Shopkeeper Hans Velten Reisch provoked outrage by posting a sign banning Jews from his store in Duburger Straße.
The note read: “Jews are banned from here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you.”
Police removed the message Wednesday evening “to prevent danger” and maintain order, spokesperson Philipp Renoncourt confirmed.
Local reporters later found the same words displayed on an interior wall facing the shop’s entrance.
The case triggered intense debate across the city and on social media, where many compared it to Nazi-era persecution.
Some users called for boycotts, while others demanded protests or even suggested violent retaliation.
By Thursday morning, graffiti with the words “Nazis out” covered the shop’s window.
Political Leaders Demand Accountability
Mayor Fabian Geyer condemned the sign as “a reminder of Germany’s darkest chapters” with no place in Flensburg.
He stressed it was “a clear statement against Jews in our society.”
The Greens branded the note “a clear expression of antisemitism” that mocked Jewish history and attacked democracy.
SPD politician Kianusch Stender urged Flensburg to stand firm against antisemitism based on its historical responsibility.
Former mayor Simone Lange confirmed she reported the matter to police personally.
Antisemitism commissioner Felix Klein declared, “This is a very clear case of antisemitism” and urged immediate action.
Federal Education Minister Karin Prien warned antisemitism “contradicts everything democratic coexistence stands for.”
MEP Rasmus Andresen condemned the “inhuman” message and urged the EU to defend people against discrimination.
Police confirmed they received at least four complaints against Reisch, now reviewed by prosecutors for possible incitement charges.
Shop Owner Denies Extremism Allegations
Hans Velten Reisch, 60, has operated his technical literature shop since 2016, selling car and motorcycle manuals.
He rejected claims of extremism, saying, “I’m not a Nazi” and describing his politics as mixed but non-radical.
He argued that society misuses terms like “racism” and labels people unfairly.
Reisch voiced frustration with politics, media, bureaucracy, and Western policies toward Israel, calling them “hypocrisy.”
He announced he would refuse service to customers who, in his view, support Israel’s war.
However, he added, “Jews who distance themselves from the war can have a coffee too.”
Reisch admitted surprise at the backlash, saying, “I never thought it would make such a big splash.”
He insisted his message was meant for his surroundings and added, “I’m not inciting hatred, I’m just saying what I think.”
