2 publishers · first seen Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:41 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 04:26 UTC
Katharina von Schnurbein took office on Wednesday as Germany's federal commissioner for Jewish life and the fight against antisemitism, succeeding Felix Klein. The German Interior Ministry announced her appointment on October 14, selecting an official who had served as the European Commission's coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life since 2015. Von Schnurbein said she approached her new role with respect, humility and determination, and expressed concern that many Jews no longer feel safe in public spaces, schools or universities, with some concealing their identity. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described her as an experienced specialist with strong ties to the Jewish community, reaffirming that Jewish life belongs to Germany and will be protected.
Jewish organizations including the European Jewish Association and the Anti-Defamation League welcomed her appointment, emphasizing the need to confront antisemitism in all forms. Von Schnurbein takes office amid record levels of antisemitic incidents: RIAS documented 8,725 in 2025, up from 8,627 in 2024 and more than triple the 2,480 in 2022.
Content auto-generated. May contain inaccuracies.