The
survey conducted by the Action and Protection Foundation provided
interesting results. In November of 2016, Median Public Opinion and Market
Research made a comprehensive survey asking 1200 people about their relation to
the Jewish people and the Holocaust. Alongside the opinions and images about Jewish
people, the frequency and intensity of antisemitic prejudices were also
examined.
Antisemitism
grew sharply in 2010. Since then, we have not seen a significant increase in
antisemitism. From 2015 to 2016, the number of people agreeing with antisemitic
statements grew, and the emotional prejudices against the Jews fluctuated
between 21-26 percent. However, compared to other minorities and ethnic groups,
hostility towards Jews is relatively low within Hungary. Nevertheless, compared
with Europe in general, antisemitism in Hungary is high. The level of antisemitism
in Hungary is higher than in several Western European countries. However, as
for physical atrocities the situation of Hungarian Jews is more favourable than
those some Western countries. Notably, “migrants” (followed by the Roma)
are the least tolerated groups in Hungary currently.
The word
“Jewish” caused respondents of the survey to make several associations:
usually religion, people, country, many times Holocaust and persecution, often
money, influence, power. It is hard to decide whether these associations derive
from acknowledgement or jealousy, anyway quite often envy is the root of
anti-Semitism. At the same time, only ten percent of those surveyed mentioned
overtly negative stereotypes (“eager”, “thirsty for power”,
“treats others like dirt”) and the same number of surveyed used positive
adjectives (“educated”, “smart”, “loyal”). The results were
similar when people were asked about Israel or typical Jewish qualities: the
associations of the majority were neutral.
