Abstract (eng)
This thesis deals with the so-called “circumcision debate” in Germany, which reached its peak in the summer of 2012. The decisive event was the Cologne Regional Court ruling of May 7, 2012, which criminalized the religious circumcision of underage boys. From a human rights perspective, one was faced with the dilemma of having to balance two human rights against each other: the right to religious freedom and the right of the child to physical and mental integrity. However, this work does not analyze this conflict rather, it exemplifies the lines of argumentation against religiously motivated circumcision. The ruling was followed by numerous debates, which were conducted in an emotional manner by those who were in favor of permission and those who were against it. This work focuses on the question of to what extent positions assumed by the opponents might possibly be identified as anti-Semitic. The interest in the research question is rooted in the general rejection of the accusation of anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism constitutes a human rights violation and must, therefore, when uncovered, be paid attention to so that it can be countered.