Martin-Luther-Strasse, Treitschkestrasse or Otto-Dibelius-Strasse: According to a new study, 290 names of streets or squares in Berlin have antisemitic references. The anti-Semitism commissioner Salzborn calls for a social debate.
290 street and square names in Berlin have antisemitic references. This is the result of a scientific study commissioned by the Berlin anti-Semitism commissioner Samuel Salzborn.
“We wanted to create a systematic basis for an important social discussion,” said Salzborn. Street names are a high form of honor. Berlin would be well advised to critically examine this honor again and again. The author of the study, Felix Sassmannshausen from Leipzig, also recommended a social debate in Berlin on Monday and, in a large number of cases, also a renaming.
According to the study, the street names affected included street names that have already been discussed, such as Treitschkestrasse in Berlin-Steglitz and Pacelliallee in Berlin-Dahlem, but also all Martin-Luther-Strasse, Otto-Dibelius-Strasse in Charlottenburg or Pastor-Niemöller-Platz in Pankow.
In other cases, such as Thomas-Mann-Straße or Adenauerplatz, the reviewer pleaded for further research and digital contextualization. Adenauer says there are indications of antisemitic resentment in the thinking of the first German Chancellor. In his government he surrounded himself with many former Nazi functionaries and played down antisemitism in society.
Source: rbb24
