Germany experienced an “alarming” rise in anti-Semitic incidents, with a dramatic 80 percent increase in 2023, driven by the fallout from the October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel.
The shocking statistics were published in a report by the Federal Association of Research and Information Departments on Antisemitism (RIAS).
The explosive document revealed that the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Germany skyrocketed by more than 80 percent, from 2,616 in 2022 to 4,782 in 2023, and that 46 percent of all documented cases occurred on the streets, in public buildings or in the transport. .
These chilling figures represent an average of 13 incidents recorded per day last year.
This disturbing increase has placed Germany among the top countries in Europe for anti-Semitic incidents, ranking third behind France and the United Kingdom.
Germany has seen an “alarming” rise in anti-Semitic attacks following the October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel. Pictured: Dramatic body camera footage shows a Hamas terrorist squad wearing khaki pants while riding motorcycles in a convoy on October 7, 2023.
Pictured: Hamas militants detained people in Israel on October 7, 2023 and took them back to Gaza, where some remain held hostage.
Pictured: The aftermath of an attack on the Supernova music festival by Palestinian militants on October 7, 2023.
It is particularly linked to the events after October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel sparked a wave of anti-Semitic reactions in Germany.
Bianca Loy, co-author and research associate at the Bundesverband RIAS, said the results are “alarming.”
‘Anti-Semitism shapes the daily lives of Jews, forcing many to hide their Jewish identity. “This situation is alarming and unacceptable.”
Here, RIAS documented that 58 percent of the year’s anti-Semitic incidents in Germany occurred after this date, with daily incidents rising from an average of 7 in 2022 to 13 in 2023.
In the three months following the October 7 terrorist attacks, a staggering 2,787 incidents were reported.
These episodes included extreme violence, threats, and property damage, creating an environment of fear and insecurity for Jewish communities.
“Anti-Semitic massacres and terrorist attacks in Israel motivate people in Germany to adopt anti-Semitic behavior,” Loy said.
‘Many well-known anti-Semitic stereotypes have been updated and applied to the Hamas massacres and the war in Israel and Gaza. With this, violence against Jews has been justified, trivialized or denied.”
Comparatively, the rise in anti-Semitic incidents in Germany outpaced increases in other European countries.
In France, for example, the number of incidents increased by 30 percent, while in the United Kingdom it increased by 25 percent.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that a significant portion of these anti-Semitic incidents were politically motivated.
Incidents classified as anti-Israel activism accounted for 12 percent of all cases, a substantial increase from previous years.
Dashboard camera footage showed Hamas militants attacking an all-night music festival in southern Israel, shooting and killing revelers at point-blank range and then looting their belongings.
Smoke and flames rise after Israeli forces attack a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023.
Meanwhile, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in German schools, universities and other educational institutions is also skyrocketing: from 184 in 2022 to 471 in 2023.
Daniel Botmann, director general of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said of the report: ‘Hostility, attacks and a feeling of constant threat are a reality for many Jews.
‘Many are also concerned about whether a free and safe life as Jews in Germany will be possible in the future. The life of the Jewish community can only take place in conditions of maximum security.’
‘Anti-Semitic ideology extends from the extreme left to the extreme right and to the center of society. Only if we name it with complete clarity can we fight against it. The work of RIAS contributes significantly to this.’
Attacks against Muslims also increased after October 7, according to a separate report published this week.
Four attempted murders are among 1,926 incidents recorded in Germany in 2023 by the CLAIM network of NGOs monitoring Islamophobia.
CLAIM’s report revealed that incidents increased by a staggering 114 per cent last year, with more than five anti-Muslim attacks each day.
These attacks included discrimination, verbal and physical abuse, or property damage.
Some 90 attacks were also recorded against places of religious worship, such as mosques, cemeteries and places marked by Muslims.
Children were documented among those physically and verbally attacked, while women appeared to be the most common targets of these attacks.
Rima Hanano, director of CLAIM, said: “The massive increase in anti-Muslim attacks and discrimination in 2023 is beyond worrying.
‘At the same time, until now this threat has barely been detected. For Muslims and people perceived as such, the street, the bus or the mosque are no longer safe places.
‘Anti-Muslim racism has never been as socially acceptable as it is today and comes from the middle of society. The consequences for those affected are often serious and many people feel unworthy of solidarity.’