2024-03-03 07:11:53
Anti-Semitic spraying on a wall: Similar incidents are also increasingly occurring in schools. Image: imago-images.de
After Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, the number of anti-Semitic incidents in Switzerland increased explosively. Jewish students are also affected by this.
Kari Kälin / ch media
The crime scene is the locker room. A high school student sprays a Jewish classmate with deodorant and says: “I’ll gas you like all Jews.”
The example comes from the annual report of “Cicad”, the French-speaking Swiss coordination office against anti-Semitism and discrimination. Last year it registered 944 anti-Semitic incidents in French-speaking Switzerland, almost 70 percent more than the previous year.
After Hamas’ terrorist attack against Israel on October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza, the number exploded to more than 150 per month. The spectrum ranges from anti-Semitic statements on the Internet to serious incidents such as the deodorant attack or broken windows in synagogues.
Focus: schools
One conclusion of the “Cicad” report is particularly striking: anti-Semitism is therefore widespread in schools. In some playgrounds, “Jew” has become a swear word, and memes about Hitler and the Third Reich are popular in WhatsApp class chats. Memes are images with text. The fact that the head of an unprecedented criminal regime is celebrated as a star in student chats and on social media is disturbing. Are schools not doing enough educational work?
Marianne Helfer is head of the federal department’s anti-racism department. Speaking to the SRF program “10vor10”, she criticized the cantons for not paying enough attention to the issue of anti-Semitism and racism in schools. In a survey, teachers complained that they were not adequately prepared for the topic during their training.
The Swiss Association of Israelite Communities (SIG) is now emphasizing the prevention aspect. Secretary General Jonathan Kreutner refers to the “Likrat” project, which was launched in 2002 and is attracting growing interest. Last year, Jewish young people visited school classes in German-speaking Switzerland more than 170 times to introduce their religion and break down prejudices. They reached more than 1,500 students.
Regarding images of Hitler in class chats and the like, Kreutner says: “Most of the time there is no solid ideology behind it, but rather historical ignorance and the appeal of provocation.” The best way to combat this is not punishment, but rather discussions and education about National Socialism and the Holocaust.
Teachers are increasingly seeking advice
The burgeoning anti-Semitism among students is also increasingly affecting staff on the educational front. Peter Gautschi is a professor of history didactics at the Lucerne University of Education and co-editor of the book “Antisemitism – Explorations in the Education Sector,” published in 2022.
Before October 7, 2023, perhaps two teachers per year sought advice from him on how to deal with anti-Semitic incidents in schools. Since then it has been one or two per week. The teachers report everything from insults in the playground to statements like “Hitler is my idol.” How much of this is due to provocation, ignorance or an ideological underpinning is difficult to estimate, says Gautschi.
Peter Gautschi is a professor of history didactics at the Lucerne University of Education. Image: PD / Nidwaldner Zeitung
The history didactician has a 10-point program for teachers (see below) developed to deal with anti-Semitism and discrimination. An example: Teachers must clearly identify the anti-Semitic statements and take an unambiguous position. It is also important to explore the motives behind the discriminatory statements. The transfer of knowledge only comes at the end. Gautschi himself has successfully applied his recommendations in various situations.
Gautschi does not accuse the schools of neglecting the issue of anti-Semitism. He observes that teachers are confronting the phenomenon and also treating it. But there are big differences. Not all teachers are equally successful at creating a climate in which committed discussions about difficult topics are possible. Gautschi also says:
“The school is not a repair shop that can solve all of society’s problems.”
Gautschi therefore points to an important finding from his most recent research project on the topic: All students at universities of education should have access to basic information on how to deal with anti-Semitism. “Teachers have solid knowledge that they can deepen through further training, provided they are given the necessary time and resources,” says Gautschi.
What exactly should teachers do?
* Recommendations for teachers on how to deal with discriminatory/anti-Semitic statements or actions (Peter Gautschi, PH Lucerne, after October 7, 2023)
Sources
Albanians protected Jews from the Nazis during World War II
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Albanians protected Jews from the Nazis during World War II
Drita Veseli (with a picture of her husband Refik Veseli): «My husband was a photographer. He learned the profession as a teenager from a Jewish photographer named Moshe Mandil. The Italians deported the Mandil family from Pristina in Kosovo to Tirana. When the Germans occupied Albania, my husband got permission from his parents to hide all four members of the Mandil family and three of the Ben Joseph family in his family home in the mountain village of Krujë. All seven Jews were there until the liberation.” Photo: Yad Vashem/Norman Gershman … Read more
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s strong message against hatred and anti-Semitism
Video: watson
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