Thomas Haldenwang (head of BfV agency) said that it was alarming that antisemitic narratives were sometimes embraced in the “middle of German society”, serving as a link between extremist ideologies and social discourse.
His agency has witnessed this in protests against coronavirus restriction or the Israeli-Palestinian war and in some cases in connection to Russia’s war on Ukraine. He said that the internet is a “fertile ground for antisemitism.”
The BfV released its second report on the subject. It stated that 2,351 acts of antisemitism, including 57 acts, were reported in 2020, compared to 2,032 offenses and 73 the year before. Since 2015, the overall number of offenses has been steadily increasing. The 2020 figure is the highest recorded since 2001 when counting began.
Haldenwang stated in a statement, “This is only the tip off the iceberg.” He also said that there are many incidents that don’t result in criminal charges.
Felix Klein, the government’s antisemitism Commissioner, stated to The Welt newspaper that the pandemic “acted as a fire accelerant against antisemitism in that it linked many environments that had previously stood alone.”