Germany in a “past history dilemma”[Chosun Ilbo column]

▲Illustration = UTOIMAGE

The Israeli war, which began with a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, has been going on for more than a month. The battlefield has expanded all over the world. Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations continued in various countries, and public opinion was divided. Germany, in particular, is even more sensitive to this war. This is because there is a past history of the Holocaust, which massacred Jews. From the early stages of the war, the so-called “political elite” expressed absolute support for Israel, citing past history. Olaf Scholl..

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▲Illustration = UTOIMAGE

The Israeli war, which began with a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, has been going on for more than a month. The battlefield has expanded all over the world. Pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations continued in various countries, and public opinion was divided. Germany, in particular, is even more sensitive to this war. This is because there is a past history of the Holocaust, which massacred Jews. From the early stages of the war, the so-called “political elite” expressed absolute support for Israel, citing past history. Prime Minister Olaf Scholz was the first Western leader to visit Israel after the war began. Deputy Prime Minister Robert Herbeck continued, saying, “Anti-Semitism will never be tolerated in this land again.” Some local governments are taking a stricter stance. Hamburg has placed limits on the number of national flags that can be brought to demonstrations in support of Palestine. Berlin has given schools the power to ban students from wearing the traditional Arab hood, the kaffiyeh, or carrying the Palestinian flag or wearing clothing with the colors of the national flag. .

The people I met at the demonstration in support of Palestine expressed their dissatisfaction with the German government’s attitude and their feelings of betrayal. In October, Jammeh, a 38-year-old German man we met in the predominantly Arab neighborhood of Neukölln, walked around the square carrying a cell phone case and a bag with a sticker of the Palestinian flag on it. Jammeh said, “The police surveillance is terrible, so instead of bringing out a big national flag, I wanted to express my will in this way.” “I think Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians are wrong. There is no justification for the massacre of civilians in the Gaza Strip.” Another man from Palestine said: “I’m a German citizen too, but people don’t understand my anger.”

Germany’s attitude toward reflecting on its past history deserves respect. At the same time, however, the number of immigrants has increased, and the number of Germans who do not share the same past has also increased. Currently, around 28% of Germany’s population is of immigrant origin. The German daily newspaper Tagesspiegel said, “It is unrealistic to expect German immigrants, including Palestinians, Vietnamese, and Turks, to have the same attitude toward Germany’s history.” “Does Germany have to reflect on the fact that it massacred six million Jews?”

The debate over what position Germany should take regarding this war is becoming increasingly complex. These concerns are not unique to Germany. In October, South Korea’s Ministry of Public Administration and Security (equivalent to a ministry) announced that the proportion of foreigners in South Korea will exceed 5% by the beginning of next year, making it the first country in Asia to meet Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards. There is a high possibility that Japan will become a “multiracial and multicultural nation.” In an age of immigration and refugees, national identity is always a difficult question to find a right answer to. We are now living in a time where we have the dilemma of being both perpetrators and victims at the same time.

Reporter Choi Ari

Chosun Ilbo / Chosun Ilbo Japanese version

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