Combating anti-Semitism vital says Germany
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier says that the fight against anti-Semitism is fundamental to democracy in Germany.
President Herzog, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and First Lady Michal Herzog Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom (GPO)
“I am infuriated and ashamed that Jews still cannot feel safe – in our country, of all places,” Steinmeier said at an official banquet in honour of Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Berlin in remarks supplied to dpa in advance of Sunday evening’s event.
“We Germans profess our unwavering support of Israel’s security and right to exist. We stand on your side,” Steinmeier emphasised.
Herzog was welcomed by Steinmeier on Sunday afternoon for a three-day visit.
“My country carries a responsibility for the crime against humanity of the Shoah that will not go away. The remembrance of what happened and of what can occur must be a warning for us for the present and the future so that it does not happen again,” he said at the banquet, according to the transcript.
Part of the historical responsibility is that Germany “cannot be indifferent whenever anti-Semitism resurges,” Steinmeier said.
There can be only one response: “We cannot tolerate any form of anti-Semitism.”
He said that this was not only the responsibility of the German people to their own history and to the Jewish population living in the country.
“But we also owe it to ourselves and our democracy: Only when Jews feel entirely safe and at home here is Germany complete,” Steinmeier said.
On Monday, Steinmeier is due to participate in a memorial event along with Herzog and his wife for the 50th anniversary of the terrorist attack on Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base near Munich.
The German government only agreed on a compensation deal with the families of the victims of the attack earlier this week; until then, it had been unclear whether the families and Herzog would come to the ceremony.
Steinmeier said he was “happy and relieved” that an agreement had been reached. “Only a week ago, I would not have dared to hope that we could sit together here, relaxed and cheerful,” he said.
He professed his thanks to the families of the victims for coming to take part in the ceremony.
AAP
