Hans Velten Reisch angered residents by posting a sign banning Jews from his Flensburg store.
The note read: “Jews are banned from here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”
Police removed the sign Wednesday evening to prevent escalation and protect public order, spokesperson Philipp Renoncourt said.
Reporters noted the message remained visible inside the shop on a wall opposite the entrance.
The sign triggered heated debate locally and online, with many users condemning its discriminatory content.
Some compared the message to Nazi-era policies, while others called for boycotts or protests.
By Thursday, protesters smeared slogans like “Nazis out” across the shop window.
Political Leaders Denounce Antisemitism
Mayor Fabian Geyer said the sign “reminds us of the darkest chapters of Germany’s history” and has no place in Flensburg.
He described the message as “a clear statement against Jews in our society.”
The Greens called it “a clear expression of antisemitism” that mocks Jewish history and undermines democracy.
SPD politician Kianusch Stender said the city must confront antisemitism “everywhere and at all times.”
Former mayor Simone Lange reported the case to police personally.
Antisemitism commissioner Felix Klein condemned the incident as “antisemitism in its purest form” and urged intervention.
Education Minister Karin Prien stated that antisemitism “contradicts everything democratic coexistence represents.”
MEP Rasmus Andresen described the message as “inhuman” and called for stronger EU protections against discrimination.
Police confirmed receiving at least four complaints against Reisch, now under prosecutor review for potential incitement.
Shop Owner Defends His Actions
Hans Velten Reisch, 60, runs his Flensburg shop since 2016, selling technical manuals for cars and motorbikes.
He denied extremist views, saying, “I’m a little left, a little right—but not radical. I’m not a Nazi.”
Reisch criticized modern language, claiming society misuses terms like “racism” too lightly.
He voiced frustration with bureaucracy, media, politics, freedom of expression, and the Middle East conflict.
He called West Germany’s policy toward Israel “hypocrisy” and said he refuses to serve customers supporting the war.
Reisch emphasized he welcomes Jews who distance themselves from the conflict: “They can have a coffee too.”
He expressed surprise at the intense reaction, saying, “I never thought it would make such a big splash.”
He claimed the sign targeted his immediate surroundings and insisted, “I’m not inciting hatred, I’m just saying what I think.”
