Signal against antisemitism

The President of Friedrich Schiller University Jena has appointed Prof. Dr Thomas Kessler as the University's Antisemitism Officer. Thomas Kessler has been Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Jena since August 2010. He has proven expertise in dealing with authoritarianism, prejudice, social discrimination and other aspects of group-related misanthropy.

In his role, the Antisemitism Officer is available to all members of the University—students and employees, Jewish and non-Jewish—as a point of contact. He also advises the Executive Board on strategic and acute issues relating to antisemitism.

"By establishing this position, we are sending a clear signal against antisemitism and in favour of a respectful university culture," declared University President Prof. Dr Andreas Marx. "Particularly in view of the increasing number of antisemitic incidents in our society, it is our responsibility as a university to take a stance and resolutely stand up for fundamental democratic values. We want to provide those affected with trustworthy and competent contact persons. I am very pleased that we have been able to recruit Professor Thomas Kessler, a proven expert, for this task."

"I want to help ensure that Jewish students and employees feel safe and respected at our University—and that antisemitism, regardless of its form, is recognized, named and effectively addressed at an early stage," emphasizes Kessler.

Antisemitic incidents on the rise in Thuringia

The background to the appointment is an increase in antisemitic incidents in Thuringia. In 2023, the Department for Research and Information on Antisemitism (RIAS) Thuringia documented 297 antisemitic incidents throughout the state. 42 per cent of the incidents were reported after 7 October 2023, of which 28 per cent (84 incidents) were clearly related to the Hamas terrorist attack. The figures for 2024 and 2025 have not yet been published, but RIAS has already confirmed that the number remains high.

Antisemitic slogans were also chanted and antisemitic leaflets distributed on the campus of the University of Jena during pro-Palestinian rallies. In one particularly serious case, a university lecturer was physically attacked by a pro-Palestinian activist during an event in solidarity with Israel and subsequently reported the incident to the police.

Thomas Kessler studied Psychology at the University of Osnabrück and completed his doctorate at the University of Münster. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Friedrich Schiller University, habilitated in 2005 on the topic of "The feeling of injustice" and received his first offer of professorship at the University of Exeter, UK, in 2007. He has held the Professorship of Social Psychology at Friedrich Schiller University Jena since 2010.

In his research, Thomas Kessler deals with processes within and between social groups, focussing on topics such as prejudice, social discrimination and punishment, authoritarianism and political-ideological orientation, as well as group formation and the influence of social norms on attitudes and coordination and cooperation.