German flags at Reichstag, Berlin, Germany
German flags at Reichstag, Berlin, GermanyiStock

The president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Dr. Josef Schuster commended the German government for its creation of an anti-Semitism commissioner, while also calling for the continuation of the current proactive stance against anti-Semitism when the new federal government takes over after September 2021 Bundestag elections.

Speaking to the KNA International German news service, Schuster said that the current government’s creation of the anti-Semitism commissioner position, held by Felix Klein, was a success.

He noted that similar federal level commissioners in other nations are in frequent communication with Klein and exchange views.

However, he cautioned that the new government that takes over in the fall must continue to be proactive against anti-Semitism.

“In addition, the remembrance of Nazi crimes remains very important, where I have in mind above all the concentration camp memorials, which must be adequately supported,” he said.

When asked about the far right, populist Alternative for Germany party (AfD), Schuster mentioned that polls show the party could receive 11 percent of the vote.

“That is too much. In general, I have not heard any constructive proposals from the AfD parliamentary group in the legislative period,” he said.

Recently, a German court ruled that it won’t decide before the September federal election whether the domestic intelligence agency can put the AfD under observation due to suspicions of extreme-right sympathies.

Remarking that the Central Council of Jews’ annual federal government subsidy had been increased from 10 to 13 million euros, he said that the funds were needed in the aftermath of the Halle, Germany synagogue shooting in 2019.

The funds are being used in coordination with the Federal Criminal Police Office and state police forces, he added.