351 Out of 1,300 Germans (27%) who took part in a survey conducted by the World Jewish Congress (WJC) two months ago, before the Yom Kippur attack on a synagogue in Halle, agreed with anti-Semitic statements and stereotypes about Jewish people. The results of the survey were reported on Wednesday by Süddeutsche Zeitung, one of the largest daily newspapers in Germany, published in Munich, Bavaria.
Back in 1923, Munich was the site of Adolf Hitler’s “Beer Hall Putsch,” when the future kanzler led a failed Nazi Party coup d’état.
About 41% of respondents said they agreed with the statements “Jews talk about the Holocaust too much,” and “Jews are more loyal to Israel than to Germany.”
More than 20% of respondents said Jewish people have “too much power” over the economy, international financial markets and the media.
Another 22% agreed that “people hate Jews because of the way they behave.”
The WJC survey found that anti-Semitism is growing among the wealthy and well-educated. 18% of respondents with at least one university degree who make at least $111,300 per year agreed with anti-Semitic sentiments. Within this group, more than 25% believe Jewish people have too much power over world politics and the economy.
WJC President Ronald Lauder told Süddeutsche Zeitung that the state of anti-Semitism in Germany has reached a “crisis point,” cautioning: “We’ve seen what happens when ordinary people look away or remain silent.”