Combating Antisemitism in Schools: Berlin's Uphill Battle

Berlin's KIgA Struggles to Fight Antisemitism Amid Polarized School Debates

The Kreuzberg Initiative Against Antisemitism (KIgA) faces growing challenges in its work with young people, particularly those from migrant backgrounds. Recent debates on importierter Antisemitismus (imported discrimination) have intensified tensions in schools, making it harder to address prejudice without sparking accusations or silencing marginalised voices. KIgA's approach—rooted in openness and critical reflection—now clashes with polarised discussions that often oversimplify complex issues of discrimination and identity.

KIgA's Education and Counseling Practice Unit designs programmes to dismantle antisemitic attitudes, counter radicalisation, and build resilience against inhumane behaviour. Their method relies on taking students' statements seriously, exploring the reasons behind them, and engaging meaningfully with discrimination rather than imposing preconceived solutions. Yet, in one classroom, a student's remark—'You only come to us because you think we're discriminators'—highlighted the distrust and emotional barriers that complicate this work.

The class in question carried a heavy emotional burden. Students had experienced racist incidents involving teachers and had few trusting relationships with adults. Their resistance and prior experiences of discrimination made it difficult to establish the pedagogical connection needed for an effective anti-antisemitism programme. Instead of open dialogue, the session risked reinforcing divisions.

Critics argue that current prevention strategies often assume the very problem they claim to address. Rather than reflecting on the roots of discrimination or the role of prevention itself, these measures operate from a logic of prohibition. This approach can lead to blanket accusations against people with migration backgrounds, overshadowing the need for a nuanced understanding of discrimination. Sociologist Klaus Holz has condemned the narrative of imported discrimination as a way to avoid Germany's own self-critical remembrance culture, particularly in the shadow of its Nazi past.

The debate has grown more heated since October 7, 2023. Discussions in schools now frequently conflate criticism of Israel with discrimination, a dynamic amplified by far-right rhetoric and political resolutions adopting the IHRA definition. Research from DeZIM in 2025 revealed that those most vocal about imported discrimination often exhibit higher discriminatory attitudes themselves. This has created a chilling effect, stifling conversations about antimuslim racism and other forms of bias in educational settings.

KIgA continues to work with diverse groups, many of whom face exclusion and discrimination. Their approach remains focused on listening and fostering critical perspectives rather than enforcing top-down solutions. However, the polarised climate around discrimination—fuelled by political rhetoric and unexamined assumptions—poses ongoing obstacles to meaningful dialogue and effective prevention in schools.