German Officials Condemn Flensburg Shop Owner for Banning Jewish Customers

Published Time: 09-22-2025, 14:30 EDT

A store in northern Germany sparked outrage after its owner posted a sign declaring that Jews were banned from entering. The incident, which occurred in the city of Flensburg, has drawn strong condemnation from state officials and renewed concerns about rising antisemitism across the country.

Shop Owner’s Controversial Sign

On Wednesday, 60-year-old shop owner Hans-Velten Reisch, who operates a store selling Gothic-themed items and technical literature, displayed a sign outside his business that read: “Jews are banned from entering here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”

Germany’s largest daily newspaper, Bild, reported that Reisch defended his decision, telling reporters that his actions were motivated by anger over Israel’s military campaign against Hamas in Gaza. “I watch the news every evening. And when I saw what the Jews were doing in the Gaza Strip, I lost my temper and printed out the poster,” Reisch was quoted as saying.

Police later ordered the sign’s removal, warning that it violated German laws against hate speech and incitement.

Political and Public Backlash

State officials in Schleswig-Holstein quickly condemned the act. Dorit Stenke, the state’s Minister of Culture, described the poster as “a frightening signal and an attack on the principles of our free coexistence.” She added that antisemitism threatens democracy and must not be tolerated in any form.

Gerhard Ulrich, the state’s antisemitism commissioner, echoed these concerns, stating: “We must stand together against every form of antisemitism. The fight against antisemitism is a special responsibility that we bear as Germans.”

Ulrich further warned that the rhetoric used in Flensburg was “fatally reminiscent of the Nazi hate speech against Jews.”

Legal Action Underway

The State Prosecutor has launched an investigation into the incident on charges of incitement to hatred. According to Bild, at least five criminal complaints have been filed against Reisch, including one submitted directly by Ulrich.

German law criminalizes antisemitic hate speech and bans public displays that discriminate against religious or ethnic groups. If convicted, Reisch could face fines or a prison sentence.

Antisemitism on the Rise in Germany

The Flensburg case highlights broader concerns about antisemitism in Germany. State authorities reported 588 antisemitic incidents in Schleswig-Holstein in 2024, marking a nearly 390 percent increase from the previous year.

Officials argue that the surge reflects not only extremist activity but also the spillover effects of international conflicts, including the war between Israel and Hamas.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a U.S.-based Jewish human rights organization, has repeatedly warned German officials about rising hostility toward Jewish communities.

Controversy Around the Antisemitism Commissioner

While Ulrich has positioned himself as a leading voice against antisemitism, his past statements continue to spark debate. Critics, including Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, have accused him of previously contributing to anti-Israel sentiment during his time as a Protestant bishop.

In December 2022, Cooper urged Schleswig-Holstein’s government to dismiss Ulrich, stating that he was “unfit to denounce the very antisemitism that he unfortunately legitimized and helped to spread in German society.”

Ulrich had previously compared Israel’s security fence to the Berlin Wall and said that the name “Israel” was “burdened with the horror and misery of this Middle East war.”

Broader Context: Israel and Hamas Conflict

The controversy comes against the backdrop of ongoing conflict in the Middle East. On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale terror attack that killed more than 1,200 people, including foreign nationals. Israel responded with a military campaign in Gaza, which has since become a focal point of international debate.

Israel maintains that its security barrier and military operations are necessary to prevent terrorist attacks, while critics argue that the measures disproportionately affect Palestinian civilians.

Growing Alarm Among Jewish Communities

Jewish organizations in Germany have expressed alarm over the incident in Flensburg, noting that it reflects a disturbing normalization of antisemitic rhetoric.

Community leaders have called for stronger enforcement of existing laws, expanded educational programs, and greater accountability for public figures whose rhetoric may indirectly fuel hostility.

Conclusion

The Flensburg shop incident has become more than a local scandal. It represents a wider struggle in Germany as the country confronts both historical responsibility and contemporary challenges related to antisemitism.

Officials have promised decisive legal action, but Jewish communities and human rights advocates stress that broader societal change is necessary to ensure such rhetoric does not gain ground again.