Holocaustvergleiche auf X/Twitter
Published in Kodikas/Code, 2024
The word “Juden” and references to the Nazi regime are potent symbols in German culture with great emotional weight, due to the historical persecution of Jews. They are signs that signify a complex network of meanings related to prejudice, guilt, persecution, and suffering and can be used and misused in many ways. This paper analyzes trends in online antisemitism on German-language X/Twitter from 2019 to 2021, focusing on comparisons and references to the Nazi regime. It is based on an analysis of all tweets containing the word “Juden” during this period. We identified more than 2,400 tweets with Nazi comparisons using semi-automated methods. Our study identifies themes of Holocaust comparisons in online discourse and reveals an increase in Nazi comparisons during the pandemic, including comparisons of the situation of some of today’s (alleged) victim groups, such as Covid-skeptics, AfD supporters, and Muslims, with the situation of Jews during the Nazi regime. Other inappropriate comparisons are made between the Nazi regime and (alleged) perpetrators today, such as the national government imposing measures to contain the pandemic. Unlike Holocaust denial, Holocaust comparisons are based on acknowledging the existence of the Holocaust, but references to the Holocaust are most often used to distort and diminish it.
Recommended citation: Miehling, Daniel; Tschiskale, Victor; Jikeli, Gunther (2024). "Holocaustvergleiche auf X/Twitter" Kodikas/Code. 42(2-4).
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