Charlotte Knobloch Sees Similarities Between AfD and Hitler’s NSDAP
The 93-year-old Holocaust survivor is worried about the situation in the Federal Republic. In her new book, she discusses the increasing Jew hatred.
On Holocaust Memorial Day five years ago, Charlotte Knobloch delivered a poignant speech at the Bundestag, recalling her grandmother's murder by the Nazis 77 years prior and the liberation of Europe 76 years after. At the tender age of 6, Charlotte had cried with her friends when they were barred from playing together simply because she was Jewish.
In the late 1930s, the young girl observed life becoming increasingly difficult for Jews under Nazi rule. Since then, Charlotte has been a prominent voice in Germany, leading the Jewish Congregation in Munich and Upper Bavaria, serving as President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Vice President of the World Jewish Congress.
At a major event at the Bundestag on January 27th, 2021, Charlotte Knobloch vehemently criticized the far-right "Alternative for Germany" (AfD) party, stating that where there was antisemitism, there was room for other forms of hatred. She told the AfD MPs, "You lost your fight 76 years ago." Born in Munich, Charlotte's parents were Jewish; her father was a lawyer and her mother converted to Judaism.
After her parents divorced, she lived with her grandmother, who saved her life when she was deported and murdered in Theresienstadt. Charlotte returned to Munich with her father in 1945 and later married. She has been active in numerous Jewish organizations and authored a book titled "Trotzdem weiter" ("Continuing, in Spite of It All" in German).
In her latest work, Charlotte Knobloch expresses her concerns over the resurgence of Jew hatred and antisemitism in Germany, describing it as an "acutely dangerous" threat. She notes that antisemitism is not merely alarming or a mere wake-up call, but a clear and present danger. Knobloch argues that politics must take a firm stance on the future of Jewish citizens in Germany, not staying silent or brushing it aside with just a few sentences.
Recently, she discussed the AfD, acknowledging differences but similarities with the Nazi Party (NSDAP), noting that the AfD is growing more radical. Despite the differences, Knobloch believes that the AfD is testing what is acceptable and becoming more radical in its approach. She emphasizes the need for drastic measures to combat radicalism, including legal proceedings that may lead to banning the AfD.
Written by urgent.news from The Berlin Spectator's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
