It should surprise no one that representatives from across Germany's political establishment, including the president and chancellor, turned out for a rally against anti-Semitism in Berlin earlier this month, given the country's history and a series of ugly anti-Israel protests this summer.
The small size of the crowd was less than expected, but that doesn't meanGermany is sliding back into the habits of the 1930s — today's anti-Semitism has an altogether different source.
Chancellor Angela Merkel had made a personal appeal for Berliners to attend the event, yet only about 3,000 people came to see her speak in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The thin crowd applauded when Merkel said: "Jewish life is our life. It is part of our identity," but in general, the rally seemed formal and perfunctory.