When Swedes are to remember the victims after the Holocaust, enormous security measures are being taken. Swedish Jews talk about growing anti-Semitism.
Salomea Gosenius (21) is scared every time she goes to the synagogue in Malmö. Mira Malm Kelber (21) refuses to hide her Star of David, but it makes her experience agitation.
The two young Malmö women have been interviewed by Aftonbladet and Swedish daily newspaper. Both say that it has become more dangerous to stand out with their Jewish identity in the Swedish city.
Gosenius’ sister was beaten down in the schoolyard a few years ago. It happened after she spoke to some boys who made the Nazi salute and shouted “Sieg Heil”.
She herself hid for a long time that she is Jewish. Gosenius thinks she owes her great-grandmother to stand up. She lived in Poland during the war, but survived the Nazi extermination.
Mira Malm Kelber’s father was born in Ukraine in 1940. He lived his whole life with trauma from the war, and came to Sweden as a refugee in 1968. She has started a Jewish youth association in Malmö. She also believes it is a duty to the family to stand out as Jewish.
Jewish youth say that the incitement increases when the news picture is marked by the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Massive security measures
Wednesday was a memorial day for the victims of the Holocaust in Sweden. It is no coincidence that the largest event was added to Malmö. The city has a big problem with anti-Semites. At the same time, it is a city with a large immigrant population and armed conflicts between criminal gangs.
Memorial ceremonies and seminars on anti-Semitism are held for two days.
The list of participants includes world leaders such as UN Secretary-General António Guterres, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. They will meet both the Swedish royal couple and the outgoing Prime Minister Stefan Löfven.
Therefore, parts of the city center were blocked off as early as Tuesday afternoon.
The police must, of course, take care of the heads of state from almost 40 countries. But they must also be prepared for the city’s Jewish population. It says a lot about the situation that booksellers who sell Jewish literature, covers to their storefronts.
The synagogue in Malmö is one of Sweden’s largest. It is common for the police to impose strict security measures during the holidays. The danger of terrorism in connection with the marking is considered very great.