‘For Israel and Communism’? Making Sense of Germany’s Antideutsche

Abstract The German Left’s silence on Palestine is colloquially attributed to either German guilt, the role of the so-called ‘Antideutsch’ current, or both. While acknowledging these factors, this contribution seeks to situate the Antideutsch phenomenon within a historical-materialist framework. Specifically, it examines the evolution of the postwar German Left’s perceptions of antisemitism, against the backdrop of its reconstitution following World War ii , the rise and fall of the 1968 Left, as well as current developments related to the emergence of a post-migrant society.