A new study by DSS researchers Marcus Eisentraut and Eldad Davidov, together with first author Christian S. Czymara, Pascal Kolkwitz-Anstötz and Peter Schmidt, examines the factors associated with classical antisemitism in Germany. Using representative data from around 8,500 respondents in the Integrationsbarometer 2020, the team investigated how religion, education, migration background, and religiosity relate to antisemitic attitudes. The findings provide important insights for understanding patterns of prejudice and for designing targeted responses:

• Respondents identifying as Muslim were more likely than others to express agreement with classical antisemitic statements. This was particularly evident among individuals who described themselves as highly religious or who had lower levels of formal education.

• At the same time, Muslims with higher levels of education or lower levels of religiosity reported significantly lower levels of antisemitic attitudes. Notably, Muslims who described themselves as “rather not religious” did not differ meaningfully from Christian or non-religious respondents in this regard.

• This shows that religious affiliation or migration background alone do not predetermine attitudes. Instead, education and religious intensity play a key role, and should be considered in any approach to prevention and outreach.

• The study also found that respondents with roots in Turkey or the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) were more likely to express antisemitic views.

• While attitudes tended to become more moderate over time among Christian immigrants, length of residence in Germany was not associated with lower antisemitism among Muslim immigrants – suggesting that integration processes alone may not automatically shift deeply held beliefs.

The authors highlight the importance of differentiated and evidence-based strategies in addressing antisemitism – for example, through inclusive education and intercultural dialogue that promote mutual understanding and democratic values.