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Antisemitism and Immigration in Western Europe Today Is There a Connection?

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Antisemitism and Immigration in Western Europe Today Is There a Connection? 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 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 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 1 Historical Context: Immigration and Antisemitism Pre-2011 20 About the author 1.1 Immigration from MENA and elsewhere before 2011 21 Mathias1.2 Antisemitism Berek is a lecturer before at 2011 Technische Universität Berlin. He gained his PhD at22 Universität1.3 Summary Leipzig in 2008 with a theoretical work on collective memory and the32 social construction of reality. He has led a research project on the German-Jewish 2 Current Demographics 33 philosopher Moritz Lazarus at the Institute for the Study of Culture, Universität 2.1 Population in 2015 34 Leipzig, and the Minerva Institute for German History, Tel Aviv University. He has 2.2 Immigrants: country of origin 2015 34 also worked as a research associate at the Gedenkstätte für Zwangsarbeit Leipzig 2.3 Religion 35 (Leipzig Memorial Centre for Forced Labour), at Universität Leipzig and at the 2.4 Immigrant population characteristics 36 Zentrum für Antisemitismusforschung, Technische Universität Berlin. 2.5 Summary 38 3 Immigration Since 2011 39 Zentrum3.1 Immigrationfür Antisemitismusforschung, 40 Technische3.2 Number Universität of BerlinMENA migrants 41 Fakultät 1 3.3 MENA and other migrants 42 TEL 9–1 3.4 Profile of MENA migrants 2015 Telefunken-Hochhaus 43 Ernst-Reuter-Platz3.5 Migration 7 routes 45 105873.6 Berlin Summary 45 www.tu-berlin.de/fakultaet_i/zentrum_fuer_antisemitismusforschung 4 Antisemitism Since 2011 47 This report4.1 Attitudes is published to underJews a Creative Commons license ( CC BY NC ND 3.0 ) that allows for 48 sharing, copying and distribution of the publication for non-commercial educational and public 4.2 Antisemitic criminal offences 51 policy purposes as long as the authors are fully credited. 4.3 Jewish perspectives in Germany 55 The opinions4.4 ‘New’ expressed antisemitism – in this publication antisemitism are the responsibility among Muslims? of the author alone. 56 © Mathias4.5 Antisemitism Berek and other group-focused enmities 63 4.6 Summary 65 April 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 List of interviewees 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 across five European countries – Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. A final report,Antisemitism
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