Merz Says Antisemitism Is Spreading Again Across Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warns that antisemitism has returned to city streets, schools, and public life across Germany, as new data shows a sharp rise in cases since 2022.

Merz Warns Antisemitism Is Back on Germany’s Streets

Antisemitism is spreading across Germany once again, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this week.

“Today antisemitism is everywhere again. We see it and hear it on our streets, in our cities, in the cities of our European neighbors and around the world, in parliaments, in public organizations, in schools,” Merz said. He made the remark while speaking at a synagogue in Munich. The chancellor spoke on the International Day against Fascism and Antisemitism.

Germany Moves to Protect Its Jewish Community

Merz said the German government and state authorities are working together. Their goal is to strengthen protection for the country’s Jewish community. He pointed out that stronger physical security at sites like synagogues has become necessary. Police now guard these locations more closely than before.

A Painful Reminder of What Still Isn’t Normal

The chancellor explained that guarding Jewish institutions and fitting them with bulletproof glass sends a message. These measures remind everyone that normal, open Jewish life in Germany “still remains impossible” today. Merz also stressed that Germany will keep supporting Israel going forward.

Antisemitic Incidents Have Tripled Since 2022

Germany’s RIAS group, which tracks reports of antisemitism, shared new data in June. The group recorded more than 8,700 antisemitic incidents across Germany in 2025. That number is over three times higher than in 2022. Berlin, Bavaria, North Rhine Westphalia, and Hesse saw the highest numbers of cases.

A Day That Marks a Dark Chapter in History

November 9 marks the International Day against Fascism and Antisemitism each year. On the night of November 10, 1938, a wave of violence against Jews swept across Germany. That event became known as Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass. Nazi stormtroopers and ordinary citizens attacked synagogues, Jewish shops, and homes. Police largely stood by and let it happen.