Felix Klein, the federal government representative for combating antisemitism, has offered a mixed assessment after eight years in office.
Speaking to the dts Nachrichtenagentur on Wednesday, Klein noted that a major success has been the establishment of structural foundations allowing both society and governmental bodies to respond to antisemitism systemically. Examples of this success include the founding of the Federal Association Rias and the establishment of federal antisemitism commissioners within the public prosecutor’s offices across the country.
He praised the introduction of legal measures, specifically citing the positive impact of banning the flag burning of foreign nations. Klein pointed out that despite the widespread protests since October 7th, which included significant hate speech and abuse, no Israeli flags were burned in Germany, demonstrating the preventive effect of criminal law.
However, Klein emphasized that his successor would need to improve upon several areas. He stressed the need to create stronger preventive structures, suggesting that modules dealing with racism and antisemitism be made a mandatory part of teacher training in Germany. Furthermore, he believes the German-Israeli youth exchange should be enhanced, with specific efforts focused on combating Israel-related antisemitism.
Crucially, Klein stated the fundamental challenge remains tackling the sources of the prejudice. He explained that global events, such as the war in Gaza, directly influence antisemitism in Germany, and breaking this mechanism is a societal task that has not yet been achieved. He concluded that society must also improve its resilience against antisemitic narratives during times of crisis and uncertainty.
Klein has served as the federal government representative for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism since 2018. He is scheduled to move to Germany’s Permanent Representation to the OECD in the summer of 2026, though his successor in the office is yet to be named.
