Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 - 2003
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Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 - 2003 Based on information by the National Focal Points of the RAXEN Information Network Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 – 2003 Based on information by the National Focal Points of the EUMC - RAXEN Information Network EUMC - Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 - 2003 2 EUMC – Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 – 2003 Foreword Following concerns from many quarters over what seemed to be a serious increase in acts of antisemitism in some parts of Europe, especially in March/April 2002, the EUMC asked the 15 National Focal Points of its Racism and Xenophobia Network (RAXEN) to direct a special focus on antisemitism in its data collection activities. This comprehensive report is one of the outcomes of that initiative. It represents the first time in the EU that data on antisemitism has been collected systematically, using common guidelines for each Member State. The national reports delivered by the RAXEN network provide an overview of incidents of antisemitism, the political, academic and media reactions to it, information from public opinion polls and attitude surveys, and examples of good practice to combat antisemitism, from information available in the years 2002 – 2003. On receipt of these national reports, the EUMC then asked an independent scholar, Dr Alexander Pollak, to make an evaluation of the quality and availability of this data on antisemitism in each country, and identify problem areas and gaps. The country-by-country information provided by the 15 National Focal Points, and the analysis by Dr Pollak, form Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of this report respectively. Finally, in the light of the information and analysis provided by this exercise, the report concludes with a number of proposals for action to the EU and its Member States on concrete measures to combat antisemitism, including legal and educational measures, and recommendations for improving the monitoring and recording of antisemitic incidents. We would like to express our gratitude to all those involved in this initiative: to the 15 National Focal Points for gathering this unique collection of data, to Alexander Pollak and Alexander Joskowicz for their evaluation and analysis of this data and provision of historical material, to EUMC Management Board member Victor Weitzel and the Management Board working group for their work on the accompanying report “Perceptions of Antisemitism in Europe”, and finally a special thanks to all the EUMC staff for their tremendous efforts in producing this report. We hope that this report will contribute to raising awareness of the development of antisemitism in Europe. The aim is to stimulate a broader public debate about antisemitism in the European Union and its Member States. It is important to listen sensitively to the fears of Jewish communities, but also to identify the social context which gives rise to the hatred of the perpetrators. We need joint 3 EUMC - Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 - 2003 initiatives and clear, strong measures to combat antisemitism in all its forms. We need the courage and commitment of political leaders across the EU to turn words into action, and we need new coalitions between politicians, intellectuals, journalists, teachers and many others in order to overcome hate, discrimination and exclusion. Antisemitism can and must be fought jointly to make sure that it never again gains a foothold in Europe. For all of us it must be clear: Jews and Jewish communities are highly valued and respected membersof our European societies, and we must ensure that they are able to feel as such. Robert Purkiss Beate Winkler (Chair of the EUMC Management Board) (Director EUMC) 4 EUMC – Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 – 2003 Contents Foreword 3 Contents 5 Executive Summary 9 Introduction 31 1. COUNTRY REPORTS ON ANTISEMITISM 2002 - 2003 37 1.1. BELGIUM – REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 37 1.1.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 38 1.1.2. Sources of data and information 38 1.1.3. Data and information 38 1.2. DENMARK - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 48 1.2.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 48 1.2.2. Sources of data and information 50 1.2.3. Data and information 51 1.3. GERMANY - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 57 1.3.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 58 1.3.2. Sources of data and information 58 1.3.3. Data and Information 60 1.4. GREECE – REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 76 1.4.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 76 1.4.2. Sources of data and information 78 1.4.3. Data and information 78 1.5. SPAIN - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 87 1.5.