In its mission statement, the Goethe University opposes racism, nationalism and antisemitism. The university has also set itself the task of preventing or eliminating all forms of discrimination through its anti-discrimination guidelines.

The aspiration to promote equal cooperation between its members and relatives at all levels is constantly challenged by social phenomena such as racism, antisemitism and discrimination. In this context, information and further sources on the topic of antisemitism and criticism of antisemitism at universities are summarised below.

The counseling center for anti-Semitic violence and discrimination OFEK e.V. advises all university members on anti-Semitic incidents. In cooperation with the Office for Equal Opportunities and the VJSH, OFEK offers on-site counseling on the Goethe University campus. The counseling is open to all incidents, including those outside the university context. The service is partisan, free of charge, independent, and confidential.

To make an appointment, please send an email with your request and the keyword On-site counseling to hessen@ofek-beratung.de

OFEK e.V. is the first specialist counseling center in Germany that specializes in professional, anti-Semitism-critical, and community-oriented counseling for victims of anti-Semitic violence and discrimination. OFEK's counseling services are based on established standards for victim counseling and provide confidential and free support to those seeking advice, their families, and witnesses of anti-Semitic violence. OFEK takes on all cases and situations, both criminal and non-criminal, and provides psychosocial, psychological, and legal counseling as needed. OFEK advises individuals, groups, and organizations on how to deal with anti-Semitism.

You can reach OFEK Hessen's regular and, if desired, anonymous counseling service at 0800 006 08 49 (Mon/Tue/Wed 12–2 p.m., Thu 3–5 p.m.).

The stigmatisation and social exclusion of Jews, their persecution and extermination represent a centuries-long practice whose driving forces did not suddenly disappear after 1945. On the contrary, a secondary form of antisemitism was added, which manifests itself through the 'processing' of guilt and shame as a grudge, as resentment against 'the Jews'. 

Compared to racism, antisemitism shows fundamental differences. The non-Jewish majority society has developed various strategies to deny and negate its own involvement in the National Socialist crimes, especially the aftermath of the Holocaust. In public perception, antisemitism is often framed as an extreme right-wing phenomenon, as a problem of Germany's past or as a consequence of immigration to Germany. There is also an instrumentalisation of antisemitism as supposed criticism of capitalism and systems of rule or as criticism of Israeli policy. Consequently, it must also be stated with regard to antisemitism that there is no social space that could consider itself completely free of antisemitism, not even the university.