Online Book Presentation with Prof. Dr. Julia Bernstein (Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences)

Followed by a discussion with Michael Spaney and Jörg Rensmann, co-authors of the book (both MFFB)

Moderation: Sigmount A. Königsberg

Tuesday June 23, 2020 at 7 p.m.

The recording of the event can be viewed  here.

The book was published by Beltz-Verlag and can be ordered here.

The book “Antisemitism in Schools in Germany” by Prof. Julia Bernstein has been described as “one of the most important works on the subject […] that has been published in Germany since 1945”. (Prof. Micha Brumlik in the daily "taz"). 

Julia Bernstein will present the findings of her research on antisemitism in German schools. The study particularly emphasizes the perspectives of the Jewish teachers and students.

Julia Bernstein will later in a conversation with Jörg Rensmann and Michael Spaney of the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin (MFFB), debate questions about how widespread Israel-related antisemitism is in German schools and what are patterns of the depiction of Israel. Jörg Rensmann will present recommendations for an adequate representation of Israel in German school books.

How is it possible that 73 years after the Holocaust, the word "Jew" has become one of the most widespread insult in German schoolyards? How serious is the problem and what are its components? What a mindset is behind the idea that Jewish students are perceived to be representatives of the State of Israel? How can teachers recognize and avoid Israel-related antisemitism in their everyday school life? How can the wrong classification of antisemitism as a sub-category of racism be avoided by school professionals in the future?

Prof. Dr. Julia Bernstein is Professor of Social Inequalities and Discrimination Experiences in Social Work at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. Her main research areas include Antisemitism, xenophobia and racism in institutions, visual media and in everyday life, questions of interculturality, Jewish identity in societal change, processes of stereotyping and ethnicization. Her publications include a study report on behalf of the second independent expert group on antisemitism of the German Bundestag: "Jewish perspectives on antisemitism in Germany", in cooperation with Andreas Zick, Andreas Hövermann and Silke Jensen. In the summer of 2020, Prof. Bernstein's next book “Israel-related Antisemitism” will be published by Beltz Verlag.

Jörg Rensmann is Program Director at the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin and author of the book chapter "A plea for an urgent reform: The image of Israel in German school books".

Michael Spaney is Executive Director of the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin and author of the book chapter: "The Middle East Conflict: Caricature, Myths and Facts".

Sigmount A. Königsberg is the representative against antisemitism of the Jewish Community in Berlin K.d.ö.R.


A cooperation event of the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin, the Jewish Adult Education Center Berlin and the Political Education Section of the Gießen Graduate Center for Social, Economic and Legal Sciences at the Justus Liebig University in Gießen.