Olaf Scholz
Olaf ScholzReuters

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized on Sunday the importance of preserving the memory of the Holocaust, acknowledging Germany’s historical responsibility for the atrocities committed during World War II, reported AFP.

Speaking at an event organized by the Jewish community in Frankfurt to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration camp, Scholz firmly rejected the idea of moving on from this chapter of history.

"I am against turning the page, saying 'that was long ago,'" he told attendees.

Scholz stressed that remembering the Holocaust is a responsibility that must be upheld across generations in Germany. "We keep alive the memory of the civilizational split of the Shoah (Holocaust) committed by Germans, which we pass down to each generation in our country again and again: our responsibility will not end," said Scholz.

He highlighted the personal dimension of the tragedy, describing the Holocaust as "millions of individual stories," involving people "like you and me -- it is also this awareness that we must pass down in our remembrance."

The Chancellor noted that this collective memory must be built on "indisputable facts that everyone in our country must face regardless of origin, family history or religion."

Scholz also voiced concern over the "worrying and alarming normalization" of antisemitism, hate, and far-right ideologies, particularly on social media platforms where such rhetoric is often accompanied by calls to violence.

Incidents of antisemitism in Germany have been on the rise since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. One of these incidents was a synagogue in the capital of Berlin being firebombed by two assailants.

Germany has also seen a rise in anti-Israeli demonstrations since October 7.

These protests included a protest at the Humboldt University’s Institute for Social Sciences in downtown Berlin, similar to the anti-Israel campus protests that have swept across the US in recent months.

Last June, police in Berlin temporarily detained 69 people at pro-Palestinian Arab protests involving several hundred demonstrators.

In an attempt to tackle the rising antisemitism, Germany’s parliament in November passed a resolution calling for ending public funding to any organization “that spreads antisemitism, calls into question Israel's right to exist or calls for a boycott of Israel.”

It also recommends that individuals responsible for antisemitic actions in schools and universities should face disciplinary measures, including exclusion from classes or expulsion.