Germany has one of Europe’s most rigid policies forbidding the use of Nazi trappings, such as publicly displaying the swastika. Though right-wing groups are making modest political gains, general sentiment in Germany is still very anti-Nazi.

However, raw anti-Semitism—though it may not wear a brown shirt—still lurks in the heart of the Fatherland, according to Charlotte Knobloch, president of the German Jewish Council. In an interview published August 31 on Spiegel Online, Knobloch made some disturbing comments on what she has seen, particularly since the Israel-Hezbollah war:

Spiegel Online: When you took office you said one of the main focuses of your work would be the struggle against right-wing extremism. Has the conflict in the Middle East worsened anti-Semitic attitudes in Germany?Knobloch: It has, unfortunately. I see an absolutely hostile attitude towards Jews and Israel. Signs that read “Israel—Child Murderers” are being carried through the streets at demonstrations here, for example. The police don’t confiscate these placards. Persons that deal with the issue only marginally, or not at all, are influenced negatively. That’s the basis of this hostile attitude. You can find it everywhere. We’re currently organizing a fundraising concert, for example, and even there we get negative, anti-Semitic mail. No distinctions are made. We’re sucked into the current Middle East conflict 100 percent, as Jewish citizens in Germany.

The catch-cry among critics of Israel is that people confuse taking issue against Israel’s policies with anti-Semitism. But when German Jews are targeted for Israel’s policies, Jew-hatred is clearly on display. The fact is, anti-Semites used the Lebanon war as a pretense to ramp up attacks on Jews in other countries around the world.

Knobloch noted that those politicians who are taking advantage of the anti-Jew mood are doing quite well politically (emphasis ours):

Oskar Lafontaine, the leader of the Left Party, for example. Left Party parliamentarians aren’t particularly objective in their evaluation of the catastrophe in the Middle East. I’m also thinking of Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, the Minister of Economic Aid and Development and member of the Social Democrat Party (spd). These people encourage the hostile mood against Jews. I’ve never experienced anything quite like this. It’s on a new level. This hostile mood is now more noticeable in the German public than it used to be. It’s infiltrated every group and every level of society. I hope this development can be reversed by a joint effort on the part of all democratic forces. Otherwise all the positive images I have about Germany would be put into question.

Despite public proclamations to the contrary, the demons of anti-Semitism were never exorcised from Germany after World War ii. Anti-Israelism has become a legitimate public and political expression of such racism. A telling survey a few years ago sponsored by the European Commission found that Europeans (59 percent) consider the tiny, democratic, Westernized nation of Israel a threat to world peace more than they do any other country in the world, including Iran and North Korea.

What is especially interesting is the fact that Israel is choosing this moment to turn to Germany for help with its security. Knobloch called it a “watershed for Israel” and mentioned what a surprise it was to see Israel requesting military participation from Germany. Though she views this as a positive opportunity for Germany to counteract the anti-Israel forces in its midst, the facts clearly indicate that this overture by Israel is sure to end badly.