Merz says anti-Semitism is growing in Germany

Anti-Semitism in Germany is manifested not only in the streets, but also in schools, parliaments and public organizations. This was stated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a speech at the Munich synagogue “Ochel Jacob”. The appeal took place on November 9 at a ceremony dedicated to the anniversary of the Nazi pogroms of 1938, reports Reuters.

Merz noted that anti-Semitism was once again visible in many areas of public life in Germany, as well as in other European countries and around the world.

According to the chancellor, the federal authorities, together with the state authorities, are taking additional measures to ensure the safety of the Jewish community. At the same time, the need for armed protection of religious institutions and the installation of armored glass is an alarming sign of continued danger.

The head of government stressed that such security measures prevent Jews from leading a full-fledged open life in Germany. Berlin will continue to support Israel as part of the country’s historic responsibility.

The speech was held on the day of the 20th anniversary of the Ochel Jacob synagogue. On November 9, the victims of Kristallnacht, a mass pogrom organized by the Nazis in 1938, are also remembered in Germany. Synagogues, Jewish shops and homes were destroyed throughout the country.

The scale of anti-Semitic manifestations is evidenced by data from the Federal Association of Anti-Semitic Incident Recording Centers (RIAS). According to a report published in June, there were 8,725 such cases in Germany in 2025 – an average of about 24 per day.

This is more than three times higher than in 2022, when the organization recorded 2,610 incidents.