How a Ukrainian Intellectual Is Redefining Jewish Identity in Germany's Far Right

Artur Abramovych, a 28-year-old Ukrainian-born intellectual, has become a polarising voice in German-Jewish discourse. As chair of the Federal Association of Jews in the AfD, he challenges long-held assumptions about Jewish identity, nationalism, and political alignment. His latest essay collection offers a provocative re-examination of Jewish thought, blending history, literature, and right-wing European ideology.

Born in Kharkiv in 1996, Abramovych grew up in a Soviet-era household exposed to diverse cultural influences. By 2023, he had emerged as a leading figure in the Bundesvereinigung der Juden in der AfD, advocating for a nationalism-centred Judaism. His critiques target left-leaning Jewish groups like the Zentralrat der Juden, which he dismisses as assimilationist and universalist. Instead, he promotes a model aligned with Israeli sovereignty, rejecting progressive causes such as LGBTQ+ rights or Palestinian solidarity.

Abramovych's essays trace two contrasting Jewish archetypes: the Schlemiel—a bumbling, neurotic intellectual—and the Muscle Jew—physically robust and assertive. He praises figures like Hans-Joachim Schoeps and Theodor Lessing as embodiments of the latter, defying the intellectual stereotype. His analysis extends to the French left's antisemitic history, from 1848 pogroms to early press reactions during the Dreyfus Affair.

Central to his argument is the claim that Israel's founding ended the era of the Wandering Jew, transforming Judaism into a national, ethnocentric movement. He labels 1968 activist Daniel Cohn-Bendit a juif imaginaire—an 'imaginary Jew'—for leveraging Jewish identity politically without genuine connection. Abramovych also argues that left-wing Jewish identity mirrors 19th-century Reform Judaism's failed assimilationist strategies.

His work calls for an alliance between patriotic Germans and Jews, framing Germanness not as a threat but as a potential partnership. This stance directly opposes mainstream Jewish organisations that view nationalism with suspicion.

Abramovych's collection provides readers with a detailed exploration of Jewish identity, from historical roots to modern self-definition. By rejecting progressive politics and embracing nationalism, he positions himself at odds with established Jewish institutions. His ideas are likely to spark further debate on the place of Jews in contemporary German—and European—political life.