In Flensburg, shop owner Hans Velten Reisch ignited outrage by posting a sign banning Jews from his store.
The message read: “Jews are banned from here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”
Police removed the sign Wednesday evening “to prevent danger” and maintain order, spokesperson Philipp Renoncourt confirmed.
Local reporters later observed the same message displayed on a wall inside the shop near the entrance.
The case triggered heated debate across Germany and online, with many calling the notice blatantly discriminatory.
Social media users compared it to Nazi-era decrees, while others demanded boycotts or retaliatory action.
By Thursday morning, graffiti reading “Nazis out” covered the store’s front window.
Officials Denounce Antisemitic Provocation
Mayor Fabian Geyer condemned the sign as “a reminder of the darkest chapters of Germany’s history.”
He stressed that it stood as “a clear statement against Jews in our society.”
The Greens called the note “a clear expression of antisemitism” that trivialized historic crimes and attacked open society.
SPD parliamentarian Kianusch Stender urged Flensburg to “stand against antisemitism everywhere and at all times.”
Former mayor Simone Lange filed her own police complaint and denounced the message on Facebook.
Federal commissioner Felix Klein called it “a very clear case of antisemitism” and insisted on intervention.
Education Minister Karin Prien said antisemitism undermines democracy and praised the swift filing of charges.
MEP Rasmus Andresen branded the message “inhuman” and urged Europe to strengthen anti-discrimination measures.
Police confirmed at least four complaints against Reisch, which prosecutors are reviewing for possible charges of incitement.
Shop Owner Rejects Extremist Label
Hans Velten Reisch, 60, has operated his Duburger Straße shop since 2016, selling technical vehicle manuals.
He denied extremism, claiming, “I’m not a Nazi,” and described himself as politically mixed but not radical.
He argued terms like “racism” are used too casually in modern debate and said language has lost meaning.
Reisch criticized German politics, bureaucracy, media narratives, and Western policy toward Israel, calling it “hypocrisy.”
He explained that he refuses customers who support Israel’s war, saying, “I don’t need people like that.”
However, he claimed to accept Jews who reject the conflict, adding, “They can have a coffee too.”
He admitted surprise at the national backlash, saying, “I never thought it would make such a big splash.”
Reisch insisted the sign targeted only his surroundings, claiming, “I’m not inciting hatred, I’m just saying what I think.”
