Mutual respect

On Monday, July 6, along with Aiman Mazyek, general secretary of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, the Egyptian Ambassador Ramzi Ezzeldin Ramzi, Chief Constable Bernd Merbitz and the Justice Minister for Saxony, Geert Mackenroth, I visited Elwi Ali Okaz in a hospital in Dresden.

His wife, Marwa al-Sherbini, was stabbed to death by someone who hated Muslims - and this in a German court of law. Her unborn child died at the same time. Her three-year-old son was forced to watch the murder in the courtroom. Her husband, who attempted to protect her, was also critically injured.

In making this hospital visit, we wanted to offer moral support to Elwi Ali Okaz – whom, in a ghastly misunderstanding, a policeman shot after mistaking him for the attacker – and to make public our solidarity, not only with the victims of this attack, but with all Muslims in Germany.

Smug, patronizing satisfaction

Our visit received unexpectedly broad media coverage. The annoying thing about this was that some editors seemed to find the visit to Dresden by representatives of two different religions more significant than the racist murder itself. Apparently some editors found the murder of a Muslim woman much less notable than the joint appearance of two general secretaries, one Muslim the other Jewish.

In some editorials an almost smug, patronizing satisfaction could be detected, as they described an "alliance of minorities" that had finally shown itself capable of learning how to work together.

Attack on the democratic society as a whole

This situation calls for a few words of clarification. I did not travel to Dresden because I, as a Jew, belong to a minority. I made the journey because, as a Jew, I know that anyone who attacks a person because of race, nationality or religion is not only attacking that minority, but rather democratic society as a whole.

The relevant question is therefore not why a representative of the Jewish community paid his condolences and showed solidarity with Elwi Ali Okaz, but rather why there was not a steady stream of visitors or statements of solidarity from representatives of the social majority in Germany.

Why did reactions to the murder from the media and politicians come so late? This has been remedied, not least due to international public pressure. Concern is not convincing, however, if you have been forced to show it.

The wider significance of the Dresden attack

It appears that German society has not recognized the wider significance of the Dresden attack. It has failed to see that the murder of Marwa al-Sherbini is clearly the consequence of largely unchecked hate propaganda against Muslims spread by everyone from marginal extremists through to people at the center of society.

The far-right scene above all has ensured a climate of discrimination, demonization and fear of people with different beliefs and ethnic backgrounds.

Moreover, there is also a lack of awareness that society's inadequate resistance to racism threatens to encourage further acts of terrorism – the word is wholly appropriate – such as this cowardly murder in Dresden.

No alternative to extensive dialogue

For this reason, Germany needs to be tough with itself. It is not only important to isolate the agitators and punish them, but also to raise awareness on a long-term basis and disseminate knowledge about the Muslim people, its culture, religion and customs.

Our aim is to encourage more than mere tolerance, but rather respect in our dealings with each other. Nothing can replace extensive dialogue – not only between theologians and officials, but also between citizens on the whole: this is groundwork in the best sense of the word.

I know that the shock and uncertainty among Muslims is particularly great at the moment. This is understandable.

Nevertheless, they should not abandon their efforts to take their rightful place in German society. For some – and the experience of other minorities including Jews shows this – this means a balancing act between maintaining one's identity and merging with the societal environment. In resolving this dilemma, too, an open dialogue between the minority and the majority is also indispensible.

Integration does not mean assimilation. If there is mutual respect, being different is no barrier to living together.

Author: Stephan J. Kramer

This article was first published on the Qantara.de Web site, a joint project from Deutsche Welle, Germany's Federal Center for Political Education, the Goethe Institute and the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations. Qantara.de aims to promote dialogue with the Islamic world. It is funded by the German Foreign Ministry.