Friedman Scandal sparks Allegations of Anti-Semitism

Controversial, tough-talking German-Jewish chat show host and high-profile member of the conservative Christian Democrats Michel Friedman has long been a familiar presence on Germany's front-pages.

A jet-setting lawyer with a reputation for enjoying the high life, Friedman has been the vice president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany since 2000. Last year, he got involved in a high-profile mud-slinging match with the late Free Democrats politician Jürgen Möllemann, who accused Friedman of encouraging anti-Semitism because of his "intolerant, spiteful manner" -- a reference to his often morally rigorous, interrogative interview technique.

In the end, Möllemann, who died recently in a parachuting incident, was himself accused of stirring anti-Jewish sentiment. But in mid-June Friedman, whose abrasiveness has created plenty of enemies, also fell from grace.

In the course of an investigation into a Ukrainian-Polish ring of suspected human traffickers and illegal weapons dealers, Berlin prosecutors came across Friedman's name and eventually suspected him of possession of illegal drugs. Subsequent police raids of his home and office turned up small amounts of cocaine.

Cocaine and call girls

In the latest twist to the scandal, an internal memo from Friedman's defense lawyers' office was mistakenly faxed to a Frankfurt pizza restaurant. According to media reports, the document is believed to have contained a five-page summary of the investigation's results as well as an assessment of statements made by three Ukrainian prostitutes, who allege Friedman consumed cocaine in their presence at least ten times and also offered them the drug.

Meanwhile, 48-year-old Friedman has abandoned his show, left the country and declined to comment on the whole matter -- triggering a media spectacle that has left Germany's 100,000-strong Jewish community in turmoil.

Many commentators, politicians and Jewish leaders are now concerned that the scandal surrounding Friedman may encourage anti-Semitic feeling in the country. It certainly appears to have broken a tacit taboo on criticizing Jews in a country still wracked with guilt about the Holocaust. Friedman’s parents were saved from Nazi death camps by German industrialist Oskar Schindler.

The weekly Stern magazine wrote that being Jewish has long made Friedman invulnerable to criticism. "No one really dared to attack him, the admonishing Jew in the land of the assailants," Stern wrote. "But now the man who was untouchable is no longer beyond reproach. He attacked from the cover of a Schindler Jew. That cover is now gone."

Leading Jewish writer Rafael Seligmann has called for Friedman’s resignation as vice president of the Jewish Council. “The capital of the Central Council is its credibility. It should not be endangered or limited by Michel Friedman,” he told InfoRadio Berlin-Brandenburg on Thursday.

"Pure hypocrisy"

Former German Culture Minister Michael Naumann, editor of the respected weekly newspaper Die Zeit criticized prosecutors for leaking details of the investigation and accused the media of double standards, describing the events as "pure hypocrisy", and insisting that "there is certainly an element of anti-Semitism to this."

Naumann expressed outrage that some conservative German media recently published the private address of Friedman, who receives numerous threatening letters each week and has government body guard protection. "You might as well stick a yellow star on his chest," Naumann said. "It was like inviting people who want to get him."

Naumann also described the investigations carried out by the Berlin State Prosecution as "insane", which led the Berlin state prosecutor to launch preliminary slander proceedings against him.

Spiegel stands by Friedman

But Friedman’s boss, German Jewish Council President Paul Spiegel, has dismissed the suggestion the case has taken on tones of anti-Semitism.

“I don’t think you can talk about an anti-Semitic attack against Jews in Germany when speaking about the incident involving my colleague and friend Michel Friedman,” Spiegel told ARD television on Thursday.

He has also, at least for the moment rejected calls for his deputy to resign: “I would suggest to everyone – regardless if they are a Jew or not – that they should have enough trust in the Central Council that we will be able to decide by ourselves whether or not there will be consequences.”

Although Friedman’s talk show has been put on hiatus in the meantime, only one thing seems certain: Regardless of the outcome of the entire affair, he may find it difficult to play the moralizing host to his guests.