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Germany‘s “Memory Culture“: A Cloak for Modern Antisemitism and Complicity in Genocide
My recent experience in a German courtroom was a stark illustration of a deeply troubling paradox. I had prepared a statement, the foundation of this piece, to address the charges against me. However, just before entering the courtroom, my legal counsel was informed of a chilling ultimatum: drop the appeal against the assault charge, or face a guaranteed conviction, an escalated case, and a probation sentence of 6-8 months. This was not a pursuit of justice, but a predictable act of coercion, a blatant disregard for due process where the outcome was predetermined. My liberty was to be the price for my right to speak.
Instead of a fair hearing, I was compelled to accept considerable fines and a criminal record. On the very same day, a friend who chanted “From the river to the sea” was acquitted and joined a rally where we both spoke. Tragically, shortly after, five individuals where violently apprehended for uttering the identical phrase.
This personal ordeal compels me to introduce my own “charge” against germany’s vaunted “memory culture.” Far from being the self-congratulatory propaganda I’ve previously critiqued, it has evolved into one of the most audacious and morally bankrupt forms of antisemitism prevalent today.
Germany’s “memory culture” actively embraces, funds, supports, and legitimizes the war crimes perpetrated by the apartheid state of Israel against Palestinians. It falsely frames these actions as a jewish value, while ruthlessly suppressing any dissent from those who dare to question this grotesque distortion. This is not merely an error in judgment; it is institutional antisemitism. It serves to diminish and relativize Germany’s own history of genocidal antisemitism by weaponizing false accusations against those who denounce current genocidal acts. This serves to protect the German state’s vested interests in its collaboration with Israel.
the fascist ideology underpinning Zionism and the pariah state of Israel are demonstrably nearing their conclusion. As they face their unavoidable downfall, I hold out hope that Germans will finally confront the profound delusion of their unwavering support for genocide and begin the arduous process of reclaiming their own humanity. My hope is that they will find a path to truly confront and atone for their role in the atrocities inflicted upon Palestinians, a role that mirrors, in a disturbing way, the past monstrosities inflicted upon their own ancestors.
while the German state may possess legal authority, its moral authority has utterly disintegrated. Globally, Germany is now viewed with palpable disgust as it once again participates in what many perceive as genocide. Germany may possess the power to prosecute individuals like me, but it will never succeed in silencing our voices. It can never extinguish my profound love and solidarity for my fellow human beings, especially those in palestine. The Palestinian people are my witnesses, and it is indeed to them, not to the German state, that I am accountable for my actions.
Rachael Shapiro* is an anti-Zionist Jewish organizer and writer, originally from the New York area and now residing in Berlin. A descendant of Holocaust survivors, she is actively involved in the Palestine solidarity movement through the International Jewish Antizionist Network (IJAN).
