The Catholic Church in Germany assures the Jews of its support in the fight against the growing anti-Semitism in that country. This time we will not look away anymore. Not only as citizens, but also as Christians, we have a duty to oppose anti-Jewish prejudices and attacks on Jews, cardinal Reinhard Marx wrote in a letter to the Central Council of Jews in Germany, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year.
The archbishop of Munich admits that the establishment of this institution, just 5 years after the end of the war, was a sign, a courageous and conscious decision to rebuild the life of the Jewish community in Germany, despite the terrible history of the Jews in that country and the fact that many perpetrators were not punished for their crimes. A separate letter to the Central Council of Jews was also sent by the new chairman of the German episcopate, bishop Georg Bätzing. He also regrets the rise of anti-Semitism in Germany and admits that the Council’s efforts to draw public attention to the activities of extremist and anti-Semitic groups play an important role in the development of a democratic culture in the country. Attacks on Jews are an attack on our democracy and our coexistence, bishop Bätzing emphasized.