Philosemitism in Germany

 

Here’s a translation of my broadcast on German radio. It deals with the prevalence of philosemitism in Germany and the damage it does.

 

A Love that blinds you

 

Some of you may be familiar with the iconic film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play "A Streetcar named Desire", with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. It was marketed in Germany as "Endstation Sehnsucht", translated into English: «final stop – nostalgia«.

 

I was reminded of it, when I read in the papers that the city of Cologne – having painted one of its tramlines with large sized stars of David and inscriptions of the word "schalömchen” - a German cute-form of the Hebrew word shalom – now claims to have therby made a statement for democracy and against antisemitism.

 

Cologne's mayor declared, "it is a commitment to our Jewish heritage. This train makes it clear: Cologne is unthinkable without its seventeen-hundred-year-old Jewish community".

 

There you go. I don't know how many people in Cologne share their mayor's opinion that the city would be unthinkable without its Jewish community. But as with Tennessee Williams, longing and desire shine through. The longing for a supposed normality in which we Germans love "the" Jews. If we just paint "schalömchen" on our trams and all of us go to klezmer music events, everything should be fine again.

 

Philosemitism, the uncritical love of Jews just because they are Jews, regardless of their personality, morals or actions, is not just a German phenomenon: Trumps USA even offers it as an export commodity: After the US antisemitism commissioner declared his country to be the most philosemitic country in the world, he declared that he would develop and promote philosemitic narratives in other countries as well.

 

Is philosemitism really the solution?

 

Germany is understandably particularly sensitive to everything associated with Jews. It reacts emphatically when increasing antisemitism becomes more noticeable.

 

Some are therefore convinced that philosemitism is the right response to antisemitism. Such philosemitism usually also includes the Jewish state of Israel and the most active philosemites are often obsessed with Israel or Jewish issues. What we then experience is a coming to terms with the German past that sometimes reaches the point of absurdity.

 

The Schalömchen tramline is such an outgrowth of the philosemitism existing in Germany. Now, unlimited, unfounded, even if partly ridiculous love would not necessarily be a problem. And in the big picture, the question arises, why should one be seriously bothered by it?

 

At first sight there is no reason, and yet the philosemitic, positively conceived obsession, which in its compulsive enthusiasm is not unlike antisemitic fanaticism, leads to an abnormal and harmful agitation and political activity.

 

There is no reason to love Jews more than non-Jews.

 

Blind to Israeli human rights violations

 

If philosemitism forms such a protective shield over Jews and Jewish life that it becomes more and more trapped in a benevolent ghetto, then this does more harm than good.

 

If philosemitism blinds you to Israeli injustices or human rights violations, then it is more evil than good. In Germany, Israel-related philosemitism leads to de facto support of Israel's occupation policy, the colonisation of Palestinian territories and the oppression of their population. Every member of the German Bundestag ought to be aware of this.

 

When trying to combat antisemitism with philosemitism, it is worth remembering the saying of the Jewish parodist Robert Neumann: "Philosemites are antisemites, who love the Jews".