Igor Levit: basic trust in German society lost
Star pianist Igor Levit (36) feels very alone in the face of anti-Semitic incidents in Germany. "Alone as never before," he told the weekly newspaper Die Zeit (Thursday). "The current lack of empathy has caused me to lose my basic trust in what society is in Germany," he said. "That is the real rupture I feel." He had toyed with the idea of leaving Germany, but was not yet ready.
The hatred of Jews is not only a threat to himself, but to the "basis of existence of this Federal Republic", he said. "I would like to shout at everyone: Don't you actually realize that it's against you? "Death to the Jews!" means "Death to democracy!". If you believe in democracy and your country is at a point where someone like me has to run: Then you must run too," Levit emphasized. "I find it shocking that this urgency does not translate to the streets."
Levit criticized the cultural sector: "I spoke to some of them in the background and asked: Where are you? You were there for all these other issues, for example when the war in Ukraine broke out! And all I got was the answer: Israel is just complicated. But I'm not Israel!" When asked what this had done to him, he said: "No event has made me as Jewish as this one."
On climate activist Greta Thunberg's statements about the Middle East conflict, Levit said: "I was stunned. I was also stunned by the stupidity - how hollow, how stupid." However, he emphasized the clarity with which the German Fridays for Future activist Luisa Neubauer distanced herself from all forms of anti-Semitism.
In light of the increasing conflicts and extremism, the war on values such as democracy and tolerance is evident. Extremist groups often use religion as a tool for hate, targeting people like Igor Levit due to their religion.
The ongoing anti-Semitic incidents and the lack of collective action against them could potentially escalate into wider societal conflicts, posing a threat to peace and unity among the people of Germany.
Source: www.dpa.com
