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Michael Kuenne

Antisemitism at Berlin’s Alice Salomon University

The events at Alice Salomon University in Berlin are more than an isolated incident; they reflect a deeper, systemic failure to confront antisemitism within German society.

On January 6, 2025, masked individuals stormed the University’s auditorium, chanting antisemitic slogans and desecrating the bust of Alice Salomon. Draped in a keffiyeh and smeared with the word “Palestine,” the statue became a chilling focal point of hatred.

Alice Salomon was more than a name in academia; she was a trailblazing Jewish social reformer who dedicated her life to advancing women’s rights, combating poverty, and professionalizing social work as a discipline. In 1908, she founded Germany’s first social women’s school, creating a foundation for countless others in the field. Forced into exile by the Nazis in 1937 for her Jewish heritage and humanist ideals, Salomon continued to advocate for social justice in the United States until she died in 1948.

This act of defacement was not just an attack on a symbol of progress and resilience; it was an assault on the core values of a nation that once prided itself on remembrance and combating hate. The scene that unfolded at the University was shocking and emblematic of a growing crisis. The university attempted to manage the occupation by establishing “red lines” for acceptable behavior, including a commitment to report any criminal activity. However, critics argue that these lines were inconsistently enforced, as the activists continued to display propaganda and chant antisemitic slogans. Chants of “From the river to the sea” and “Yallah Intifada” reverberated through the halls, explicit calls for the eradication of Israel. When police arrived to restore order, University President Bettina Voelter described their presence as “threatening.” Although her remarks were later softened in a press release aimed at de-escalating tensions, the damage was done.

Berlin’s mayor, Kai Wegner, responded unequivocally: “Police officers are not a threat; the threat comes from the masked occupiers, for whom the president bears responsibility.” Wegner condemned the University for failing to protect its Jewish students and staff and called for a full investigation, including the appointment of an antisemitism commissioner for Berlin’s universities. “Our universities must be places of learning, not breeding grounds for hate,” he declared.

Berlin’s Antisemitism Commissioner, Samuel Salzborn, stressed the severity of the situation: “This is not about the Middle East conflict; it’s about pure, unadulterated antisemitic hatred.” He warned against any attempt to downplay such incidents, emphasizing the importance of confronting antisemitism without ambiguity.

Ron Prosor, Israel’s ambassador to Germany and former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, offered a scathing critique: “When students declare their love for Hamas and act as its mouthpieces, it’s not just vile – it’s a delusional rejection of reality.”

In response, the University issued a statement condemning antisemitism “in the strongest terms.” Spokesperson Christiane Schwausch announced that 13 criminal complaints had been filed and pledged to address the incidents through educational initiatives. However, the decision to maintain “dialogue spaces” to engage the experiences of the perpetrators sparked outrage. Critics argued that such measures shielded those spreading hate rather than protecting their victims. “Antisemitism is not an opinion – it is a crime,” echoed the widespread condemnation.

These events are not an anomaly but part of a broader trend that reveals the alarming normalization of antisemitism in Germany. Between October 7 and November 21, 2023, Berlin police recorded 1,440 crimes related to the Israel-Hamas conflict, with 82% classified as antisemitic. The Research and Information Center on Antisemitism in Berlin documented over 1,300 antisemitic incidents in the first half of 2024 alone. Globally, antisemitism has surged, with universities increasingly becoming flashpoints for hate. Platforms like X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Telegram have become breeding grounds for disinformation and antisemitic propaganda. Online hate speech has devastating effects on victims, mirroring the impact of face-to-face antisemitic incidents.

Jewish organizations report a deluge of antisemitic messages, often in mass campaigns, which are difficult to document. The boundaries of what is acceptable in public discourse have shifted, with antisemitic statements becoming normalized even within mainstream society. Conspiracy theories surrounding the October 7 massacre have proliferated, including claims that it was a “false flag” operation or that reports of rapes of Israeli women are “fake news.” Online and offline targeting of individuals fighting antisemitism has escalated, including the marking of homes and workplaces with red “Hamas triangles.” Such digital incitement directly correlates with real-world violence, underscoring the urgent need for regulation and accountability.

The city’s Jewish community faces unrelenting hostility. Synagogues require constant police protection, Jewish citizens endure harassment on the streets, and public spaces are defaced with Stars of David alongside hateful slogans. One of the most harrowing incidents occurred on Sonnenallee, colloquially known as “Arab Street,” where supporters of Hamas distributed celebratory sweets following the October 7 terror attacks. Such actions underscore the societal failures in addressing antisemitism’s deep-seated roots.

The warnings of history could not be clearer. Heinrich Heine, the Jewish-born German poet, once wrote: “Where they burn books, they will, in the end, also burn people.” This is not merely a relic of the past; it is a call to vigilance.

The recent events echo historical patterns of antisemitic scapegoating and violence, demonstrating how stereotypes and hate adapt and persist across generations. The Shoah remains a stark reminder of what unchecked antisemitism can lead to, making the phrase ‘Never Again’ a moral imperative, not just a historical lesson.

Decisive action is essential. Universities must enforce strict policies to counter antisemitism, including zero tolerance for hate speech, mandatory antisemitism education, and robust protections for Jewish students. Governments must close gaps in laws addressing online incitement and provide consistent funding for Jewish community security. Broad societal solidarity with Jewish communities is crucial to combat this growing threat.

Antisemitism is not just a threat to the Jewish community – it undermines the very principles of democracy and humanity.

If Germany fails to act decisively, it risks losing more than its Jewish population. It risks losing its soul.

About the Author
Michael Kuenne works as a journalist on antisemitism, extremism, and rising threats to Jewish life. His reporting continually sheds light on the dangers that come from within radical ideologies and institutional complicity, and where Western democracies have failed in confronting the new rise of Jew-hatred with the due urgency it does call for. With hard-hitting commentary and muckraking reporting, Kuenne exposed how the antisemitic narratives shape policymaking, dictate public discourse, and fuel hate toward Israel. His writings have appeared in a number of international media outlets, including The Times of Israel Blogs. Kuenne has become a voice heard for blunt advocacy in regard to Israel's right to self-defense, critiquing ill-conceived humanitarian policies serving only to empower terror, while demanding a moral clarity which seems beyond most Western leaders. With a deep commitment to historical truth, he has covered the resurgence of Holocaust distortion in political rhetoric, the dangerous normalization of antisemitic conspiracies in mainstream culture, and false equivalencies drawn between Israel's actions and the crimes of its enemies. His reporting dismantles sanitized language that whitens the record of extremism and insists on calling out antisemitism-whether from the far right, the far left, or Islamist movements, without fear or hesitation.
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