Germany – Jewish Soldiers Say They Feel Secure in German Army

Germany – Unthinkable for many Jews, Gideon Roemer-Hillebrecht is a staff officer in the German armed forces. He says he feels more secure there than “outside” because the armed forces tries to nip any indications of anti-Semitism in the bud.

Roemer-Hillebrecht dons his skullcap for prayers and on special occasions when he wears his army uniform. But he hides his Jewish headgear under a hat when he takes a walk. For security reasons, he says.

“I’ve come to fear being recognized as a Jew,” says the 42-year-old.

The army’s top soldier, Inspector-General Wolfgang Schneiderhan, sees the presence of Jews in the military as a signal of hope and an indication that “no terror will come from German uniforms ever again.”

Roemer-Hillebrecht is a member of the Federation of Jewish Soldiers, known under its German acronym BjS. It was founded in 2006, some 68 years after the Nazis started their pogrom against the Jews and instigated the dissolution of the Federation of Jewish Soldiers on the Front. [haaretz]