Anti-Semitism: In 2020 there were 2,275 anti

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Relativization of the Shoah: A participant in a demonstration against the Corona measures shows a reinterpreted Star of David

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Boris Roessler / dpa

The so-called "lateral thinking" movement is a reservoir for people with sometimes crude theories.

Again and again the spokesmen spread the anti-Semitic conspiracy that an alleged »financial elite« had planned the corona pandemic long in advance.

In the past year, speakers at the "lateral thinking" demos repeatedly compared the federal government's corona restrictions with the persecution of Jews during the Nazi era.

A look at the police statistics shows that words seem to be followed by deeds.

The police recorded more anti-Semitic attacks in 2020 than ever since they began counting in 2001 - an average of six anti-Semitic crimes a day.

New high of anti-Semitic crimes

For the past year, "a total of 2275 crimes with an anti-Semitic background have been reported so far," according to a response from the federal government to a minor request from Bundestag Vice President Petra Pau (Die Linke) and her parliamentary group.

The paper is available to SPIEGEL.

The »Tagesspiegel« had previously reported on it.

In 2019, the authorities had recorded a previous high of 2032 anti-Semitic crimes.

If the provisional figure for 2020 is confirmed, a new peak would be reached.

It is likely that the number will even increase, as experience has shown that the police are still reporting offenses from the previous year.

2,275 crimes, not a single arrest warrant

The police have been counting anti-Semitic crimes in the »Politically Motivated Crime (PMK)« system since 2001.

A look at the numbers:

• Among the

  2,275 anti-Semitic crimes

  in 2020,

  55 acts of violence and 313 propaganda

  offenses

  were

  counted.

  The display of anti-constitutional symbols, for example, counts as a propaganda offense.

• The remaining criminal offenses are listed under "Other", meaning, among other things,

  insults and sedition

  .

• A total of

  1367 suspects were

  identified.

• Only five have been arrested and

  not a single arrest warrant

  has been issued.

The Federal Government's response does not explicitly mention the "lateral thinking" demos.

However, the crimes are sorted according to the ideological character of the perpetrator.

From the point of view of the police, most of the anti-Semitic crimes can be attributed to right-wing extremists.

Islamist, left-wing and other motivated Jew haters form only a small minority in the statistics.

However, the federal government can only provide a breakdown for some of the offenses.

Accordingly, the 2275 criminal offenses are divided into 1333 reported entries and 942 late reports in the first three quarters.

The assignment nevertheless shows a clear picture:

"Of course anti-Semitism comes from all corners," said Petra Pau to SPIEGEL.

"But the figures clearly show that our biggest problem lies in right-wing extremism." Speakers at Corona demos would fuel the anti-Semitic patterns and conspiracies widespread there.

"It is clear that then it is not just words, but actions follow."

"Boom of anti-Semitic conspiracy theories"

The anti-Semitism commissioner at the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office also sees a connection between the increase in criminal offenses and the "lateral thinking" demos.

Especially during demonstrations and on the Internet, Jews are "declared the scapegoat for a global crisis," said Senior Public Prosecutor Claudia Vanoni.

"The corona pandemic leads to a boom in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories."

"In the course of the so-called Corona protests, the boundaries of what could be said were shifted, the Shoah relativized and well-known anti-Semitic hate images renewed."

Felix Klein, Federal Government Commissioner for Anti-Semitism

Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews, made a similar statement.

"In view of the numerous anti-Semitic incidents at the corona denier demos last year and the conspiracy myths on the Internet, it was unfortunately to be expected that the number of anti-Semitic crimes would rise again," said Schuster to the "Tagesspiegel".

"Now that is a sad certainty."

The Federal Government's anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, also sees the "lateral thinking" demos as responsible: "In the course of the so-called Corona protests, the limits of what can be said were shifted, the Shoah relativized and well-known, anti-Semitic hate images renewed."

In the opinion of the left-wing politician Pau, the fight against hatred of Jews must begin with the words, not only when actions follow.

It was only on Thursday evening that the Bundestag, for example, erased linguistic relics of the Nazi regime from the German right to change names.

The text of the law from 1938, about the German Reich and the Reich Minister of the Interior, is still in force today.

"It's actually shameful that this law was only changed 80 years later," said Pau.

Icon: The mirror

with dpa