Anti-Semitism is on the rise in Germany and is also increasingly common among “elite”, highly-educated circles. This is the conclusion of a new survey conducted by the World Jewish Congress (WJC). 

Survey probes anti-Semitism in Germany

27 percent of all Germans and 18 percent of a group categorised by the survey as “elite” (those who have graduated from higher education and earn a salary of at least 100.000 euros per year) harbour anti-Semitic thoughts, the representative survey showed. 

For the study, the WJC, an umbrella organisation of Jewish communities and organisations from more than 100 countries, asked 1.300 people in Germany whether they agreed or disagreed with a range of anti-Semitic statements and stereotypes about Jewish people. The questioning took place around two and a half months before the attack on the synagogue in Halle. 

1 in 4 Germans agrees with anti-Semitic statements

As the results of the survey show, anti-Semitism does not only manifest in extreme cases, but is an increasingly commonplace belief. 28 percent of the survey respondents agree with the statement “Jews have too much power in the economy” and 26 percent think they have “too much power in world politics”. 41 percent believe that Jews talk too much about the Holocaust. 

Almost half (48 percent) agree that “Jews are more loyal to Israel than to Germany” and 24 percent expressed that “Jews think they are better than others.'' A further 22 percent were of the belief that “People hate Jews because of the way they behave.”

At the same time, however, the majority of the survey’s respondents recognise that there has been a rise in hostile behaviour towards Jewish people in Germany. An overwhelming majority (65 percent of all respondents and 76 percent of “elite” respondents) associate this with the rise of right-wing extremist parties. 

Around 60 percent feel that Jews are at risk of violence or verbal attacks. One in four also believe it is possible that “something like the Holocaust could repeat itself in Germany today.” Nevertheless, only 44 percent expressed concern about violence against Jews or Jewish institutions. 

Germany must “fight anti-Semitism head-on”

Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress, said that anti-Semitism in Germany had reached a “crisis point.” In an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung, he stressed that Germany has a unique obligation to prevent the return of intolerance and hatred. 

“We’ve seen what happens when ordinary people look away or remain silent,” he said. “It is time for all German society to take a stand and fight anti-Semitism head-on.”