Speech Scuffles and Controversy: "That's an Anti-Semitic Remark" at the Buchenwald Remembrance
- By Martin Debes
- Approx. Reading Time: 3 Minutes
- Lawsuit Filed Against Memorial Director over Alleged Toxic Discourse Promoting Anti-Semitism
The 80th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the former Nazi concentration camp, Buchenwald, descended into chaos with several disputes. Initially, the planned speech by Jewish philosopher Omri Boehm was postponed due to pressure from the Israeli embassy. Then, during the official memorial event on the former camp grounds, a speaker made a surprising and offensive remark regarding Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip - labeling them as "genocide". Jens-Christian Wagner, the director of the Buchenwald and Mittelbau Dora memorials, found himself at the center of the controversy. We spoke to him about the events.
Professor Wagner, a participant at the event accused Israel of committing genocide. What transpired? The participant in question was part of an International Committee Buchenwald-Dora youth project. We had minimal involvement in their plans.
Were you aware of the contents prior to the event? We were sent the speech text beforehand but the final part referring to the alleged genocide in Gaza was omitted. Had we known, we would not have agreed to the appearance. We were essentially deceived. It appears to have been an impromptu action by the participant. The committee has since offered their apologies.
The participant, a Spaniard, didn't just mention "genocide" against the Palestinians but also shouted "No pasarán."...... a phrase with dismally ironic undertones. She shouted in English, "We fight against the genocide in Palestine," followed by "No pasarán." Originally, this battle cry signified resistance against fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War and translates to "They shall not pass." At this location and on this day, it amounted to an anti-Semitic outburst. I immediately refuted the memorial site's association with her comments.
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The debate over what constitutes anti-Semitism preceded the event: You withdrew a planned speaker. How severe is the fallout? The Boehm speech controversy cast a shadow over this anniversary. I still lament this, especially considering the dwindling number of Holocaust survivors. The state government and the memorial site requested Boehm's presence because he, as a renowned German-Israeli scholar and grandson of a Holocaust survivor, offers a nuanced and authentic perspective. Boehm's published manuscript reveals that the accusations against him are baseless. The manuscript demonstrated a clever, well thought-out text, and an unequivocal opposition to any attempt to lessen the gravity of the Holocaust.
Boehm referred to Jerusalem as a "golden calf" and accused Yad Vashem of washing Israel's racist policies. The Israeli ambassador claimed he trivialized Holocaust remembrance. Is he correct?
Omri Boehm is a renowned and consistently well-reasoned academic. The accusations against him are politically motivated. In fact, the entire discourse concerning Israel and Palestine is a bitterly contested and manipulated terrain. It's challenging to express any viewpoint without being accused of supporting Hamas or being an anti-Semite, or a right-wing sympathizer of the Israeli government. Neither of these stereotypes applies to me or Boehm.
What stands out in your statement? Israel's right to exist must not be questioned. We stand firm in solidarity with those suffering from Hamas' attacks in Israel. It's also fair to criticize disproportionate military actions by a government containing radical extremist elements, without invoking genocide comparisons that dilute the Holocaust's significance. The poisoning of discourse isn't limited to the Gaza conflict; it permeates a broader global trend of authoritarian and extremist governments weaponizing historical politics.
Examples to illustrate this trend? Witness Putin's charges justifying the invasion of Ukraine. Or Trump's recent command to remove supposedly un-American material from museums. Or Benjamin Netanyahu. Recently, the Israeli government welcomed influential European right-wing extremists to an anti-Semitism conference in Jerusalem, including contentious historians dismissive of the Holocaust.
Is the struggle for historical politics linked to the near depletion of survivors from the Nazi era? The absence of direct witnesses heightens the risk of Nazi crimes' manipulation. These individuals can no longer defend themselves against such distortion. We've observed this trend, and its intensity is likely to increase.
What courses of action can be taken? It's essential to advance a scientific and insightful examination of Nazi crimes emanating from the memorial sites and clearly communicate when others attempt to trivialize, deny, or exploit these crimes. However, this mission is becoming increasingly arduous.
- The Commission, consulted on the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens, might find itself grappling with the sensitive issue of historical politics, given the ongoing weaponization of historical events by authoritarian and extremist governments, such as the instrumentalization of segments of the Holocaust by certain European right-wing extremists.
- In light of the controversy concerning Omri Boehm's accusal of trivializing Holocaust remembrance, the warning about the potential sycophantic tendencies in the discourse surrounding Israel and Palestine is particularly poignant, as it highlights the danger of politically motivated attacks that seek to discredit individuals holding nuanced viewpoints.
- As we grapple with the growing trend of distorting the gravity of Nazi crimes with the near depletion of direct witnesses, the holocaust serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of such conflicts and confusion, urging us to remain vigilant in our pursuit of a scientific and insightful examination of these events, and to scrutinize those who seek to undermine or manipulate their significance.
