OREANDA-NEWS. Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper citing data from a study of the World Jewish Congress reports that nowadays every fourth citizen of the Germany shares anti-Semitic views, while the growing majority of citizens is aware of this problem.

The publication notes that 27 % of all Germans and 18 % of people whose annual income is more than 100 thousand euros uphold anti-Semitic views. The research shows that 41 % of respondents in a varying degree agree with the statement that “Jews talk too much about the Holocaust,” 26 % believe that “Jews have too much influence in the economy,” and 24 % agree with the same about financial markets and world policy. The newspaper draws attention to the fact that among well-to-do Germans the proportion of those who agree with the statements about economy and policy is even higher than in general – 28 % and 26 %.

At the same time, the Germans’ readiness to resist the growth of anti-Semitic sentiments is growing. Two-thirds of wealthy citizens are ready to sign a petition against anti-Semitism, one-third is ready to go out on the street protesting it, and almost two-thirds believe that Jews are at risk of violence. The overwhelming majority notices an increase in anti-Semitism and attribute this to the success of right extremist parties, 65 % of all respondents and 76 % of the group of wealthy agree with it.

The President of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder commented on the study, saying that anti-Semitism in Germany has reached a critical point. “We saw what happens when ordinary people look away or keep silent. The time has come when the whole German society must… enter into the open struggle against anti-Semitism,” he said.