Commissioner: Stand up resolutely against anti-Semitism

On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp, Saxony's Commissioner for Jewish Life, Thomas Feist, is calling for resolute action against all forms of anti-Semitism and hatred. "The memory of the Holocaust must never lose its relevance," he warned in view of the increase in anti-Semitic derailments in Germany and Europe. "Auschwitz stands as a symbol for the darkest time in human history."

On January 27, 1945, Soviet soldiers liberated the German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz in Wehrmacht-occupied Poland. The National Socialists had deported around 1.3 million people to the camp. Around 1.1 million were killed, including around one million European Jews. The day has been a national day of remembrance since 1996.

More anti-Semitism since the Hamas terror attack

The attack on Israel by the Islamist Hamas in 2023 has exacerbated anti-Semitism, affecting Jewish life in the Free State, said Feist. This is mainly due to the emergence of anti-Israel organizations in the major cities, which "pursue very aggressive policies against Zionism".

The Jewish communities have since recommended that their members do not necessarily identify themselves as Jewish and hide signs of their faith. "There is a feeling of fear, they say, better be careful." The communities in Dresden, Leipzig and Chemnitz "are intact and function well", emphasized Feist. Only the principle of open doors, contact with the outside world, has almost come to a standstill, "which is a great pity".

Feist: safety is the top priority

According to Feist, they no longer seek publicity. "Safety has the highest priority." The desire for greater dialog in and with the public is also taking a back seat. The state commissioner therefore appealed to society to preserve, protect and promote Jewish life, "in remembrance of the past and with a view to a peaceful future together".