Merz dons kippah at synagogue opening, vows war on antisemitism

German Chancellor in the synagogue. Photo: Sven Hoppe

On September 15, 2025, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke at the reopening ceremony of a synagogue in Munich, pledging decisive measures against antisemitism to Jewish communities. Merz delivered his speech wearing a Jewish kippah.

“We are experiencing a new wave of antisemitism in our country. The federal government and I are declaring war on this antisemitism. We will not tolerate it – not even under the guise of so-called freedom of art, culture, and science,” Merz stated.

In his emotional address, the Chancellor noted that antisemitism did not disappear in Germany after World War II. He linked the problem to immigration, stressing that “a significant share of those who have arrived in Germany in recent decades were socialized in countries where antisemitism is practically a state doctrine.” During his speech, Merz was visibly close to tears.

The synagogue on Reichenbach Street is the only Jewish place of worship in Munich to have survived the Nazi period.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the number of Orthodox Christians in Germany sharply increased due to Ukrainian refugees.

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