UN Envoy Francesca Albanese Claims Nazis Called Deported Jews "Muslims"

Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Palestinian territories, stated in a September interview that Jews being sent to gas chambers during the Holocaust were referred to as "Muslims" in some accounts from Nazi concentration camps. She was discussing the origins of the term "antisemitism," suggesting it initially encompassed broader "Semitic" populations before becoming specific to hatred of Jews.

The term Albanese referenced is "Muselmann," a German word literally meaning "Muslim." Within Nazi camps, including Auschwitz, it was used in camp jargon to describe prisoners in an extreme state of physical exhaustion, malnutrition, and apathy. The exact origin of the term is uncertain, but it was not a Nazi racial category equating Jews with Muslims. Albanese also claimed the word "antisemitism" originally denoted hostility towards various Middle Eastern populations. This interpretation is historically contested, as the German term "Antisemitismus," popularized in the late 19th century, was used from its inception to specifically denote an ideology hostile to Jews.

During the same interview, Albanese acknowledged the existence of hatred specifically targeting Jews, calling it "extremely serious." However, she maintained it should be distinguished from criticism leveled against the State of Israel. Her remarks come amid ongoing controversy surrounding her positions on Israel and antisemitism, with various organizations and officials having previously accused her of using antisemitic language, accusations she denies.