Jewish government worker in Germany complains of anti-Semitic harassment

Driver for Chancellery in Berlin reportedly repeatedly bullied by colleagues, now works in a different location

By Toby Axelrod 21 January 2020, 11:39 pm 1

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The German Chancellery as seen from the Reichstag. (Tanweer Morshed/Wikimedia Commons)

BERLIN, Germany (JTA) – A Jewish man working as a driver for the German Chancellery in Berlin has reported being subjected to anti-Semitic harassment.

An unnamed source was quoted Sunday by the Bild am Sonntag daily as saying that the man, who comes from Lebanon and worked in the Chancellery’s motor pool, reported that several colleagues have insulted and bullied him since early 2019, calling him “Jewish pig” and “Kanake,” a word referring to migrants from primarily Muslim countries or southern Europe.

The employee, who was not a driver for Chancellor Angela Merkel, reported the incidents to the federal government’s anti-Semitism commissioner in the Ministry of the Interior, Felix Klein, the Bild reported.

While confirming basic details, a government spokesperson told Bild that no further comment could be provided in the confidential matter. The employee reportedly now works in a new location, away from his former colleagues. There was no information available on the identity of the colleagues.

According to the Berlin-based Research and Information Center on Anti-Semitism In Berlin, on average two anti-Semitic incidents were reported per day in the first half of 2019, a total of 404 incidents in the first six months. In the same period in 2018, there were 579 reported incidents.