Shop owner Hans Velten Reisch angered the public by posting a sign banning Jews from his 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 danger” and maintain public order, spokesperson Philipp Renoncourt said.
Reporters later noted the message remained visible on a wall inside the shop opposite the entrance.
The incident sparked heated debate across Flensburg and social media, with many condemning the discriminatory message.
Some compared the sign to Nazi-era practices, while others demanded boycotts or other forms of protest.
By Thursday morning, people smeared slogans like “Nazis out” on the shop window.
Leaders Condemn Antisemitism
Mayor Fabian Geyer called the sign “a reminder of the darkest chapters of Germany’s history” and unacceptable.
He said it represented “a clear statement against Jews in our society.”
The Greens labeled the message “a clear expression of antisemitism” that mocks Jewish suffering and threatens democracy.
SPD politician Kianusch Stender emphasized the city must “take a stand against anti-Semitism everywhere and at all times.”
Former mayor Simone Lange reported the incident to police and criticized the sign publicly.
Federal Commissioner Felix Klein called it “a very clear case of antisemitism” and demanded authorities act.
Education Minister Karin Prien stated antisemitism “goes against everything democratic coexistence stands for.”
MEP Rasmus Andresen condemned the “inhuman sign” and urged the EU to protect all people from discrimination.
Police confirmed four complaints against Reisch, now under review by prosecutors for possible incitement charges.
Shop Owner Defends Actions
Hans Velten Reisch, 60, has run his Flensburg store since 2016, selling technical vehicle manuals.
He rejected claims of extremism, saying, “I’m not a Nazi” and describing himself as politically moderate.
Reisch criticized modern language, arguing terms like “racism” are overused in society.
He expressed frustration with politics, media, bureaucracy, and Germany’s policy toward Israel, calling it “hypocrisy.”
Reisch said he refuses service to customers he believes support Israel’s war: “I don’t need people like that.”
He said he welcomes Jews who distance themselves from the war: “They can have a coffee too.”
He admitted surprise at the public reaction, saying, “I never thought it would make such a big splash.”
Reisch claimed the sign targeted his immediate environment and insisted, “I’m not inciting hatred, I’m just saying what I think.”
