The German government's anti-Semitism commissioner on Saturday warned the country's Jewish community to avoid donning yarmulkes, the traditional Jewish head coverings for males, in some public spaces due to a rise in anti-Semitic crimes.

"I cannot advise Jews to wear the kippah everywhere all the time in Germany," Felix Klein said in an interview carried by the Funke media group, using another word for yarmulke.

The official said he had "changed his mind (on the subject) compared to previously."

The number of attacks against Jews in Germany increased from 1,504 in 2017 to 1,646 in 2018 — a rise of 10%. The number of reported violent cases against Jews rose from 37 to 62 over the same period, according to official figures.

Justice Minister Katarina Barley told the Handelsblatt newspaper the increase was "shameful for our country" but added that the police were "vigilant."

Read more: Germany: Syrian man faces charges for yarmulke attack

For those wearing the yarmulke, political reassurances aren't enough. Sigmount Königsberg, the anti-Semitism commissioner of Berlin's Jewish congregation, said he found Klein's statement lacking.

"I would've expected him to add that he'll do everything in his power to make sure Jews can wear their kippa everywhere in Germany and at all times of the day and night," Königsberg told DW.

He hopes that Klein's warning works as an alarm signal to society and that politicians will take action so that "Jewish people can openly wear their kippa in public."

Last year, a man wearing the Star of David was beaten down and kicked right in the center of Berlin. Some weeks earlier, a similar incident in Germany's capital caused public outrage and sparked a nationwide debate on anti-Semitism when a 19-year-old Syrian attacked an Arab-Israeli and his companion with a belt in broad daylight. Both victims wore yarmulkes in what was an allegedly anti-Semitic attack.

Read more: Anti-Semitic crime in Germany: 1 in 5 offenses in Berlin

'Deep-rooted' prejudice

After several high-profile incidents of anti-Semitic violence, Germany's Jewish community appealed to the government to institute an anti-Semitism oath for groups seeking public funding.

Watch video 01:21 What do Jews in Berlin think about the kippah debate?

Germany's anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, suggested that police, teachers and lawyers should be better trained to recognize what constitutes anti-Semitism.

Read more: 2,000 Berliners wear skullcaps to protest anti-Semitism

According to Klein, "the lifting of inhibitions and the uncouthness which is on the rise in society" are factors behind the recent anti-Semitic wave.

"The internet and social media have largely contributed to this — but so have constant attacks against our culture of remembrance," he added.

A few weeks earlier, Claudia Vanoni, Berlin's top legal expert on anti-Semitism, said that anti-Semitism remained deeply rooted in German society.

"Anti-Semitism has always been here. But I think that recently, it has again become louder, more aggressive and flagrant," Vanoni told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

Analysts say the rise of far-right political groups in Germany has also contributed to anti-Semitism in the country. Parties like Alternative for Germany (AfD) openly question Germany's culture of atonement for World War II. Some experts also attribute the new wave of anti-Semitism to the arrival of millions of asylum-seekers, mainly from Muslim-majority countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Read more: 'Solidarity Hoodie': Kippah-capped clothing challenges anti-Semitism

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Yarmulke European Jews started wearing the yarmulke, or kippa, in the 17th and 18th centuries, turning the skullcap into a religious symbol. Pious Jews are expected to cover their heads, but the fabric isn't that important, and a hat or scarf is acceptable, too. Jewish Halacha law requires men and boys to cover their head when they pray, visit a synagogue or a Jewish cemetery or study the religion.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Miter The miter is the ceremonial headdress worn by bishops, mainly in the Roman-Catholic Church. It goes back to the 11th century, with the tall, peaked hat deeply cleft on the sides and adorned with two ribbons at the back symbolizing the Old and the New Testaments.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Dastar Members of the Sikh faith, a monotheistic religion founded in India's northern Punjab region in the 15th century, wear a dastar. A dastar is usually worn by men, with orange being a popular color. Underneath the cloth headwear, which is re-knotted every morning, Sikh men let their hair grow freely.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Chador In Farsi, the word chador means "tent," and that is what this garment worn by observant Muslim women in some parts of the Middle East resembles. Usually black, it covers a woman from the head down, hiding the shape of the body, revealing only the face. The chador is worn over a woman's regular clothing.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Nun's veil Nuns almost always wear a distinctive veil to complete their religious garment, the habit. Novices' veils are white, while professed nuns usually wear a black veil, or one in their habit's color. Depending on the religious order, veils come in different sizes and shapes. Some are elaborate and cover the woman's entire head; others are simply pinned to the sister's hair.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Headscarf Is a woman's headscarf a religious headdress, or a symbol of oppression? In the West in particular, that continues to be a matter of heated debate. It is certainly the most well-known female head covering. Turkish women (as in this photo) tie headscarves differently from women in Arabic countries.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Sheitel The ultra-Orthodox Hasidic Jewish community in New York has strict rules for married women, who are required to shave their hair and wear a wig, the "sheitel." In her 2012 bestseller memoir "Unorthodox," US author Deborah Feldman describes growing up in the ultra-religious group.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Birett A bit of cloth, strips of cardboard and a tassel — voila, the birett, a head covering worn by Roman Catholic priests since the 13th century. In the Netherlands, Germany, Britain and France, the hat has four corners. In many other countries, it has three.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Birett A bit of cloth, strips of cardboard and a tassle — voila, the birett, a head covering worn by Roman Catholic priests since the 13th century. In the Netherlands, Germany, Britain and France, the hat has four corners. In many other countries, it has three. If you remember the character Don Camillo (played by French actor Fernandel in a series of films in the 1950s and '60s), you know the hat!

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Tagelmust The cotton scarf that can be up to 15 meters long is worn by Tuareg Berber Muslim men throughout western Africa. The tagelmust covers the head and is pulled over the mouth and nose against wind-born sand in the desert. The turban-style headdress is worn by adult men only. When indigo blue, the tagelmust's dye can rub off on the skin, hence the Tuareg being called the "blue men of the desert."

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Shtreimel The Jewish shtreimel hat is made of velvet and has a wide fur trim, usually sable. Married men wear the hat on Jewish holidays and for religious festivities. The eye-catching headgear originated in Hasidic communities in southeastern Europe, a tradition that became nearly extinct in Europe after the Holocaust.

Yarmulke, mitra or veil: religious head coverings across the globe Hats and bonnets The Amish are a conservative Christian group in North America that originated in the tradition of the Anabaptist movement in Switzerland and southern Germany. The first Amish fled to the US in the early 18th century to escape religious persecution. They live simple lives, and shun modern technology and conveniences. The women wear plain bonnets; the men wear straw or felt hats. Author: Klaus Krämer (db)



shs/jlw (AFP, dpa)

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.