In her speech, Ms. von Schnurbein stated:

"Igor Levit described himself as a European. Many Jews consider themselves as Europeans and, according to surveys they trust EU more than their nation state. Not because Europe does everything right, but because (...) Europe stands for values such as democracy, freedom of expression and the protection of minorities, which provide the framework conditions for the peaceful coexistence of an increasingly diverse society on this continent. However, this only works if each and every one of us not only accepts the free democratic basic order as a given, but actively stands up for it and defends it. 

She further added: 

"Standing up against antisemitism and hatred is not a responsibility of the Jews. Every public administration, every NGO, every school, every university, every sports club, as well as political parties and also the churches, need a protocol on how to prevent antisemitism and any form of hatred and how to deal with antisemitic incidents in their own ranks, so they can react swiftly and decisively.”

Read full Laudatio here (German). 

© Pictures: DKR/Wardeski Photography