The German weekly magazine Stern has recently drawn significant attention with its cover story dedicated to the Jewish community in Germany. The cover stated “Never again is now,” and displayed portraits of German Jews who have been suffering from antisemitism since the Hamas massacre and war in Israel.
In his poignant editorial, Editor-in-Chief Gregor Peter Schmitz has highlighted the trepidations faced by Jews in Germany, emphasizing the necessity of their protection and their right to a life free from intimidation.RIAS (Department for Research and Information on Antisemitism) Berlin has noted this week a staggering 240% surge in antisemitic events in Germany since October 7, a rise that the nation's commissioner on antisemitism cautions could harken back to Germany’s darkest historical periods.
'Jews in Germany are afraid'
With the cover story titled "Stern assembly of Jews in Germany," Schmitz and his team chose to focus on the lived experiences of Jewish individuals, coupled with the alarming message, "We are afraid." This move, mirroring Spiegel's decision, became a strong editorial choice for Stern. Schmitz stated firmly, "This message – Jews in Germany are afraid, and we show their fear – cannot be printed often enough."Diving deeper into the sentiment behind the publication, the chief editor referenced Austrian author Beatrice Frasl, whose words in the Wiener Zeitung resonated with the magazine's stance on antisemitism in Germany. He quoted Frasl's powerful inquiry:
"What good are words after an Islamist terrorist militia has committed the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust?" Schmitz acknowledged that sometimes the most profound respect is to echo impactful statements when they perfectly encapsulate the essence of a pervasive issue.Frasl's statements, as quoted by Schmitz, touched on the insidious nature of antisemitism, not just in Germany but globally, challenging the complacency and apathy towards it in some progressive and left-wing circles. She called for action against the brutalization of humanism and universalism, and the distortions of truth.Among the voices included in Stern's coverage is Mario Marcus, a 72-year-old retired Jewish vascular surgeon from Berlin, representing the broader community affected by the rise in antisemitic incidents. His inclusion underscores the real people behind the statistics and headlines who confront the "Fight Against Hatred of Jews."The editorial under Schmitz's direction, therefore, was not just about reiterating fears but also about advocating for an active stance against the corrosion of civility and truth. His agreement with Frasl's sentiments echoed her final, emphatic plea: "We must never do that again. Never again."Stern, a major German left-liberal weekly magazine known for its comprehensive coverage of current affairs, is published by Gruner + Jahr in Hamburg.