Germany saw an ‘alarming’ rise in anti-Semitic incidents with a dramatic 80 per cent increase in 2023 fuelled by the fall-out from Hamas’ October 7 attacks in southern Israel.
The shocking statistics were published in a report by the Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS).
The bombshell document revealed that the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Germany soared by more than 80 per cent, from 2,616 in 2022 to 4,782 in 2023, with 46 per cent of all documented cases happening on streets, in public buildings, or in transportation.
These chilling numbers tally out at an average of 13 incidents recorded per day last year.
This disturbing rise has positioned Germany among the top countries in Europe for anti-Semitic incidents, ranking third behind France and the UK.
Germany has seen an ‘alarming’ rise in anti-Semitic attacks following the October 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel. Pictured: Dramatic bodycam footage shows a Hamas terror squad wearing khakis as they ride motorbikes in a convoy on October 7, 2023
Pictured: Hamas militants rounded up people in Israel on October 7, 2023, and took them back to Gaza where some remain held as hostages
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 following October 7, 2023, when the Hamas terror 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’.
‘Antisemitism shapes the daily lives of Jews, forcing many to conceal their Jewish identity. This situation is alarming and unacceptable.’
Here RIAS documented that 58 per cent of the year’s anti-Semitic incidents in Germany occurred after this date, with daily incidents jumping from an average of 7 in 2022 to 13 in 2023.
In the three months following the October 7 terror 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.
‘The anti-Semitic massacres and terrorist attacks in Israel motivate people in Germany to engage in anti-Semitic behaviour’ said Loy.
‘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, trivialised, 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 rose by 30 per cent, while in the UK, they increased by 25 per cent.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that a significant portion of these anti-Semitic incidents were politically motivated.
Incidents categorised under anti-Israel activism made up 12 per cent of all cases, a substantial increase from previous years.
Dashcam footage showed Hamas militants who attacked an all-night music festival in southern Israel shot and killed revelers at point-blank range, then looted their belongings
Smoke and flames billow after Israeli forces struck a high-rise tower in Gaza City, October 7, 2023
Meanwhile the amount of anti-Semitic incidents in Germans schools, universities, and other educational institutions is also going through the roof, —spiralling from 184 in 2022 to 471 in 2023.
Daniel Botmann, Managing Director of the Central Council of Jews in Germany said of the report: ‘Hostility, assault, and a feeling of constant threat are a reality for many Jews.
‘Many are also worried about whether a free and safe life as Jews in Germany will be possible in the future. Jewish community life can only take place under conditions of maximum security.’
‘Anti-Semitic ideology spans from the far left to the far right and into the middle of society. Only if we name this with complete clarity can we fight against it. The work of RIAS makes an important contribution to this.’
Attacks on Muslims also spiked following October 7 according to a separate report released this week.
Four attempted murders are among the 1,926 incidents recorded in Germany in 2023 by the CLAIM network of NGOs monitoring Islamophobia.
CLAIM’s report revealed that incidents rose a staggering 114 per cent last year with over five anti-Muslim attacks taking place every day.
These attacks included discrimination, verbal and physical abuse, or damage to property.
Some 90 attacks on religious places of worship such as Mosques, cemeteries, and Muslim-marked places were also recorded.
Children were documented among those physically and verbally assaulted, while women appeared to be the most common targets of these attacks.
Rima Hanano, head of CLAIM, said: ‘The massive increase in anti-Muslim attacks and discrimination in 2023 is more than worrying.
‘At the same time, this threat has so far hardly been noticed. For Muslims and people who are 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 it comes from the middle of society. The consequences for those affected are often serious and many people feel that they are not worthy of solidarity.’