The President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, accuses the media in Germany of anti-Semitic narratives and double standards with regard to Israel and Judaism. Schuster expressed the criticism when the cabaret artists were awarded the Leo Baeck Prize Dieter Nuhr. This consistently exposes the double standards and also affects his colleagues in public broadcasting, said Schuster.
“At a time when the… Anti-Semitism If normalization occurs, you stand by the side of the Jewish community – here in Germany as well as in Israel,” praised Schuster. That’s why Nuhr is a worthy recipient of the highest prize that the Central Council has to award.
Schuster: “Double standards and anti-Semitic stereotypes in public broadcasting and in the media industry, in the cultural scene and in cabaret”
“I am convinced that you will continue to hold up a mirror to your colleagues in the future when double standards and anti-Semitic stereotypes are replicated in public broadcasting and in the media industry, in the cultural scene and in cabaret,” said Schuster.
The one out Israel In his eulogy, Muslim author Ahmad Mansour praised Nuhr for having the courage to say what many thought but did not dare to say. With his show on ARD, Nuhr is providing a kind of therapy for a broken culture of debate. Nuhr received the prize for something that should be a given, said Mansour. “We are standing here today because what was taken for granted has become extraordinary,” he said. “That’s the real news of the evening, and it’s damn bitter.” Nuhr’s achievement is to name anti-Semitism where it hurts, namely on the political left.
Nuhr said in his acceptance speech: “It disturbs me that anti-Semitism is felt to be the rule rather than the exception not only among right-wing extremists, but also among left-wing extremists and cultural workers.” The majority of those who described themselves as anti-fascists were not anti-fascists at all.
“Left-wing anti-Semitism has a tradition in Germany, it just wasn’t noticed before,” said Nuhr: “Today the madness is no longer right or left. It is distributed fairly.” He complained about an inability to think for himself. “Today we are seeing again that people are running along, obviously thoughtlessly fitting in with a crowd that feels morally superior. And that is exactly where the space arises in which evil unfolds.”
The award commemorates Rabbi Leo Baeck (1873–1956). Among those honored were the former Federal Presidents Richard von Weizsäcker, Roman Herzog and Christian Wulff as well as the former Chancellor Angela Merkel. The award, which has been given since 1957, is endowed with 15,000 euros.
