"Anti-Semitism is deeply rooted in German society" according to an official report conducted for the Bundestag. The conclusions of an independent commission composed of sociologists, police officials, anthropologists and social psychologists who were appointed by the German parliament in 2009 are found in "the German government report on racism in general and anti-Semitism in particular." The report found that about a fifth of Germans agreed with anti-Semitic statements such as "Jews have too much power in business." The report says that anti-Semitism permeates well into the mainstream of society, and it quotes children as using the words "you Jew" as pejorative on the playground. The report also cited chants from crowds at soccer matches involving Jewish teams, shouting things like "Jews to the gas chamber," or "bring back Auschwitz." The report did note that the vast majority of anti-Semitic crimes are committed by right-wing extremists, who are estimated to number only about 26,000 of Germany's more than 80 million inhabitants. The report called for better coordination of local, state and federal strategies to combat anti-Semitism - and singled out the Internet as a major problem. "With regard to modern forms of communication - we point to the Internet in particular - it is virtually impossible to prevent the spread of such thinking," Longerich said. The report argues the Internet provides a platform for spreading extremism of all flavors, with anti-Semites, Holocaust deniers and Islamist extremists all using it extensively to promote their goals. "Anti-Semitism in our society is based on widespread prejudices, deeply rooted clichés and on sheer ignorance about Jews and Judaism," one of the authors, the London-based German history professor Peter Longerich, told reporters at a press conference to unveil the report in Berlin. According to the report, the problem is not unique to Germany. Nor are Germans the most anti-Semitic population in Europe. Hungary, Poland, and Portugal all have greater instances of anti-Semitism among their citizens. Representatives from the Jewish community in Germany said, "we need new ways to deal with history. It is necessary for politicians and the education system in Germany to learn how to properly relate to the country's Nazi past."
