Europe's Jews are not safe – the new reality for Jews is protection, not freedom
Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
Opinion
Named sources
Context piece
- The article argues that European Jews are no longer safe, marking a new reality of needing protection over freedom.
- It states that despite the memory of the Shoah being embedded in European states' political identity, antisemitism has resurfaced.
- The author suggests that the historical remembrance of the Shoah should have led to a state where permanent protection for Jews is unnecessary.
The memory of the Shoah is deeply ingrained in the political identity of many European nations, yet antisemitism is making a significant resurgence. This trend suggests a troubling new reality for Jews in Europe, where the focus is shifting from freedom to the necessity of constant protection.
The author posits that the historical commitment to remembering the atrocities of the Holocaust should have fostered a society where Jews no longer require such pervasive security measures. The return of antisemitism challenges this expectation, indicating a failure in the lessons learned from history.
This shift signifies a concerning departure from the ideal of a Europe where all citizens can live without fear. The article implies that the current state of affairs demands a re-evaluation of how historical memory translates into contemporary safety and security for Jewish communities across the continent.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Neue Zürcher Zeitung in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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