Anti-Semitism is currently more present in Germany than it has been for a long time. There is also a need for action at universities to counteract the currents.
After the attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas, there has been an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Germany. Ever since Lahav Shapira, a Jewish student at the Free University of Berlin, was allegedly beaten up by a fellow student, it has become clear that German universities are also confronted with anti-Semitism. You can read more about the incident here. However, compared to the average population, students are less likely to be anti-Semitic. This emerges from a study by the University of Koblenz, which was commissioned by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
In the study, researchers surveyed 2,300 representatively selected students from all over Germany. They found that eight percent of students show an anti-Semitic attitude – but in the general population it is 18 percent, according to the study presented on Thursday in Berlin.
According to the study, students who identify with the Muslim religion are more likely to have anti-Semitic views than those who are Christian or non-denominational. The researchers explain that this often has to do with the families’ origins in conflict regions. Christian students are also more likely to adopt anti-Semitic attitudes if their parents come from such a country. Students who identify themselves as being on the political right are more likely to share anti-Semitic views than others.
Response to the Middle East war
With regard to the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, there are mixed feelings among the students. Around 70 percent of those surveyed classified the attack as a despicable act of terrorism. But more than half of the students are also critical of Israel’s military response. Accordingly, only a little more than a quarter see Israel’s military reaction as justified – in the average population this figure is 36 percent. In addition, 54 percent of students are worried about the Palestinian civilian population.
But it’s not just Jewish students who are affected by discrimination. Other discrimination factors include: gender, migration background and religious affiliation. 28 percent of those surveyed stated that they primarily observed discrimination based on gender. Around a quarter perceive discrimination due to their migration background. Religious affiliation plays a rather smaller role at a total of 12 percent. What is striking, however, is that both Jewish (30 percent) and Muslim (31 percent) students are most often affected.
What can universities do against anti-Semitism?
According to the “Tagesspiegel”, Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) believes that it must be possible to expel students who behave or express anti-Semitic behavior. This must be checked in particularly serious cases. There should be no place for general or Israel-related anti-Semitism at German universities, says the minister. The current figures are worrying.
In principle, it is possible for universities – as was the case with Shapira – to impose house bans. Here you can read more about it. According to FU President Günter Ziegler, there is a “spectrum of measures” for a “safe and respectful campus”. According to Deutschlandfunk, Ziegler spoke, for example, of contact points, events and a week of action against anti-Semitism. However, these cannot be found at all universities in Germany.
