Merz made the remarks last Friday at a reception for Jewish athletes in Berlin. The event was held at the Federal Chancellery in honour of medal winners from the 2026 Maccabiah Games. The comments were reported by local newspaper Berliner Zeitung, citing the German Press Agency (DPA).
The Maccabiah Games, often described as the ‘Jewish Olympics’, are an international sporting event for Jewish athletes held in Israel every four years. The competition brings together participants from different countries and provides an opportunity to celebrate Jewish sporting achievements, identity and cultural heritage.
During the reception, a basketball coach raised concerns about the safety of Jewish athletes in Germany. He told Merz that members of his team were afraid to walk through German streets wearing their red Maccabiah training jackets, which feature the Star of David. They feared that displaying a visible symbol of their Jewish identity could make them targets of hostility or physical attacks.
The concern prompted Merz to refer to a landmark speech delivered by former German President Richard von Weizsäcker in 1985. The speech, delivered in the German parliament on 8 May to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, addressed the crimes committed by Nazi Germany and the country’s enduring responsibility to remember the systematic murder of millions of Jews.
In that historic address, Weizsäcker argued that younger generations were not responsible for the crimes committed in the past, but they bore responsibility for determining how those events would be remembered and understood in history.
Merz said he regarded Weizsäcker’s words as an enduring truth, describing them as something firmly established, like words carved in stone. He stressed that Germany’s historical responsibility was not limited to a particular generation or section of society but applied to the entire country.
Addressing the issue of migration, the Chancellor said the same historical obligation also extended to people arriving in Germany from Islamic countries.
“Those who come to Germany from Islamic countries are subject to exactly the same historical responsibility as everyone else. And if anyone refuses to accept this responsibility, they must leave our country,” Merz said.
His comments came against the backdrop of growing concerns about antisemitism and allegations of anti-Jewish behaviour among sections of the Muslim migrant population. The issue has remained a sensitive subject in Germany, where the legacy of Nazi persecution continues to shape public debate, political discourse and national identity.
The Holocaust remains one of the darkest chapters in European history. Under Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime, approximately six million Jews were systematically murdered during the Second World War. Germany has since placed considerable emphasis on acknowledging these crimes, preserving historical memory and combating antisemitism.
The country’s commitment to confronting its Nazi past is widely regarded as a central element of its post-war political and social identity. Education about the Holocaust, public remembrance and opposition to antisemitism have become important parts of Germany’s efforts to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated.
The incident involving the Jewish athletes also highlights concerns about whether members of the country’s Jewish community can express their religious and cultural identity freely without fear of intimidation or violence.
Merz’s remarks underline the German government’s expectation that all residents, regardless of their religious background or country of origin, should recognise the historical significance of the Holocaust and reject antisemitism.
At the same time, his warning to migrants is likely to bring renewed attention to the wider debate over immigration, integration, religious identity and shared civic responsibilities in Germany. The discussion reflects the continuing challenge of balancing freedom of belief and cultural diversity with the country’s firm commitment to confronting antisemitism and preserving the lessons of its history.
