Anti-Semitism in Germany has increased during the corona pandemic.

“The pandemic has given anti-Semitic conspiracy ideas, some of which are centuries old, a renewed boost that reaches into mainstream society,” says a report by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which was published in Berlin on Wednesday.

Conspiracy theory thinking was continuously spread during the pandemic, including via social media.

That spread of anti-Semitic thinking was accelerated, among other things, by lockdowns and contact restrictions, according to the “Situational picture of anti-Semitism 2020/2021”.

The pandemic is primarily embedded in “existing anti-Semitic conspiracy theories”.

For example, slogans, symbols and statements that downplayed the persecution of Jews, the Holocaust and the crimes of the National Socialist regime could be identified at demonstrations, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution explained.

An example of this is the use of the yellow so-called Jewish star patch of the Nazi era with the inscription "Unvaccinated".

"Resolutely oppose any form of anti-Semitism"

The fact that anti-Semitic narratives can be connected to mainstream society is frightening, said the President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang.

The narratives served as a link between social discourses and extremist ideologies.

"It is the joint task of the security authorities and civil society to resolutely oppose any form of anti-Semitism," Haldenwang demanded.

The report by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution was first presented in July 2020.

It only illuminates anti-Semitism in its constitutional protection relevant manifestations.