In a letter from 2001, after the attack on the twin towers and after receiving hateful death threats following the publication of his book, testimony on anti-Semitism and deportation to the concentration camp, Federica Spitzer he wrote: «What I see in Europe makes me think of Vienna before the Anschluss. The signs of a new barbarism are before our eyes. But above all I see that attitude of fear and addiction in the face of evil and the looming threat, an inability and a lack of commitment to ensure that the worst does not happen." These are words that, reread in the light of what is happening in the world after October 7th, appear tragically far-sighted. The testimony of Federica Spitzer - who in Vienna experienced first-hand how growing and widespread anti-Semitism led to the ostracism of the Jews and then to the immense barbarity that we know - is a vibrant appeal against the danger of becoming accustomed to evil and against Today's serious vacuity (political, but unfortunately also intellectual and cultural) of Europe in the face of the barbarity that once again threatens it. It urgently reminds us of our responsibility. Mindful of the "right voice" of Federica Spitzer, who testifies to a moral strength of human beings stronger than any atrocity, the Foundation which is inspired by her figure launches an appeal to all women and men of good will to mobilize against the spiral of anti-Semitism that is clouding not only the Arab world but also the West, growing within the very social fabric of Europe.
The West and in particular Europe cannot accept the proliferation of violence against Jews within their borders simply because they are Jews. After what happened in the first half of the last century, Europe must ask itself how it was possible that during the last decades, within a society founded on the values of human rights and the fight against racism, they were able to develop not only anti-Semitic neo-Nazi fringes, but social pockets that favor Islamist radicalization and propagate hatred towards Jews by carrying out acts of unprecedented and repeated violence. It is intolerable and self-destructive for the very values on which this continent is based that these social pockets can grow and expand, exacerbating widespread anti-Semitism (which, very seriously, even part of the intellectual and academic elites do not condemn and sometimes even look at with complacency). It is not acceptable, after the tragedy of the XNUMXth century, for people to rant, insult and inflict violence on innocent women, children and men, simply because they are Jews. This cannot be justified by any ongoing Israeli-Palestinian war.
In history, Jews are often the first to suffer abuses which then overwhelm the entire society. The impressive spiral of anti-Semitic cases recorded in Europe in recent weeks asks us to open our eyes and react if we want to prevent the worst for everyone. From its creation in 2015 to today, the Federica Spitzer Foundation has been committed to the social and cultural fabric of this Canton to help prevent the emergence of conflicts between different ethnic groups, religions and cultures. In reality, young people born in the first quarter of this century have seen the onset and continuation of one conflict after another, resulting in real wars at the very borders of Europe and the Mediterranean, conflicts that those who have experienced process of reconciliation after the Second World War, one would never have imagined that they could explode again. Europe cannot stand by helplessly - or even with sloth - while young Europeans who until yesterday took to the streets for a better world, today send messages of hatred towards the Jews. The historical amnesia of the horror of the twentieth century of which they are clearly victims (but unfortunately also participants, despite themselves) urgently calls for a commitment to identify the causes of such short-sightedness, but also the resolute affirmation that racial hatred is incompatible with notion of citizenship: in the world, in Europe and in Switzerland.
We cannot accept that the history of Europe is being brutally pushed back eighty years. In these weeks in which it seems impossible to prevent the logic of conflict from taking over even in our Western and European societies, including Switzerland, the Federica Spitzer Foundation shares and transmits the appeal that comes from Neve Shalom, the Israeli village where Jews, Muslims, Christians and their children have shared community and school life for decades (each in their own language) and practice their religious faith animated by the commitment to build peace together. «While we are experiencing the repercussions of the hateful massacre of October 7th in the South of the country and the humanitarian crisis and civilian victims in Gaza – stated the mayor of Neve Shalom a few days ago – we reaffirm our belief that only true peace and rights Humans for all can ensure that our experience in this region continues (…). It is our duty in these tragic times to reiterate that despite the ongoing brutal conflict we are and remain committed - by mutual understanding - to sharing our path."
In the 2020, the Spitzer Prize was assigned to an educational project shared between a school in Bellinzona and a school in Neve Shalom. Today we cannot fail to demonstrate our solidarity with Neve Shalom who, under the bombs, continues to demonstrate that racial hatred can be overcome. Heeding their appeal implies our responsibility to ensure that it does not prevail in Europe too. The Federica Spitzer Foundation condemns any form of racism and discrimination based on ethnicity or religion. We therefore firmly condemn any form of anti-Semitism.
