The daily lives and safety of Jewish people have been severely affected worldwide, including in Austria, since Hamas' terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Gaza War. Since then, Austrian monitoring agencies have documented a significant increase in physical attacks, threats, and verbal abuse in public spaces, as well as discrimination in everyday situations. In light of this massive increase, the research project examines the various manifestations of anti-Semitism, both manifest and latent, and the specific developments in Austria since the turning point of October 7, 2023. Since anti-Semitic projections also fulfill cultural, social, and psychological functions, the project also examines the extent to which anti-Semitism in Austria can foster unity across political camps—and where this unity reaches its limits. The research is based on a broad corpus of sources, including institutional and official documentation and monitoring reports as well as print sources and various digital content. In addition, the project takes a historical perspective in order to trace continuities, breaks, and transformations in contemporary anti-Semitism against the backdrop of developments since 1945.

Head of Project:Lea von der Hude
Funding: ÖAW / Fellow
Duration: 01/01/2026 – 31/12/2026