"There is always something you can do" against bigotry

The 2018 Berlin "Prize for Civil Courage Against Right-wing Radicalism, Anti-Semitism and Racism," has been awarded to Janina Levy by the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe organization. Levy, the managing director of a Hamburg creative agency, intervened when a young man on a Berlin street used a leather belt to attack two young men wearing kippas, the traditional Jewish head covering. DW spoke with her about the incident and about the importance of standing up against bigotry.

DW: Ms. Levy, you happened to be there when the attack on the kippa-wearing boys occurred in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district. From your point of view, how did the incident unfold?

Janina Levy: I was sitting in a restaurant waiting for my food and, from across the street, I could see this situation developing. I saw two kippa-wearing boys and, on the other side, about three teenagers. Then both groups vanished from my sight. Suddenly I heard a commotion, and it was loud.

I got up from where I was sitting, leaving everything and ran towards them shouting "Stop, stop! I'll call the police! Stop that!" That was when I saw one of the Arab boys hit the victim with a belt. I would have also thrown myself in between the two, but in the end I didn't have to because the aggressor let up. I suppose because he noticed the situation was attracting attention and because someone intervened.

Then there was a brief altercation between the perpetrator and me. I said that we are in Germany, that he can't do something like that here and that he had better leave. There was a short moment when he approached me, and I thought, "What's going to happen now?" Fortunately, his friend pulled him back.

Read more: Berlin court finds teen guilty in kippa anti-Semitic attack

In another interview, you were critical of others who were near the crime scene but did not intervene. Why do you think some people stay away from such a situation?

There are indeed people who would like to do something, but who are afraid to interfere. That is completely understandable. If the aggressor had confronted me, hit me or pulled a knife, to be honest, I might have reacted differently. That is why I do not want to accuse others, but rather encourage them.

To the people who have the desire to do something, but don't know what to do because they're scared, I can only say: there is always something you can do. You can shout out, you can call the police, you can go over to the people at the next table and say, "Hey, let's do something about this."

Read more: 'Solidarity hoodie' challenges anti-Semitism

Unfortunately, there are many people who are simply indifferent and self-absorbed. "That's none of my business, why should I get involved?" They say that and actively decide not to do anything. I find that abominable.

Over the past two years, anti-Semitic attacks have repeatedly made headlines in Germany, such as the verbal abuse directed towards Berlin restaurant owner Yorai Feinberg, which made the rounds on social media last December, or in July, with the violent attack against a Syrian who wore a chain with the Star of David. Do you personally perceive there to be a growing atmosphere of anti-Semitism in this country?

Two or three years ago, when Israel waged war against Gaza, I got the feeling that the mood changed and that the conflict was being used as an excuse to say certain things. Most people were not interested in the reasons why Israel went to war. Most people are historically ignorant of the situation and, therefore, cannot assess it accordingly. Israelis quickly become "Jews." Since then I've seen that anti-Semitism has been allowed to thrive in public because allegedly there is political justification for it.

There has always been anti-Semitism in Germany. I myself have survived attacks; that was over 20 years ago. But I have the impression that today people feel more comfortable making their opinions known. And that is certainly due to the fact that now, with the AfD (far-right Alternative for Germany), an increasingly influential party makes it mainstream.

In the past there was a certain correctness, and that's increasingly disappearing. The choice of words is becoming more brutal – in parliament as well. People there speak of "headscarf girls" and "asylum tourism" and whatever invented phrases of that sort.  That is a stark brutalization. Moreover, we have now have more fellow citizens here who are Muslim, who have been socialized differently and told since childhood that Jews are bad people. When we take these people into our country, we as a society also have the duty to integrate them, to give them better education and make it clear to them that we here in Germany think differently.

What does this prize mean to you?

I think my action was not particularly prizeworthy or courageous. But if this prize contributes to people perhaps hearing about it and showing increased willingness to stand up for their fellow humans, then I am very happy about being able to contribute to positive change, however small.