Jewish people have been banned from entering a shop in Germany by its pro-Palestine owner. Hans Velten Reisch, 60, put a small notice in his store’s window on Wednesday, which read: “Jews are banned from here! thing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.” The owner, who claims he is “not a Nazi”, has since had multiple police reports lodged against him.
Local authorities were made aware of the antisemetic sign on Wednesday evening. Police spokesman Philipp Renoncourt told local media that it was removed “to prevent danger”. However, local residents claim that it has not been taken down, but instead moved to a wall inside the shop. By Thursday morning, the windows of the shop had “Nazis out” written across them following the outrage the sign sparked throughout the town of Flensburg.
The town’s Mayor, Fabian Geyer, said in response to the incident: “This is a reminder of the darkest chapters of Germany’s history and has absolutely no place in the city.”
He said the sign was “a clear statement against Jews in our society”.
Kianusch Stender, Member of the State Parliament for the Social Democratic Party of Germany, added: “We are an open, colourful city that has a duty, based on its historical responsibility alone, to take a stand against anti-Semitism everywhere and at all times.”
Felix Klein, the Federal Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism highlighted the direct links with the Nazi era, saying it is a “clear case of antisemitism”.
“We must intervene,” he told Welt TV. “This must not be tolerated in any way.”
Flensburg police confirmed that they had received four complaints against the shop owner. A spokesman said: “These are now being examined by the public prosecutor’s office for possible offences.”
Mr Reisch has since rejected accusations that he is a Nazi or an extremist. The shop owner told the forde.news media outlet that he is “”a little to the left, a little to the right – but not radical,” adding “I am not a Nazi”.
“I’m not inciting hatred, I’m just saying what I think,” he said. The shop owner criticised Germany’s policy towards Israel, explaining that he has stopped serving customers who he believed were supporting the war in Gaza.
He added: “I don’t need people like that here, neither in business nor in private.”