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Antisemitism and Immigration in Western Europe Today Is there a connection? The case of Germany Mathias Berek This report derives from a five-nation study commissioned by the Foundation ‘Remembrance, Responsibility and Future’ (EVZ), based in Berlin, and led by the Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism, Birkbeck, University of London. The full set of reports for this study is available to download: • Foundation EVZ www.stiftung-evz.de • Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism www.pearsinstitute.bbk.ac.uk About the author Mathias Berek is a lecturer at Technische Universität Berlin. He gained his PhD at Universität Leipzig in 2008 with a theoretical work on collective memory and the social construction of reality. He has led a research project on the German-Jewish philosopher Moritz Lazarus at the Institute for the Study of Culture, Universität Leipzig, and the Minerva Institute for German History, Tel Aviv University. He has also worked as a research associate at the Gedenkstätte für Zwangsarbeit Leipzig (Leipzig Memorial Centre for Forced Labour), at Universität Leipzig and at the Zentrum für Antisemitismusforschung, Technische Universität Berlin. Zentrum für Antisemitismusforschung, Technische Universität Berlin Fakultät 1 TEL 9–1 Telefunken-Hochhaus Ernst-Reuter-Platz 7 10587 Berlin www.tu-berlin.de/fakultaet_i/zentrum_fuer_antisemitismusforschung This report is published under a Creative Commons license (CC BY NC ND 3.0) that allows for sharing, copying and distribution of the publication for non-commercial educational and public policy purposes as long as the authors are fully credited. The opinions expressed in this publication are the responsibility of the author alone. © Mathias Berek April 2018 Revised November 2018 ISBN: 978–0-9928670–7-2 Published by Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ), Berlin and the Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism, University of London. Foundation EVZ Friedrichstraße 200 10117 Berlin www.stiftung-evz.de Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism Birkbeck, University of London 26 Russell Square London WC1B 5DQ www.pearsinstitute.bbk.ac.uk Designed by Soapbox www.soapbox.co.uk Antisemitism and Immigration in Western Europe Today Is there a connection? The case of Germany Mathias Berek With assistance from Patricia Piberger 2 ContentsThis report derives from a five-nation study commissioned by the Foundation ‘Remembrance, Responsibility and Future’ (EVZ), based in Berlin, and led by the Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism, Birkbeck, University of London. AcronymsThe full set and of reportsAbbreviations for this study is available to download: 4 Preface 5 • Foundation EVZ www.stiftung-evz.de Executive Summary 6 Introduction• Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism www.pearsinstitute.bbk.ac.uk 14 Methodology 16 Definitions 19 About1 Historical the Context author: Immigration and Antisemitism Pre-2011 20 1.1 Immigration from MENA and elsewhere before 2011 21 Mathias Berek is a lecturer at Technische Universität Berlin. He gained his PhD at 1.2 Antisemitism before 2011 22 Universität Leipzig in 2008 with a theoretical work on collective memory and the 1.3 Summary 32 social construction of reality. He has led a research project on the German-Jewish philosopher2 Current Demographics Moritz Lazarus at the Institute for the Study of Culture, Universität 33 Leipzig,2.1 Population and the Minerva in 2015 Institute for German History, Tel Aviv University. He has34 also 2.2worked Immigrants: as a research country associate of origin at 2015 the Gedenkstätte für Zwangsarbeit Leipzig34 (Leipzig2.3 ReligionMemorial Centre for Forced Labour), at Universität Leipzig and at the 35 Zentrum2.4 Immigrant für Antisemitismusforschung, population characteristics Technische Universität Berlin. 36 2.5 Summary 38 3Zentrum Immigration für Antisemitismusforschung, Since 2011 39 Technische3.1 Immigration Universität Berlin 40 Fakultät3.2 1 Number of MENA migrants 41 TEL 9–1 3.3 MENA and other migrants 42 Telefunken-Hochhaus 3.4 Profile of MENA migrants 2015 Ernst-Reuter-Platz 7 43 105873.5 Berlin Migration routes 45 www.tu-berlin.de/fakultaet_i/zentrum_fuer_antisemitismusforschung3.6 Summary 45 4This Antisemitism report is published Since 2011 under a Creative Commons license (CC BY NC ND 3.0) that allows for 47 sharing,4.1 copyingAttitudes and todistribution Jews of the publication for non-commercial educational and public 48 policy purposes as long as the authors are fully credited. 4.2 Antisemitic criminal offences 51 The opinions4.3 Jewish expressed perspectives in this publication in Germany are the responsibility of the author alone. 