no way did I intend to compare the fate of Jews after 1933 with the current situation of executives.”

Sources: Spiegel Online, 10-26-2008; Tagesspiegel.de, 10-26-2008, Swr.de, 10-27-2008; Dw-wolrd, 10-27-2008

Pervomaysk, Ukraine: Menorah Stolen at Holocaust Site

October 26, 2008.

According to the Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union’s bureau in Lviv, unknown perpetrators stole a Menorah from a Holocaust memorial site. Tens of thousands of Jews were murdered at this site.

Source: UCSJ, 27-10-2008

Vienna, Austria: Tram Driver Greeted Customers With a “Sieg Heil”

October 25, 2008.

An unidentified conductor reportedly used the Nazi-salute “Sieg Heil” to welcome his passengers over the tram’s public address system. After the Jewish newspaper “juedische.at” reported the incident “Wiener Linien”, the operator of public transport in Vienna, suspended the conductor on Tuesday.

Source: Juedische.at, 10-27-2008; Jerusalem Post, 10-28-2007

Brussels, Belgium: TV Program Wanted to Feature Hitler’s “Favorite Meal”

October 24, 2008.

In the Belgian TV cooking program “Favorite Dish” a professional cook selects the favorite meal of famous persons. For one episode, the preparation of “Forelle Muellerin” (trout with butter sauce) was planned, which is said to be one of Hitler’s favorite meals. After protest form the Jewish community and former deportees groups, the VRT Flemish public television program decided not to air the episode of the program.

Source: Ejpress.org, 10-27-2008

Pluskiai, Lithuania: Holocaust Site Vandalized

October 20, 2008.

Three memorial stones at a Holocaust site in Lithuania were broken and covered with antisemitic graffiti. A forest ranger noticed this act of vandalism near the village of Pluskiai in the Kelme region.

Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 10-20-2008

Schoeneiche (Brandenburg), Germany: Sukkot Celebration Disrupted

October 19, 2008.

Eight men, all between the ages of 18 and 41, disturbed a Sukkot celebration in Schoeneiche by illegitimately occupying reserved places in the front row of the celebration hall. When the security service asked them to leave the event, they shouted antisemitic slogans. Due to their shirts the vandals could be recognized as supporters of the National Democratic Party.

Source: Märkische Allgemine Zeitung, 10-19-2008

Dresden (Saxony), Germany: Right-Wing Extremist Calls For Force of Arms Against Jews in the Saxonian Parliament

October 17, 2008.

During a debate in the Saxonian Parliament in Dresden the right-wing extremist Klaus-Juergen Menzel, a former member of the National Democratic Party, called for force of arms against “Zionists, freemasons, warmongers and other psychopaths”. Menzel said only grenades would help defend against those people. In response, Menzel was suspended from parliament for ten sessions.

Sources: mdr.de, 10-17-2008; Spiegel.de, 10-17-2008