Charlotte Knobloch, president of the Jewish community in Munich and Upper Bavaria, has expressed concern over the electoral victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. This party is recognized as a far-right party in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections and garnered nearly 44 percent of the votes. Knobloch announced that some Jews are considering leaving Germany in light of these events.
Concerns About the Return of Nazi Ideologies
Knobloch said, "It took years for Jews in Germany to trust the country again after the Holocaust." She added that now great fears have arisen once more, and this is her biggest concern. Knobloch referred to the efforts after 1945 to rebuild Jewish communities and said, "We tried to give Jews a home that did not last long."
Read more: Manuela Schwesig is fighting as a woman against the FDP
Electoral Consequences and Political Future
In the Saxony-Anhalt state elections, AfD leadership candidate Ulrich Siegmund, despite not achieving an absolute majority, may be appointed as the state's prime minister. Knobloch warned about this and said, "We cannot allow any of these individuals to reach the prime ministership. This is a very dangerous situation." She expressed hope that other parties would stand against this threat, and they can do it, although it requires courage.
Knobloch, who is approaching 94 years of age, is one of the prominent representatives of Jewish life in Germany and one of the last living witnesses of the Nazi dictatorship from 1933 to 1945. She was born in 1932 and was initially raised by her grandmother, who was deported to the Theresienstadt camp in 1942 and lost her life there. An acquaintance of her family saved her and kept her on their farm in Middle Franconia, under the guise of being their child.
Increasing Threats and Fears
Knobloch received death threats last week. According to a statement from the police, a witness discovered written threats on a park bench and a trash can in Munich's English Garden and reported it to the police. Following these threats, Knobloch canceled her attendance at an event. These threats have been directly linked to the electoral victory of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt.
Regarding Nazi ideologies and how they manifest in daily life, she said, "In the past, these thoughts rarely crossed my mind, but now I think about it every day." Knobloch emphasized the necessity of dialogue with young people and said, "We must find ways to reintegrate young people into society." She pointed to the existence of fear among the youth and said, "Young people need to feel that they can speak without fear of their opinions being exposed."
Read more: U.S. Air Force Colonel talks about surviving after the F-15E jet crash in Iran · Brandon Johnson has been nominated for the second round of the Chicago mayoral election
