The Berlin office of the American Jewish Committee (AJC Berlin) and the Jewish Student Union of Germany (JSUD) released a report in late February highlighting a surge in campus antisemitism in Germany.
The report, titled "Antisemitism at German Universities," acknowledged that since October 7, 2023, Jewish students have felt increasingly unsafe on campuses nationwide.
Today, @AJCBerlin and the Jewish Student Union of Germany released an alarming new report on antisemitism at German universities. The report reveals that since October 7, 2023, Jewish students have not felt safe on campuses across Germany, with antisemitism becoming a troubling…
— American Jewish Committee (@AJCGlobal) February 27, 2025
Within the report, AJC Berlin and JSUD advocated for sanctions against antisemitic incidents and emphasized the necessity for educational and preventive measures to ensure Jewish students can study and live without fear of discrimination and violence.
"Since October 7, many universities have ceased to be safe places for Jewish students. They stay away from campus out of fear, hide their Jewish identity, or are afraid to express their opinions due to the massive anti-Israel and antisemitic agitation on campus. In this report, we have compiled our experiences from the past year," said Hanna Veiler, President of the JSUD.
"Although many universities have now recognized the problem, and the German Rectors' Conference has also taken action, this is still not enough in many places. Our report shows that some universities still lack effective prevention and intervention structures, which is why antisemitic incidents are often not adequately responded to. Our report explicitly calls on those responsible at universities and in politics to take measures to ensure that universities are safe places for everyone again.."
'Primarily a threat to Jews'
Dr. Remko Leemhuis, director of AJC Berlin, added, "The antisemitism we are currently experiencing at our universities is primarily a threat to Jews in Germany. However, it also jeopardizes the university as a space for free expression and the development of knowledge. It is all the more dismaying that Jewish students often receive little or no support even from university administrations, and that to this day, antisemitic hostility and attacks are relativized or even negated."
Leemhuis continued, “Likewise, to this day, there is still not enough action taken against antisemitic actions such as lecture hall occupations, and appropriate sanctions, such as police reports or bans from the premises, are not enforced. This situation report is not only directed at university administrations and those responsible in politics, but is also a call to non-Jewish students and university members to no longer turn a blind eye to antisemitism, but to actively oppose it."