German Covid protester compares herself to Nazi resistance fighter
Demonstrator compared herself to Sophie Scholl who was an organiser of the White Rose resistance movement in 1943
A woman protesting coronavirus restrictions in Germany likened herself to a resistance fighter killed in a Holocaust uprising.
Speaking at a demonstration Saturday, a woman who identified herself as “Jana from Kassel” compared herself to Sophie Scholl, who was an organiser of the White Rose resistance movement in 1943 at the University of Munich.
The woman said she “feels like Sophie Scholl, because for months I have been active in the resistance here, giving speeches, going to demos, giving out flyers,” according to the German publication Deutsche Welle. “I’m 22 years old, just like Sophie Scholl when she fell victim to National Socialism.”
The following day, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted that such comparisons are unacceptable.
“Anyone who compares themselves to Sophie Scholl or Anne Frank today is mocking the courage it took to take a stand against the Nazis,” he wrote. “That trivialises the Holocaust and shows an unacceptable historical ignorance. Nothing connects the coronavirus protests with resistance fighters. Nothing!”
Some protesters in the United States have also made comparisons between Nazism and COVID-19 restrictions. In July, Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, tweeted, “To compare COVID-19 rules to the slaughter of millions in the Holocaust is disgusting, wrong and has no place in our society.” He was responding to an editorial cartoon comparing a mask mandate to the Holocaust.
The German woman encountered criticism at the protest, too. After she made the Scholl comparison, a security guard interrupted her, took off his vest and said, “I’m not going to be a security guard for bullshit like this,” according to Deutsche Welle.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
