Germany faces historic test over rise in antisemitism, Merz says in Kristallnacht speech

Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared on Monday that Germany is facing a critical test of its dedication to safeguarding its Jewish population, as he denounced the alarming presence of bulletproof glass and armed officers surrounding kindergartens and synagogues. Addressing a Munich synagogue on the anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogrom in 1938, which foreshadowed the Holocaust that would ultimately claim the lives of over 6 million European Jews, Merz emphasized that antisemitism has become omnipresent.

"We see and hear it on our streets, in our towns and cities, in the towns and cities of our European neighbors and around the world, in parliaments, in clubs and in schools," he lamented. This moment, Merz asserted, is a defining test for the "Never again" sentiment that resonates frequently. The chancellor pledged his government's unwavering commitment to protecting Jewish life both within Germany and internationally, reaffirming Germany's enduring support for Israel, which he viewed as an integral part of Germany's historical obligations.

Similar pledges have been made by Merz's predecessors, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz, who have also vowed to safeguard Jewish institutions and fight antisemitism. The Bavarian parliament speaker, nominated by Merz to become Germany's first female head of state, expressed profound disappointment at the growing insecurity among Jews in the country, describing it as a disgrace.

The most recent annual report from RIAS, a monitoring organization, revealed a dramatic surge in antisemitic incidents since the onset of the Israel-Hamas War in 2023, with 8,725 reported cases in 2023, more than triple the number from 2022 and approximately 24 occurrences daily. The term Kristallnacht, or "Night of Broken Glass," refers to the widespread violence against Jews and destruction of their property that commenced on November 9, 1938.