Schwerin (dpa / mv) - The anti-Semitism commissioner of the state government, Nikolaus Voss, sees side effects of the Monday protest actions in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania critically. He observed with growing concern that the right to demonstrate was being abused by some people in order to make anti-Semitic conspiracy myths socially acceptable, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
With a view to the pogrom night of November 9, 1938, which marks the 84th anniversary on Wednesday, he appealed to all citizens to consistently stand in the way of such attempts. Only with a clear stance and civil courage can anti-Jewish resentments be prevented from becoming socially acceptable again.
The leading duo of the left in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Vanessa Müller and Peter Ritter, described November 9, 1938 as one of the darkest hours in German history. "It was the beginning of state persecution of the Jews, which ended in the murder of six million people of Jewish faith," the party leaders said.
They were convinced that the pogrom night could not have taken place if right-wing extremist groups had not gained strength and were not tolerated by society. Therefore, in the present, right-wing populism, xenophobia and intolerance must be resolutely opposed. This is "a daily task for each and every individual," said Müller and Ritter.
On Wednesday, the state parliament in Schwerin used the historic date to commemorate the victims of the pogrom night at the start of its three-day session. In a motion jointly submitted by the SPD, Left, CDU, Greens and FDP, the demand to learn lessons from history is underpinned. Commemorative events are planned in numerous cities across the country.
