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Christina Feist, survivor of the Halle attack
"Halle will be with me for the rest of my life and it just can't be that after a few weeks after an attack we just move on and say:" Okay, that's now ticked off, let's go. "No, it works No further. It just doesn't go normally for those affected, just go on like that. And it can't be that the rest of the country, or at least the majority, says: "Yes, okay, we've taken care of you for a moment, that's enough ." That does not work like this.
It was and still is about the fact that I realized that this process is a platform where we can talk not only about this attack and this perpetrator, but also about what is behind it, about the bigger picture Whole. That means right-wing extremist ideology, anti-Semitism, which are a huge problem in Germany and at least in my perception nobody really talks about it. Nobody takes it seriously. But it's also nothing new.
Anti-Semitism is a historically grown problem in Germany that is much older than the Second World War than the Shoah. Anti-Semitism is deeply rooted in Germany's history, and I am a great advocate of education. And there has to be a large-scale education program that really reaches every single person in this country, every segment of the population, every age group, every single person, so that they can simply dig up and rummage around where this thinking comes from. I notice that very, very often, that linguistic awareness alone is missing. In Germany, where "You Jude" is considered an insult in schoolyards, it cannot be that someone is a Jew, that has negative connotations. It's considered an insult and it's not okay. And the correct formulation is then: someone is of Jewish faith or someone is Jewish. That is perfectly sufficient. You don't have to categorize it that way.
I also see that it is incredibly important to show solidarity with other affected minorities or not and to say: Hey, we will not leave you alone. But I also notice that I have become much, much more sensitive to everyday situations. Especially when I see total strangers on the street, where I'm not sure where the mood is a bit strange. I have an incredible sensitivity for watching right away, for looking okay. Are these people okay? Is it a sexual assault, a racist assault? Is It Discrimination? And when I feel like it is, I get involved every time, every time. Because that's also something I've learned: civil courage is apparently a foreign word in this country. And I think that's incredible. Anti-Semitic and right-wing extremist attacks happen so often wherever people are standing by, standing around, and nobody gets involved. Nobody does anything. And in retrospect, they all say: "Yes, it was bad." Then everyone is horrified. But that's not how it works. If you see something, you have to get involved. You shouldn't put yourself in danger. But you have to do something. You can't just stand by and watch.
For decades there have been representatives of various minorities who say: "Hey, there is a problem, hey, we are discriminated against. Hey, there is racism, you have to help us." Unfortunately nothing happens. What I have experienced so far, also in my observations in recent years, is actually: There has been an incident, an assault, anti-Semitic, right-wing radical, motivated. And then of course there are expressions of solidarity. It's not like that, and I'm very grateful for it. I think that's very important. They come from the population, they come from the government, from above, so to speak. Unfortunately, that doesn't change the fact that the minorities are then asked: What do you need? We want to help you.
And you tell the people who ask, you tell the government, you tell the politicians. But nothing is put into practice.
I still feel like there's still a question mark when we say, "Hey, anti-Semitism is a problem." And I don't have the feeling that we will hear from the government: "Yes, you are right, we are going to do something now." It is more his question: "Really, are you sure?" And it's been happening for decades.
In other words, what I actually want from this process is that the impetus is finally there, that it is finally enough. It is already far too late. That should have happened much, much earlier. But this is no longer the time to discuss. Now is the time for the government, politicians and the people who live in Germany to say to society: "Okay, they're right. We made a mistake here. We didn't listen, we didn't take them seriously, and we have to start doing things right now. We have to start helping them now, not discussing them for a long time. "