German Greens Group Demands Party Leadership Condemn Roth's Holocaust Guilt Remarks

A group of members from Germany's Green Party, operating under the name "Shalom," has written to the party's federal board demanding a public repudiation of recent statements made by politician Claudia Roth. In an interview with Tilo Jung, Roth reportedly spoke of a "liberation from this guilt of history" and alleged pressure from the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The "Shalom" group expressed deep irritation, stating that while no individual bears personal guilt for crimes committed before their birth, this does not absolve Germany of historical and political responsibility. They emphasized that remembrance of the Holocaust, the protection of Jewish life, and advocating for Israel's security and right to exist are not burdens to be shed. The group warned that the idea of such "liberation" echoes secondary antisemitism, where the memory of atrocities and those who uphold it are seen as a burden, and Jewish perspectives are perceived as obstructive to German self-exoneration. They also noted a historical precedent within the left-wing, anti-Zionist movement of the 1960s, citing Dieter Kunzelmann's call to overcome the "Jewish complex" as an example of linking animosity towards Israel with shedding German guilt. The "Shalom" group acknowledged Roth's long-standing commitment to confronting Nazism but insisted her recent remarks must not go unchallenged. They clarified their aim is not to attribute a specific mindset to her but to clearly identify and correct problematic statements and their impact. The group urged the federal board to publicly contradict Roth's statements, firmly oppose the delegitimization of the Central Council of Jews, and affirm that historical responsibility is an ongoing mandate, not an impediment to political freedom. They called for consistent criticism of self-exoneration and antisemitic narratives, even within their own political circles.