In Flensburg, shop owner Hans Velten Reisch caused uproar with a sign banning Jews from his store.
He placed the notice in his Duburger Straße shop window on Wednesday, sparking anger far beyond the city.
The sign read: “Jews are banned from here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”
Police removed the sign the same evening “to prevent danger” and protect public order, spokesperson Philipp Renoncourt confirmed.
Local journalists later reported that the sign still hung visibly on an inside wall opposite the entrance.
Residents reacted strongly on social media, comparing the message to Nazi-era discrimination.
Some called for boycotts, while others demanded the shop’s closure or vandalism.
By Thursday morning, activists had already smeared the window with slogans such as “Nazis out.”
Politicians Condemn Discriminatory Message
Flensburg Mayor Fabian Geyer condemned the notice as a reminder of Germany’s darkest history.
He said, “This sign has no place in our city and represents an attack on Jewish people in society.”
The Greens described it as “a clear expression of antisemitism” mocking Jewish history and undermining democracy.
SPD parliamentarian Kianusch Stender stressed that Flensburg must oppose antisemitism based on its historical responsibility.
Former mayor Simone Lange reported the incident to the police and urged immediate action.
Federal commissioner Felix Klein called the act “antisemitism in its purest form” during a television interview.
He highlighted its Nazi references and demanded strong intervention from authorities.
Federal Education Minister Karin Prien warned that anyone defending antisemitism undermines democratic coexistence.
MEP Rasmus Andresen also condemned the “inhuman sign” and urged stronger EU protections against discrimination.
Police confirmed they received at least four complaints against Reisch, now under review by prosecutors for possible offences.
Shop Owner Rejects Extremist Label
Hans Velten Reisch, aged 60, has run his technical literature shop since 2016.
He rejected accusations of extremism, insisting, “I’m not a Nazi.”
Reisch described himself as “a little left, a little right – but not radical.”
He criticised what he sees as overuse of terms like “racism” and “Nazism.”
He argued, “Today you’re called a Nazi if you order a gypsy schnitzel.”
Reisch expressed frustration with bureaucracy, the media, and Western policy toward Israel.
He said he refuses to serve customers who support Israel’s war, calling Western support “hypocrisy.”
He insisted he has “nothing against Jews” who reject the war and claimed they are welcome in his shop.
Reisch admitted surprise at the backlash, saying he intended the sign only for his local community.
“I’m not spreading hate,” he said. “I’m just expressing my opinion.”
