German lawmakers condemn top banker’s remarks against Jews and Muslims as racist, anti-Semitic

German lawmakers blast banker’s remarks as racist

BERLIN — German government officials and immigrant leaders are condemning remarks by a board member of Germany’s federal bank as racist and anti-Semitic.

Thilo Sarrazin of the German Bundesbank came under fire Sunday for telling the weekly newspaper Welt am Sonntag that “all Jews share the same gene.” He also said Muslim immigrants in Germany were not willing or capable of integrating into the country’s mainstream society.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said “remarks that feed racism or even anti-Semitism have no place in our political discourse.”

Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said Sarrazin had “overstepped the borders of provocation.”

Leaders of Germany’s Jewish and Turkish communities also condemned the banker’s remarks.