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 87 1.5.2. Sources of data and information 88 1.5.3. Data and information 88 1.6. FRANCE - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 93 1.6.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 93 1.6.2. Sources of data and information 96 1.6.3. Data and Information 97 1.7. IRELAND - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 114 1.7.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 114 1.7.2. Sources of data and information 115 1.7.3. Data and information 116 5 EUMC - Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 - 2003 1.8. ITALY - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 124 1.8.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 124 1.8.2. Sources of data and information 125 1.8.3. Data and information 126 1.9. LUXEMBURG - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 135 1.9.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 135 1.9.2. Sources of data and information 136 1.9.3. Data and information 136 1.10. NETHERLANDS - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 141 1.10.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 141 1.10.2. Sources of data and information 143 1.10.3. Data and information 143 1.11. AUSTRIA – REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 152 1.11.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 152 1.11.2. Sources of data and information 153 1.11.3. Data and Information 155 1.12. PORTUGAL - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 167 1.12.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 168 1.12.2. Sources of data and information 170 1.12.3. Data and information 171 1.13. FINLAND REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 175 1.13.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 176 1.13.2. Sources of data and information 176 1.13.3. Data and information 177 1.14. SWEDEN - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 182 1.14.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 182 1.14.2. Sources of data and information 185 1.14.3. Data and information 186 1.15. UK - REPORT ON ANTISEMITISM 196 1.15.1. Legislation with respect to antisemitism 197 1.15.2. Sources of data and information 198 1.15.3. Data and information 199 6 EUMC – Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 – 2003 2. EVALUATION OF NATIONAL EUMC-RAXEN DATA ON ANTISEMITISM 211 2.1. CONTEXTUAL AND CONCEPTUAL MATERIAL 211 2.1.1. Antisemitism in the EU countries since 1945 215 2.1.2. Definitions, Concepts and Theories 225 2.2. APPRAISAL OF EUMC RAXEN NETWORK DATA 242 2.2.1. Belgium 242 2.2.2. Denmark 250 2.2.3. Germany 256 2.2.4. Greece 264 2.2.5. Spain 268 2.2.6. France 272 2.2.7. Ireland 278 2.2.8. Italy 281 2.2.9. Luxembourg 287 2.2.10. The Netherlands 290 2.2.11. Austria 295 2.2.12. Portugal 301 2.2.13. Finland 304 2.2.14. Sweden 307 2.2.15. UK 313 2.3. CONCLUSIONS 318 2.3.1. General assessment 318 2.3.2. Identification of problem areas 320 2.3.3. Proposals for data collection and research 322 3. PROPOSALS FOR ACTION 327 ANNEXES 331 ANNEX I ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS, WEB PAGES, AND LITERATURE ON ANTISEMITISM 333 ANNEX II EUMC GUIDELINES - CATEGORISATION OF DATA ON ANTISEMITISM 341 7 EUMC - Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 - 2003 8 EUMC – Manifestations of Antisemitism in the EU 2002 – 2003 Executive Summary This EUMC report on antisemitism in Europe has four main intentions: • The report aims to raise awareness on the development of antisemitism in Europe in recent years and to stimulate a broader public debate in order to generate pressure for clear and strong measures against it. • To this end, the report presents, country by country, the data and information on antisemitism which was provided by the RAXEN network of the EUMC for the years 2002-2003 in 15 Member States of the European Union. This is followed by a critical evaluation of each country report with regard to the availability and quality of this data on antisemitism. On the basis of this evaluation, an identification is made of the problem areas and gaps regarding the present processes of data collection and the currently available data in the 15 EU Member States. • Thirdly, the report aims to develop a theoretical and conceptual foundation as basis for both the evaluation of present data collection processes and for proposals for future data collection on antisemitism. In doing so, it will refer to the debates on recent claims that a “new antisemitism” has emerged. It will also address the question of whether and when anti-Zionism and “unbalanced” criticism of Israel is to be regarded as antisemitism. • Finally, the report makes a number of proposals for the improvement of monitoring and research activities regarding antisemitism in the European Union, and makes a number of proposals for action to the EU and its Member States on measures to combat antisemitism. THE HISTORY OF THE REPORT Following concerns about the noticeable increase in antisemitic acts in some Member States in April 2002, the EUMC asked the 15 National Focal Points of its Racism and Xenophobia Network (RAXEN) to direct a special focus on antisemitism.