New Data Reveals There Were More Than Five Antisemitic Incidents Daily in Germany in 2020

The number of antisemitic incidents in Germany rose to 1,909 — an average of more than five per day — in 2020, according to new data published last week by the country’s Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS).

The Bavaria region saw a 30 percent increase in antisemitic incidents, and there was a 13 percent rise in Berlin.

More than a quarter of the incidents nationwide were related to the Covid-19 pandemic, including antisemitic messaging at rallies against government health restrictions and the dissemination of conspiracy theories blaming Jews for the outbreak of the disease.

Around a third of the incidents occurred online.

Director of the International Institute for Education and Research on Antisemitism (IIBSA) Kim Robin Stoller stated, “The massive mobilization of antisemitism from different social and political milieus poses an increasing danger. Therein lies the dangerous dynamic of antisemitism. As the report shows, growing antisemitism from the right-wing extremist milieu was joined by antisemitic conspiracist mobilization in the context of the pandemic.”

RIAS Executive Director Benjamin Steinitz stated, “Conspiracist milieu during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Israel activists during escalations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, plus the constant threat from right-wing extremism — danger to Jews comes from many sides.”

“Antisemitism is still multifaceted in Germany, and open expression of this hate is increasingly normalized,” he added. “No matter in what form, it must be resolutely ostracized and rejected.”