Dear Ms. Eva-Maria Bugger,
Dear Mr. Friedrich Thul,
Dear Bishop Dr. Helmut Dieser, Helmut Dieser,
Dear Cathedral Provost Rolf-Peter Cremer,
Dear Superintendent Hans-Peter Herr Bruckhoff,
Dear Rabbi Michael Jedwabny,
Dear students,
Dear all those present,
85 years after the destruction of synagogues and Jewish businesses and the death and imprisonment of thousands of Jews in Germany and Austria, it is more important than ever to keep the memory of the Shoa alive. On Progromnacht, November 9, 1938, SA and SS thugs smashed Jewish stores and more than 1,400 synagogues were destroyed. Hundreds of Jews were murdered, thousands mistreated or arrested. The population looked on - or looked away. Few took part in the riots, but only a few helped their Jewish neighbors. Today, Jewish life is still endangered. Not everyone accepts it as a natural part of society.
Nothing has been the same since the terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Never since the end of the Shoah have so many Jews been murdered. We mourn the victims. The terror affects many innocent people in the Gaza Strip, whose interests Hamas only pretends to represent. It is the terrorists who want to lead Gaza into a destructive military war. A war that we all fear could become a regional conflagration. Every effort must be made to prevent this.
We here in Germany must now be particularly vigilant. We must protect Jewish life here locally and take a strong and determined stand against all forms of anti-Semitism and hatred of Israel. We cannot tolerate attempts to celebrate the brutal attacks on Israel in the streets. Those who cheer this terror not only degrade the victims, they also trample on human dignity. It is intolerable that Jews are once again living in fear today - in our country of all places. We are all called upon to act. Anti-Semitism is an attack on all of us.
That is why I fully support the resolution against anti-Semitism that all the parliamentary groups on Aachen City Council passed together yesterday. It sends a clear message: "We strongly condemn any form of anti-Zionist and anti-Israeli anti-Semitism and express our unreserved solidarity with the Jewish community in our city and beyond." Every incident of anti-Semitism should be thoroughly investigated and those responsible brought to justice. In addition, the parliamentary groups are calling for increased education and awareness-raising measures to reduce prejudice and promote understanding of Jewish history and culture.
Antisemitism is the red line: we must not tolerate antisemitism - neither old nor new. And we must not allow any hatred of Israel on our streets. The fight against anti-Semitism in its various forms remains a task for each and every one of us. Our democracy, ladies and gentlemen, does not discriminate according to origin, experience or religion. Everyone who lives here must be aware of Auschwitz and understand the responsibility that this entails for our country. We should remember and we want to remember. Every generation must come to terms with this chapter of German history anew in order to learn from the past.
We want to preserve and protect Jewish life, which has grown again in our country after the human crime of the Shoah. I hope that many people will think about how we behave towards our neighbors, the socially disadvantaged, the refugees in our country, people of other faiths and people who look different.
We live in a democracy, and freedom of assembly and freedom of opinion are a valuable asset. But violence sets limits to our freedoms. Anti-Semitic incitement, attacks on Jewish synagogues, attacks on police officers are not an exercise of freedom. They are criminal offenses. We are a diverse and cosmopolitan city - and we want to stay that way.
Let us be united for peaceful, respectful coexistence. Let us show that people with Jewish, Christian and Muslim roots can and want to live together peacefully in Aachen!
"Never again now"!
29.11.2023