Antisemitism in Denmark reaches Nazi-era heights

There are about 6,400 Jews in Denmark, per 2023 statistics.

By David Swindle, JNS

The Jewish Community in Denmark (Det Jødiske Samfund i Danmark) tracked 121 antisemitic acts, including 20 death threats, in 2023—the highest levels that nation has seen since 1943.

Henri Goldstein, who leads the organization, said Denmark has “seen antisemitism on steroids.”

“The rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly since Oct. 7, is deeply troubling,” said Petra Kahn Nord, World Jewish Congress representative in the Nordics and its religious freedom task force coordinator.

“The Jewish community of Denmark is all too familiar with the impact of violent extremism, and we’ll continue to work with them to ensure that they have the protection that is needed,” she added.

There are about 6,400 Jews in Denmark, per 2023 statistics.

Some 10% of Danish adults believed six or more antisemitic tropes in 2019, including 41% that said that Danish Jews are more loyal to Israel than to Denmark, per Anti-Defamation League data.

Kevin Altman, an ADL spokesman, told JNS that the Jewish Community in Denmark collects and vets antisemitic incidents reliably. “The Danish Jewish community’s data should be taken very seriously,” he said.

“Our European representative was in Copenhagen in early December and met with the Jewish community leadership and with Danish police. While the threats to the community have increased, the government and police are responding appropriately in close coordination with the community’s own security service,” he added.