Last year, the Antisemitism Reporting Center of the Jewish Community (IKG) Vienna recorded 1,520 antisemitic incidents across Austria. This is 32.5 percent more than in 2023. The number of Muslim-motivated and left-wing antisemitism cases also increased.
or several years, the Jewish Community (IKG) of Vienna has been collecting antisemitism incidents through its reporting center. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the number of incidents has increased. While 2023 already saw a negative record of 1,147 cases, last year also saw another record. 1,520 antisemitic offenses were recorded—an increase of 32.5 percent.
In January 2024, just a few months after the terrorist organization’s attack, there were 218 incidents, the third-highest number since IKG records began. On average, there were more than four incidents per day. However, there is some positive news: the daily average between October 7 and the end of 2023 was as high as 8.1 incidents.
English: “Anti-Semites have a lot of success”
These figures come from the annual report of the IKG’s Antisemitism Reporting Center, which was presented on Wednesday by IKG President Oskar Deutsch and Secretary General and Head of the Reporting Center Benjamin Nägele. “The last government did a lot, but the antisemites were very successful. They are even more successful than the fight against antisemitism,” said Deutsch. In an interview with MeinBezirk, Deutsch stated that this fight requires not only the government, but “all of us, including journalists and civil society.”
Reporting center director Nägele spoke of a “sad negative record.” He said on Wednesday that most of the incidents, about two-thirds, were related to antisemitic Israel and October 7. The number of Muslim-oriented and left-wing antisemitic incidents had also increased: “Unfortunately not surprising, but nevertheless worrying.”
44 percent more online incidents
The report states that it does not provide “a complete overview of antisemitism” in Austria. It assumes a significant number of unreported cases, especially after October 18 months ago. The number of cases in the “personal perception” category increased by 29 percent, and on social networks by as much as 44 percent. Incidentally, to avoid distorting the statistics, a user who posts 20 antisemitic messages in forums, for example, is considered one incident.
- Photo: Antisemitism Reporting Center of the IKG Vienna
- uploaded by Antonio Šećerović
Nearly 30 percent of the incidents were Muslim-motivated, but most were “unattributable.” In such cases, it was not possible to determine with 100 percent certainty whether the motivation was left-wing, right-wing, or Muslim. Several examples, particularly many from Vienna, are mentioned in the report, which were also reported on by MeinBezirk ( see below ).
On November 11, a passenger on a city tram allegedly referred to Jews as “ticks” in a phone conversation. When he noticed a woman secretly filming him, he allegedly called her a “fucking Jew,” a “dirty pig,” and a “child murderer,” even though she wasn’t Jewish. The man tried to snatch her cell phone and became violent. Several Jewish children were also threatened last year.
Also more psychosocial treatments
In the context of the aftermath of the attack, more than 500 additional people were cared for or treated by ESRA, the psychosocial center of the Jewish Community of Berlin. It states: “Nevertheless, after the rapid, upheaval-like events of the first weeks and months after October 7, a kind of habituation effect has set in. The shocking wave of antisemitic incidents against Jewish students highlighted in the last annual report, for example, subsided at the beginning of 2024 – but this is also due to the fact that numerous affected children and young people had to change schools. Antisemitism in schools and other educational institutions has not disappeared since then, but it is less frequently directed directly against Jews.”
“We won’t let ourselves be scared off. We must and will show even more presence, allow even more Jewish life to take place through open days, street festivals, etc.,” IKG President Deutsch concluded.
Incidents can be reported by calling 01 531 04–777 . In case of imminent danger, contact the police at 133 or the IKG security center at 01 369 85 26. The full report can be found here .
