BERLIN—German diplomat Felix Klein has been appointed as the country’s first anti-Semitism Commissioner.
He will take over his newly created post in the next few days, ‘Welt am Sonnatg’ newspaper reported citing government sources.
Klein had been proposed by the Central Council of Jews and other Jewish organizations for the office.
Born in Darmstadt in 1968, Klein was is currently the Special Representative of the German Foreign Office for Relations with Jewish Organizations and Anti-Semitism Issues.
In this capacity, he is the main contact of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs for international Jewish organizations and coordinates the foreign policy measures of the federal government in the fight against anti-Semitism.
The World Jewish Congress welcomed the German government’s appointment of Dr. Felix Klein.
“Already a leader in Europe in the fight against anti-Semitism, Germany has taken another praiseworthy step in addressing the need for a dedicated and expert individual to protect the well-being of the country’s Jewish community, and Dr. Felix Klein is without a doubt the best choice for the position,” said WJC CEO and Executive Vice President Robert Singer.
‘’Dr. Klein played a pivotal role in Germany’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism, drawing wide attention to the very real threats experienced by Jewish communities across Europe, to the dangers of far-right extremism, and to the importance of preserving the memory of the Holocaust,” he said.
“Germany has proven its seriousness and vigilance in eradicating the hostilities facing its Jewish community, by endorsing the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism last year, among other actions,” Singer added. “We are confident that under his new position, Dr. Klein will continue to sound the alarm and work for the security and dignity of German Jewry.”