Overview

• Higher Administrative Court of Thuringia on Aug. 20 rejected a woman’s bid to enter the Buchenwald memorial wearing a keffiyeh during a commemorative event.
• Judges cited her stated intent to “send a political message” and said this could “endanger the sense of security of many Jews, especially at this site.”
• The court found her freedom of expression was outweighed by the institution’s purpose of preserving commemoration and public order.
• Memorial director Jens-Christian Wagner says the keffiyeh is not automatically banned but may be restricted when used to relativize Nazi crimes, following criticism over a leaked internal memo.
• The dispute unfolds as Germany reassesses its approach to the Gaza war, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz announcing limits on arms export licences for items that could be used there this month.