German dictionary changes definition of ‘Jew’ after outcry

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — The leading dictionary of standard German has changed its definition of Jew, or “Jude” in German, after a recent update caused an uproar in the country’s Jewish community. The publication’s quick response underlines the sensitivities that persist eight decades after the Holocaust. The Duden dictionary had recently added an explanation to its online edition saying “occasionally, the term Jew is perceived as discriminatory because of the memory of the National Socialist use of language. In these cases, formulations such as Jewish people, Jewish fellow citizens or people of the Jewish faith are usually chosen.” That explanation had led to protests from Jews who stressed that identifying themselves or being called Jews is not discriminatory.