How an antisemitic incident in Leipzig highlighted the chilling emergence of the far-right in Germany’s east

An incident at a hotel in Leipzig has brought to the surface latent antisemitism in parts of Germany, prompting an unflinching response from Germany’s leaders, writes Erik Kirschbaum

People gather in front of the "Westin Hotel" in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021 to show solidarity with the musician Gil Ofarim (AP)

An ugly encounter in Leipzig in which a luxury hotel manager reportedly told an Israeli-German singer to cover up his Star of David necklace first if he wanted a room has prompted a nationwide debate about a disturbing rise in antisemitism in the country that has long struggled to atone for the Holocaust.

Gil Ofarim, a little-known 39-year-old singer, has become a lightning rod for the issue of latent antisemitism in Germany after he went public with a social media video earlier in the week in which he described how staff members at the hotel appeared to ignore him while he stood in the check-in line and then, when he asked why he was being overlooked, they told him to conceal his Star of David if he wanted to get a key to his room. The employees denied the incident. The hotel suspended the employees pending the results of a police investigation.

“He told me to put my star away to be allowed to check in,” Ofarim said in a short video that went viral after he filmed himself in the Leipzig hotel lobby right after the incident took place. Close to tears, the singer added: “Is this for real? Is this Germany in 2021?”