You would have too much Power over the economy, talks frequently about the Holocaust. According to a study, many German parts such anti-Semitic views. A Cologne’s Rabbi is not surprised.
The Cologne Rabbi Yechiel Brukner, during a solidarity event after the stop of the hall
How strong anti-Semitic views are common, even among educated Gutverdienern Germany, has assigned a representative survey of the world Jewish Congress. The Association, which represents Jewish communities and organizations in 100 countries, had asked for two and a half months, 1300 German. Every Fourth has been found, therefore, anti-Semitic thoughts, 41 percent, and Jews talked too much about the Holocaust, the systematic extermination of six million Jews during the national sozialmus. Asked whether she would ever meet a Jew to know, out of 1000 respondents, 21 percent, than the answer is “no”. 66 percent said that they are not aware of would be whether they had ever had private to do with Jews.
This is also the Thesis of the Cologne Rabbi Yechiel Brukner confirmed. He referred to the hatred in an interview with DW as “irrational”. Also, he has already made multiple experiences with verbal ausgelebtem anti-Semitism. After his wife had helped a man in a Cologne railway, said this to the two: “no, it will change nothing to our hatred against you.”
DW: Every fourth German has, according to the survey of the world Jewish Congress, anti-Semitic thoughts. Are you surprised by this number?
Rabbi Yechiel Brukner: no, because this number I have heard ten years ago, when I first came to Germany. So I am A) not surprised, because I have somehow the feeling that had always been so in the last decade. And B): Why should it be different? I’ll explain what I mean by that: anti-Semitism in Germany is just as irrational as the Jews in Germany after the Holocaust. Both of these phenomena are not rational.
Anti-Semitism in Germany is irrational, because the Germans encounter in their daily lives is hardly visible Jews. Assume that 25 percent of the German in your everyday life have any friction or contact with Jews, is absolutely bizarre and surreal. Therefore, this anti-Semitism is something that can have no connection with reality.
Anti-Semitism is, therefore, in their opinion, in particular, from ignorance about Jews and Judaism?
I tell you what I mean, but what I have heard from many people, Non-Jews, to deal with it. The have told me: anti-Semitism is pure stupidity. Not ignorance, but stupidity. even if ignorance plays a role of course.
What struck me in this survey is really concerned about is the 41 percent who think that the Jews talk too much about the Holocaust. I see the Problem. Not only that, the people know nothing, but also don’t want to know. The have an inner refusal, a disgust against this theme. To this sake, the historic burden of having to carry the Germans, and even many years, need to carry, encounter, I see as a real Problem. The Germans must know, in all the brutal Details of what their grandfathers, fathers and mothers have been able to. Only then will you have the necessary immunity, so that history doesn’t repeat, so it will not fall the prey to again.
What is the connection between these, as you call it “inner rejection” in the face of history and the current anti-Semitism?
Before we talk about, we should think rather about why a lot of German this not want to know. Why do you find that we talk to Jews about the Holocaust? The reason is quite simple: Every person wants to live comfortably, and this is inconvenient. Why don’t have to carry the Germans on their humps, which the Swiss, French or Americans do, although you would need to do it actually? The Germans want to be like all the others, but I can’t. You have that on your Conscience. A Conscience only when you Know and that’s why the discussion is Knowledge so important for the responsibility. The reason for this attitude of convenience, the result is a disaster.
You have to think about the times: The Holocaust are still living Survivors, and now dare to Harbor the anti-Semitic thoughts, and this also in fact to implement – that is unbelievable.
Another result of the survey was that 28 percent of respondents with a high educational level and a high year of income, the Jews have too much Power in the economy. 26 percent think that Jews have too much Power over world politics. Where do you get such views, in your opinion?
These are stereotypes, prejudices, envy, but also facts. Jews are successful. Where is the Problem? Why are the Germans not jealous that the Jews have a percentage of the Rest of the world’s population very much more Nobel prize winners? Why is this bothering anyone? Why is it always about the aspect of “money”? The intellectual intelligence is promoted in Judaism and brings with itself that Jews are often very successful. They also work hard for it, but why you do not need to like you because of that? You could grant it to you.
After the stop in the hall to the synagogue, the policy speaks again, as in the past, the “fight against anti-Semitism”. Can you fight anti-Semitism at all?
Yes, this can go, but three different groups would have to participate in it. Since the education would be through the Church. There, the enemy image of the Jew should be treated as murderers of Jesus. It must be intense with the responsibility of the Germans in the Shoah apart and the dialogue with Jews in the school to be searched. On the other hand the legal system in Germany would be there. There’s quite a lot not just in terms of the activities of the extreme Right. And then there’s the press. It is fuelling Anti-Israel activism by a biased and non-objective reporting. This also makes the anti-Semitism is again on the rise.
But I also believe that you can’t eradicate anti-Semitism. We must instead promote the positive forces and the courage to teach – best of small. We need to listen to teach, when anti-Semitic Statements are made, which are already part of the everyday language, and look, if someone is attacked, it will. And we must educate them to enter – either verbally or through the alerting of the security forces. The silent majority needs to step out of their passivity and indifference, and moral courage show. You must learn first.
Yechiel Brukner, since 2018, the Rabbi of the Cologne synagogue community. Born in Switzerland as the son of Holocaust-Survivors Association in Montreux, the Talmud, and educational studies. Later he moved to Israel, where he taught at religious schools. Since the age of 12 he promotes in municipalities in Germany, the strengthening of the Jewish identity.
The Interview was conducted by Nastassja Shtrauchler