Felix Klein, the German Government Commissioner on Antisemitism. Photo: Reuters/Wolfgang Kumm

As anti-Jewish hatred and antisemitic violence fuel an increasingly hostile climate for Jews and Israelis in Germany, Felix Klein, the Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight Against Antisemitism, is calling for tougher laws and mandatory antisemitism training for future teachers as concerns grow over the erosion of Jewish safety.

In an interview with the local German newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, Klein called for a tougher criminal crackdown, arguing that those who publicly glorify the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas at demonstrations should face a minimum six-month prison sentence.

“Supporting foreign terrorist organizations in any form should be a criminal offense,” Klein said, adding that the law must send a clear message that publicly endorsing terrorist groups will not be tolerated.

The German official, who is set to leave his post to become the country’s ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, also urged authorities to deport foreign nationals without valid residence permits after they have served their sentences.

Klein further advocated for mandatory antisemitism training for teachers, stressing that educators must be equipped to identify and confront anti-Jewish hatred as Jewish students face mounting harassment and hostility in schools.

“Anyone susceptible to antisemitism has no place in the teaching profession,” he said, adding that teachers who express antisemitic views in the classroom should face disciplinary measures.

According to Klein, school curricula should portray Jewish life in a more positive and comprehensive way, ensuring students do not view Judaism primarily through the lens of antisemitism, the Middle East conflict, or the Holocaust, but develop a broader understanding of Jewish history, culture, and life.

Among other measures, Klein also advocated expanding the powers of customs authorities to crack down on the financing of terrorist organizations while calling for continued support for successful local antisemitism-prevention initiatives.

Even as the quality of life for many Jews in Germany continues to deteriorate, Klein noted that Jews from around the world continue to show considerable interest in obtaining German citizenship, underscoring the stark contrast between the country’s appeal and the growing challenges facing its Jewish community.

However, Klein also warned that this trend could come to an end if the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a right-wing party classified by Germany’s domestic intelligence service as extremist, makes significant gains in upcoming state elections.

“Many Jewish families are considering living elsewhere, even if they have not yet made a decision,” Klein said.

Over the past three years, Germany has continued to grapple with persistently high levels of antisemitism, with newly released figures reaching record levels and underscoring an increasingly hostile climate for Jews and Israelis marked by sustained harassment, violence, and intimidation.

According to Germany’s Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS), 8,725 antisemitic incidents were recorded nationwide in 2025, marking a slight increase from the previous year and setting a new record.

While last year’s total reflects only a modest rise of 98 incidents compared with 2024, this latest figure represents a roughly 248 percent surge from 2022, before the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when 2,480 incidents were documented.

With an average of roughly 24 incidents per day, the report recorded 178 physical assaults and 257 threats, alongside widespread harassment, property damage, and intimidation targeting Jewish individuals and institutions.

Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, condemned the normalization of antisemitism in German society, warning against what he described as a growing acceptance of such rhetoric and behavior.

“These are not statistical outliers, but rather the grim reality in Germany. The 2025 annual report from RIAS clearly shows that we are witnessing antisemitism solidify at record levels rather than easing,” Schuster said in a statement.

Officials even warn that the real number of antisemitic crimes is likely much higher, as many incidents go unreported or are never formally classified.

In one of the latest incidents, a 37-year-old Jewish man was attacked and injured with a box cutter at Kottbusser Tor subway station in Berlin on Saturday after expressing pro-Israel views during a casual conversation with a stranger.

In a separate incident, unknown perpetrators vandalized a memorial site on Mühlenstraße in Berlin, removing a plaque embedded in the sidewalk and damaging a second plaque beside it, both of which commemorated Jewish people persecuted during the Nazi era.