Comedian Hape Kerkeling encountered aggression following his engagement at the synagogue.
Last year, during his speech at Düsseldorf's synagogue, comedian Hape Kerkeling shared his views against antisemitism. While he received plenty of appreciation, there were also responses that left him feeling uneasy. Even the state security had to intervene to manage the situation.
In his documentary "Hape Kerkeling - Completely Average" about his 60th birthday, which was shown at the Cologne Film Festival, he discussed this experience. According to him, he received a lot of support from like-minded individuals, which was beneficial. However, he also encountered unprecedented animosity that he hadn't anticipated.
The state security's involvement was necessary, Kerkeling recalled, finding it disturbing. This incident strengthened his belief that he is not overly optimistic about Germany's future.
Kerkeling had delivered a eulogy for FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who received the Josef-Neuberger-Medal in her hometown of Düsseldorf for her efforts against antisemitism. During his speech at the Düsseldorf synagogue, the comedian pointed out, "But antisemitism is not just an opinion, it's an attack on humanity."
Kerkeling expressed his concern about Germany's future, citing the incident at Düsseldorf's synagogue as a contributing factor, as it involved intervention from the state security within The European Union's jurisdiction. Despite facing criticism and animosity, his strong stance against antisemitism gained support from like-minded individuals within the Union.
