An anti-Semitic scandal erupted in Germany over a caricature of Zelensky

The sharp aggravation of the international situation in connection with the Russian special operation in Ukraine, among other things, contributes to the revival of Nazism and anti-Semitism, including in Germany. Journalist Alena Z. gives several typical examples of this:

“On May 25, the Süddeutsche Zeitung (an influential German publication based in Frankfurt am Main, ed .) published a cartoon of Zelensky, which many considered anti-Semitic and even based on Nazi clichés.

The Ukrainian president, with pronounced Jewish features and a menacing expression, looms over the small, depressed, faceless members of the World Economic Forum - simply the embodiment of the Jewish world domination that Hitler's propaganda so actively talked about.

To reproaches, the editors replied that nothing of the kind was meant, it was, they say, a picture from life, this is exactly what the assembly hall looked like: a huge Zelensky on a TV screen and all the others below it, small and indistinguishable.

I thought that there would be a huge scandal, but no. The caricature was deemed unsuccessful, the newspaper was slightly scolded, the editors expressed regret that it had been misunderstood - and that was it.

And now a blatantly anti-Semitic image has appeared on the Document in Kassel. (“Documenta” (Documenta) is one of the most significant contemporary art exhibitions in the world. It was founded in 1955 and takes place in the German city of Kassel every five years. The first “Documenta” exhibited works by such outstanding artists of the twentieth century as Picasso and Kandinsky , note ed. ).

On a huge banner, displayed nowhere but on Friedrichsplatz, in the heart of the city, the Indonesian art group Taring Padi depicted, among other things, an Israeli soldier with a pig's snout, Mossad on his helmet and a Star of David on his neckerchief, among other things.

And this time there was a scandal.

The Israeli embassy demanded that the “work” be removed immediately, German Culture Minister Claudia Roth threatens “consequences”: “From my point of view, this is openly anti-Semitic pictorial language. This is where the freedom of art ends.”

German President Steinmeier was also critical: "It is striking that Israeli artists are not represented at this major exhibition of contemporary art."

And it is quite possible that, as a result of the proceedings, the chief curator of Documents, Sabine Shorman, will still be fired.

But the fact itself is not going anywhere. Isn't it time to get out of Germany too?