55 4.4 ‘New’ antisemitism – antisemitism among Muslims? © Mathias Berek 56 4.5 Antisemitism and other group-focused enmities 63 April 20184.6 Summary 65 Revised November 2018 5 New Empirical Data 67 ISBN: 978–0-9928670–7-2 5.1 Findings from the interviews: turning point 2014, not 2011 68 Published5.2 Findingsby Foundation from Remembrance, the interviews: Responsibility antisemitism, and Future (EVZ), Berlin and the Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism, University of London. MENA refugees and Muslim Germans 69 Foundation5.3 Findings EVZ from the interviews: antisemitism Friedrichstraßeand other forms 200 of group-focused enmity 79 10117 Berlin5.4 Recommendations from the interviews 79 www.stiftung-evz.de 5.5 Summary 82 Pears Institute for the study of Antisemitism Birkbeck,6 Public University Discourse of London 84 26 Russell6.1 Social Square media 85 London6.2 WC1B Mass 5DQ media and politics 87 www.pearsinstitute.bbk.ac.uk6.3 Summary 91 Designed by Soapbox www.soapbox.co.uk 3 7 Integration of Second and Subsequent Generations Antisemitismof MENA Migrants and Immigration93 7.1 New disintegration and slow structural improvements 94 in7.2 Western Thwarted integration Europe Today 95 7.3 Reactions: rising Muslim self-consciousness 97 7.4 Turkish and other migrants 98 Is there7.5 Improvements? a connection? 99 7.6 Summary 100 The8 State case and Civil of Society Germany Monitoring and Responses 102 8.1 Monitoring of and education against antisemitism 103 8.2 Summary 110 9 Conclusions and Recommendations 112 Conclusions 113 Recommendations 116 Bibliography 118 AppendicesMathias Berek 128 WithList assistanceof interviewees from Patricia Piberger 128 Topic guide for interviews 129 4 Acronyms and Abbreviations AfD Alternative für Deutschland (Alternative for Germany) AAS Amadeu-Antonio-Stiftung (Amadeu Antonio Foundation) ADL Anti-Defamation League AJC American Jewish Committee AZR Ausländerzentralregister (Central Register of Foreigners) BKA Bundeskriminalamt (Federal Criminal Police Office) BMFSFJ Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth) BMJV Bundesministerium für Justiz und Verbraucherschutz (Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection) CDU Christlich-Demokratische Union (Christian Democratic Union) CSU Christlich-Soziale Union (Christian Socialist Union) EUMC European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia EU European Union EVZ Stiftung Erinnerung, Verantwortung, Zukunft (Foundation Remembrance, Responsibility and Future) FDP Freie Demokratische Partei (Free Democratic Party) FRA European Agency for Fundamental Rights GDR German Democratic Republic GMF Gruppenbezogene Menschenfeindlichkeit (Group-Focused Enmity) KIgA Kreuzberger Initiative gegen Antisemitismus (Kreuzberger Initiative against Antisemitism) LGBTI Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Intersex LIB Liberal-Islamischer Bund (Liberal Islamic League) MENA Middle East and North Africa(n) NGO Non-governmental organization NPD Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands (German National Democratic Party) PMK Politisch motivierte Kriminalität (politically motivated crime) RIAS Recherche – und Informationsstelle Antisemitismus (Antisemitism Research and Information Centre) SPD Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (German Social Democratic Party) UEA Unabhängiger Expertenkreis Antisemitismus (Independent Group of Antisemitism Experts) 5 Preface There is a persistent claim that new migrants to Europe, and specifically migrants from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA migrants), carry antisemitism with them. This assertion is made to different degrees in different countries and can take different forms. Nevertheless, in Europe, the association of rising antisemitism with migrants from the Middle East and North Africa is widespread and needs to be evaluated. MENA migrants have been symbolically central to the migration debate since 2011. These years have been framed by the Arab spring and its aftermath and by Europe’s crisis of refugee protection. This research project has focused specifically on MENA migrants,1 in response to the intensity of this debate, and in accordance with the brief from Foundation EVZ. The central concern of the research project has been to investigate whether the arrival of MENA migrants since 2011 has had an impact on antisemitic attitudes and behaviour in Western Europe. This report deals with the case of Germany. The report also considers whether government and civil society agencies have identified a problem of antisemitism among MENA migrants. The findings are based on an extensive survey of existing quantitative and qualitative evidence. Additionally, new qualitative research has been undertaken to investigate the experiences and opinions of a range of actors. This national report contributes to a larger research project conducted in 2016/2017