On October 9, 2024, Reiner Haseloff, the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, marked the fifth anniversary of the antisemitic attack on the Halle synagogue by warning of increasing antisemitism and right-wing extremism in Germany and across Europe. In an interview with German public broadcaster MDR, Haseloff expressed concern over the political developments that reflect these issues.
Haseloff noted that extremist statements from right-wing politicians are becoming more prevalent, posing a challenge to liberal democracy. He emphasized that Jewish men and women are a 'normal part of our population' and have always been integral to society. He urged the public to be vigilant against such ideologies, which often arise within families, and called for collective action to address the problem.
In a related announcement, the OFEK Office for Antisemitism Counseling reported a fivefold increase in inquiries for protection and clarification since the terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel last year, indicating a 'fundamental antisemitic shift' in society.
The attack on the Halle synagogue in 2019 was perpetrated by right-wing extremist Stephan B., who attempted to kill Jewish worshippers celebrating Yom Kippur. After failing to enter the locked synagogue, he shot a passerby and later targeted a couple in a nearby Turkish restaurant. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2020 for these racially motivated crimes.
Reflecting on the attack, Haseloff described it as one of the darkest moments in his political life and noted his family's special connection to Israel. He recalled how his children and grandchildren had participated in Yom Kippur celebrations in Jerusalem, underscoring the historical ties between Christians and Jews.
Haseloff warned that the Holocaust was the result of centuries of antisemitic and partly racist development within a nation, stressing that such atrocities should not be assumed to be impossible to repeat.
Source: dw.com, Date: 2024-10-10