German store owner forced to remove sign banning Jews; officials condemn antisemitism in Schleswig-Holstein

A German shop owner in the northern city of Flensburg posted a sign on Wednesday barring Jews from entering his Gothic-Utensils and technical literature shop, prompting immediate condemnation from Schleswig-Holstein officials and police intervention. Hans-Velten Reisch, 60, defended the poster, telling Bild that it read, “Jews are banned from entering here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you,” and that his anger was sparked by coverage of the Gaza Strip. Police told him to take the sign down Wednesday evening, according to local reports.

Schleswig-Holstein’s culture minister Dorit Stenke and antisemitism commissioner Gerhard Ulrich issued a joint statement on the state government’s website, denouncing the sign as a frightening signal and an attack on the principles of free coexistence. “A sign that denies Jews access to a store is a frightening signal and an attack on the principles of our free coexistence,” Stenke said. “We cannot allow such things to continue in our society and must take decisive action against it together. Antisemitism is a threat to our democracy and must not be tolerated in any form.” Ulrich added, “We must stand together against every form of antisemitism.” The statement underscored the government’s stance against antisemitic expressions openly displayed in public spaces.

Authorities also moved quickly to investigate the incident. The State Prosecutor launched an investigation into incitement of hatred, while Ulrich filed a criminal complaint for incitement of hatred against Reisch. Bild reported five criminal complaints had been filed in connection with the case. Ulrich said antisemitic rhetoric like the sign not only harms those targeted but disrupts public peace, noting that the Flensburg incident recalling Nazi-era hate speech is especially troubling in the German context.

The case comes amid growing concerns about antisemitism in Schleswig-Holstein. Officials noted that 2024 saw 588 antisemitic incidents documented in the state, a 390 percent increase over 2023, highlighting what they described as a troubling rise in anti-Jewish hostility. Ulrich has faced criticism himself for remarks some interpreted as anti-Jewish or anti-Israel; opponents have cited his past role as northern Germany’s bishop within the Protestant church. In December 2022, Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center warned the Schleswig-Holstein government against tolerating Ulrich’s rhetoric, urging action against what Cooper described as antisemitism legitimized in mainstream discourse. Ulrich has since argued that the name “Israel” carries heavy connotations in the context of the Middle East conflict; his comparisons of Israel’s security measures to historical walls have been cited by critics as evidence of the ongoing debate over how leaders address antisemitism and Israel-related discourse.

The incident in Flensburg follows the broader arc of the Gaza conflict that began after Hamas attacked Israeli targets on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,200 people and including U.S. citizens. Israel launched a defensive war against Hamas in Gaza in response, a backdrop that proponents of the Sign incident say underscores the charged climate surrounding Jewish communities in parts of Europe. Officials stressed that authorities will continue to pursue all lawful avenues to counter antisemitism and protect public safety and democratic values. The investigation and legal actions reflect a broader policy stance in Schleswig-Holstein to confront antisemitic acts head-on, regardless of their origin or motivation, and to reinforce public messaging that such conduct will not be tolerated.