The police in Saxony-Anhalt should be made aware of how to deal with different cultures. A new police rabbi is to take on part of the task. According to the Ministry of the Interior, there are several reasons for such a step.
Halle (dpa/sa) – The state police in Saxony-Anhalt has a rabbi for the first time. In the future, Daniel Fabian should make a significant contribution to “strengthening intercultural competence”, especially among young police candidates, as Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang (CDU) said. A corresponding agreement between the state government and the state association of Jewish communities was signed on Wednesday in the Jewish synagogue in Halle.
Some past cases have shown that there are still major knowledge gaps within the police force with regard to Jewish life in Germany, said the state chairman of the Jewish communities in Saxony-Anhalt, Max Privorozki. A few years ago, when the paperback edition of the “Diary of Anne Frank” caught fire at a village festival in Pretzien (Salzland district), the police officers who had been called to the scene would not have understood the significance of this crime. According to Privorozki, this probably revealed a lack of knowledge about important parts of Jewish culture in Germany.
With the new police rabbi, it is hoped that through practical and authentic teaching, Jewish culture will be “experienced differently” than through dry theory, said the interior minister. Fabian should create awareness of possible cultural differences at the police college based on the situation and specific examples. “More things get stuck,” said the minister. The approach of direct contact with Fabian, who comes from Israel, is an authentic way of imparting knowledge.
“The most important tool is discussion,” said the new police rabbi. He hopes that possible inhibitions in casual contact can be quickly broken down. That doesn’t have to happen in the classroom. He also thinks an unconventional exchange, such as playing sports together, is possible. It is not primarily about prohibitions and danger zones around the topic. Jokes are also allowed, emphasized Fabian.
The police rabbi’s work is also intended to combat anti-Semitic tendencies within the police force, Zieschang said. Even if anti-Semitism within the state police is not a systemic problem. In the past there had been isolated cases of anti-Semitism within the police force. A few years ago, the snack bar in the riot police was said to have been referred to as a “Jew.” The entire department knew about it and did nothing about it, it said in an anonymous letter at the time. Subsequent investigations confirmed the allegations.
The appointment of a police rabbi would now strengthen the ties between the state police and the Jewish communities in many respects, Zieschang said. With knowledge about different cultures, worldviews and perspectives, sensitivity and confidence in dealing with people and situations grow. “The protection of Jewish life is a German reason of state,” said the minister.
