November 9, 2000, in front of the Brandenburg Gate,
Berlin
Sixty-two
years ago today, synagogues and houses of prayer all across Germany were torched
and profaned. Jewish businesses and houses were looted. There were numerous
arrests, and at least 91 people were murdered. This night officially signaled
the largest and most awful genocide in the history of mankind.
A
few feet from here, on November 9, 1989, the walls erected by another unlawful
regime were finally forced open. For this reason, today’s date is a day of joy
for all Germans.
But
it may never supplant the remembrance of November 9, 1938, the remembrance of a
pogrom organized by the State. And certainly, it should never lead to a holiday
for the Ninth of November. For the revelry associated with a festival, complete
with beer tents and stands selling sausages—appropriate for the joy associated
with the tearing down of the Wall—is worthless for remembering the millions
who died under Nazi terror.
Memories
of the events of those days become spontaneously relevant when we view the
pictures of the last few weeks and months: When synagogues are attacked and
profaned, such as in Lübeck, Erfurt, in my hometown of Düsseldorf, and here in
Berlin as well. Angry and embittered, we see the images of people being driven
through the streets, publicly beaten, often murdered.
Can
you imagine what kind of memories these crimes awaken in us Jews, indeed, must
awaken? And with that, I do not merely mean for those of my generation who had
to go through the hell that was the Holocaust. I mean my children and
grandchildren too. Can you imagine what we think, when we must see how once
again Germans torch our synagogues, profane our cemeteries, threaten us with
death and bombs in our homes? Can you begin to know what we think, when we see
how a black African is chased through German streets and murdered?
We
often hear, “nip it in the bud,” when we are speaking about the battle
against right-wing extremism. But we are well past this stage. What we
experience here nearly every day has nothing to do with ‘beginnings.’
Already we find ourselves in the middle of this battle against right-wing
extremism. A few weeks ago, Chancellor Schröder called us to a “Revolution of
Decency,” he called for more people to act on the courage of their
convictions. But what does that mean in concrete terms, what does it mean for
the individual? What can, what must each of us do?
I
am convinced that the majority of the people in this country reject right-wing
extremism, anti-Semitism, and xenophobia. But this majority may no longer be
silent. No longer can it look the other way. No longer may it write off the
events in our country as insignificant. Germany in the year 2000 is not the
Germany of 1938. The “Berlin Republic” is not the “Weimar Republic.”
But—in ten years, will this State still be a democratic, open, liberal
Republic, like the “Bonn Republic” was?
In
spite of the terrible negative events of the last few weeks, Jews in Germany
have confidence in this country, in its competent politicians, and in its
inhabitants. After their terrible suffering, and despite world opinion, our
parents decided to live here once more, and establish Jewish communities. Now as
then, we are firmly convinced that this was a good decision, and an important
one. We will not and we may not help Hitler and his accomplices win their war
after the fact, by making Germany judenrein, free of Jews. But we need a
clear signal that the majority of the non-Jewish residents of this country want
to have us and our Jewish communities in this country.
Today
we remember the events of the evening of November 9, 1938, when the Nazis
visibly gave free rein to their hatred of the Jews. It was an operation carried
out by the State, and it was enacted in public streets. The German nation became
witnesses to the trampling under foot of human rights and human values, in the
truest sense of the words. Exultant and howling witnesses were among the
onlookers that night. Others simply took in what happened either silently or
indifferently. That night, Jews were all but left on their own. With a few
exceptions, among them the courageous clergyman Bernhard Lichtenberg, hardly
anyone publicly declared his displeasure, his horror. To this day, I do not
understand how the non-Jewish population was able to resume its daily existence
after that night.
Few
are heroes. Few have the courage to step in when they witness skinheads
attacking a defenseless man, a defenseless woman – and in the meantime, yes,
defenseless children – on the street, beating them up. But every single one of
us is capable of calling the police. Every single one of us is capable of taking
small steps right where he lives. When dining with friends and derogatory jokes
are told about Jews, Turks, Blacks, or gays. When a foreigner is treated badly,
discriminated against, in your workplace. Talk to your friends and colleagues
when they do such things! Talk to your shop steward and thereby demonstrate your
opposition to such things! We cannot yield our streets and favorite restaurants
to the brown mob.
I
am happy that there are so many of you who—with this demonstration today—say
to the right-wing extremists on our streets: “Stop it! Enough! We will no
longer stand for the fact that people in our country must once again be
afraid!”
We
may not cease in our battle against right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism, and
xenophobia. For this is not merely about us Jews, or about Turks, Blacks, the
homeless, or gays. This is about this country. This is about the future of every
single individual in this country. Do you want to be ruled by skinheads and
their predecessors one of these days? That is the real question at hand. Not how
many foreigners this country can bear.
Make
your democratically elected politicians jointly responsible for what happens
here. What good does a special session of the German Parliament do, when they
condemn anti-Semitism with beautiful speeches following the attacks on the
synagogues in Düsseldorf and Berlin, when the very next day several politicians
choose to use words that can be easily misunderstood? When for tactical reasons,
they make immigration questions an election theme, babbling about so-called
“useful” and “useless” foreigners?
And
what is this talk about a Leitkultur, a basic culture? Perhaps German Leitkultur
consists of hunting down foreigners, torching synagogues, murdering the
homeless? Are we talking about a culture, or about the prevailing values of
western democratic culture that we have firmly anchored in our national
constitution? Article One of that constitution states: “The dignity of mankind
is inviolable. The duty of national power is its protection.” The dignity of
mankind – of all mankind – is inviolable, not just the dignity of
Central European Christians!
If
this principle is the one that is understood as German Leitkultur,
then I can only support it. And then I must challenge all politicians, must make
all politicians responsible for bridling their populist speeches. They must
begin to see that Article One of our constitution is also implemented and taken
seriously. Our politicians, our departments of justice, our police are required
to do everything – really everything! – they can to protect the dignity of
all people in this country.
Ladies
and gentlemen of our political parties: Consider well what you say, and cease
your inflammatory speech-making! Protect the people of this country and create a
framework of conditions that will allow us all to live together. That is the
only way you will be able to prove to every citizen, non-Jew and Jew alike, and
prove to yourselves and to the rest of the world, that this Germany in the year
2000 truly has a democratic future.
All
of us are called every day – but especially on a day like today – to finally
get serious with the protection of human dignity. Only when we are serious will
memorial services, such as the one today, cease to be empty, burdensome rituals
or productions, and become rather meaningful signs of a living and strong
democracy.
“Memorial”
entails remembering. In the Jewish community, we learn young that remembering is
an important part of our history. The Talmud says, “The secret of redemption
is remembering.” We owe it to those sacrificed in the Shoah never to forget
them or their suffering! He who forgets their sacrifice murders them a second
time.
~ Paul Spiegel,
President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany
©
2000 Paul Spiegel
Translation
© 2000 Ruth Sachs
