Since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israeli civilians on October 7th, antisemitic incidents in Germany and across Europe have risen sharply, as evaluations by reporting centres of the Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism e.V. (RIAS) clearly show. Even before this attack, Jews were having to deal with high levels of discriminatory statements and antisemitism.
The results of a statistical survey of Jews living in Europe conducted by the European Fundamental Rights Agency in 2018 emphasise this. For example, 89% of respondents stated that they felt that antisemitic incidents had increased over the previous five years.
So far, however, national and European crime statistics have hardly captured the majority of actual cases and indicate a dark field.
RIAS e.V. aims to counteract this high number of unreported cases. The Federal Association of Departments for Research and Information on Antisemitism e.V. (RIAS) is an independent reporting centre for antisemitic incidents. Since 2018, their reporting centre has been documenting antisemitic incidents in Germany. The aim is to use the reporting portal to ensure the standardised recording and documentation of antisemitic incidents by civil society. Those affected can report antisemitic incidents and gain referrals to further psychosocial counselling and support centres. The data generated in this way has since served as a benchmark for German crime statistics.
Expanding reporting centres in the EU
Following five years of successful work in Germany, the Federal Association RIAS e.V. has expanded its own database to enable easier access for incident reporting centres in other European countries. The RIAS software is now to be made available to the newly founded ENMA network. Alongside RIAS e.V., the Jewish Community Vienna (IKG Vienna) in Austria and the Jewish Association Czulent in Poland are the co-founders of ENMA.
The Federation of Jewish Communities in Czech Republic (FZO ) in the Czech Republic and Fondazione Centro die Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea (CDEC) in Italy are currently associated partners of the network.
The collected data and uniform standards will thus be made comparable across national borders for the first time, and monitoring capacities in other European countries will be sustainably strengthened.
Co-funded by the Alfred Landecker Foundation and the European Commission, this project closes a gap and works towards sustainably combating antisemitic incidents in Europe.