Bavarian authorities are investigating after an Israeli traveler was denied a hotel room because of his Jewish background. A screenshot of the hotel's response went viral, prompting Booking.com to remove the property from its listings.
Israeli Consul General Talya Lador expressed outrage on X, saying, 'Are we back in the 1930s?' The hotel initially denied the incident but later admitted an employee sent the message and offered the family a free week-long stay.
Professor Guy Katz of Munich rejected the hotel's claim that it was overwhelmed by bogus bookings, stating, 'It has to form in your head first... Not 1938. Yesterday. In Bavaria.'
The case is now before the Bavarian justice ministry, which is examining potential charges of incitement to hatred. The hotel, family-run for 120 years, claimed the reservation was the first from outside the EU and suspected fraud.
This incident underscores a sharp rise in antisemitic offenses in Germany. In 2024, authorities recorded 6,236 incidents, including 173 violent crimes-a new record. In the first half of 2025 alone, 2,044 offenses were reported, with 50 violent crimes.
A recent study by the Central Council of Jews in Germany found that 62% of Jewish communities say their security has worsened since the war with Iran began.