• Central Council of Jews in Germany states that the situation for Jewish people in Germany is relatively better than in other western countries, despite a large number of anti-Semitic incidents.
• Germany's outgoing anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, is credited for the improvements in the situation for Jewish people in the country.
• Klein's successor has not yet been publicly named as he moves to the OECD in Paris, and he reflects on the progress made during his time in office, including the creation of anti-Semitism commissioner posts within the justice system.

The Central Council of Jews in Germany has said the situation for Jewish people is relatively better than in other western countries, despite the large number of anti-Semitic incidents.

Central Council President Josef Schuster credited the work of the government's commissioner for Jewish life and the fight against anti-Semitism, Felix Klein.

Compared with Jewish communities in Canada, Australia or France, Germany is "in a relatively better situation," Schuster said in Berlin on Monday.

Klein, who has held the role since it was created in 2018, is moving to the OECD in Paris. His successor has not yet been publicly named.

Schuster said he was encouraged by the fact that, despite the rise in anti-Semitism, there remained a large - if unfortunately somewhat quiet - majority in Germany that did not view Jewish life predominantly critically. Drawing attention to the interesting aspects of Jewish life could "activate this silent majority a little," the council president said.

Klein himself drew a mixed assessment of his time in office. He said it had been possible to build structures, including the creation of anti-Semitism commissioner posts within the justice system. Criminal law had also been tightened and the burning of Israeli flags banned. "We have achieved a great deal," Klein said.

However, the mood in society had hardened, and Jewish people had suffered from this in a particular way, he added.