SWC Blasts Despicable Russian Claim Hitler Had “Jewish Blood”

May 2, 2022

The Simon Wiesenthal Center blasted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today for claiming that genocidal Nazi leader Adolf Hitler had "Jewish blood” while claiming that Jews are some of the worst antisemites. 

“We condemn in the highest level possible Lavrov’s heinous, dangerous, hurtful, lying comments,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC’s Associate Dean and Director of Global Social Action Agenda. 

“This is an outrageous and clear case of Holocaust distortion, said Eric J. Greenberg, SWC’s Director of United Nations Relations & Strategic Partnerships. He noted that on January 20, the United Nations General Assembly, in a historic session, overwhelmingly voted to condemn Holocaust Denial and Distortion. “We call on all the nations who voted for this important resolution to stand up publicly now and condemn Russia for these lies.”  

Lavrov made his outrageously offensive false accusations during an interview with an Italian television show on Sunday night May 1. Lavrov had been asked how Russia can justify its claim it needs to “deNazify” Ukraine when the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is Jewish. 

Lavrov responded: “How can there be Nazism in Ukraine if he is a Jew? I may be mistaken but Adolf Hitler had Jewish blood, too. This means absolutely nothing. The wise Jewish people say that the most ardent antisemites are usually Jews.”

“In the name of legendary Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal, our center’s namesake, we demand Lavrov acknowledge and retract his lies and apologize to the Jewish people, Ukraine, and to an entire generation who fought and died to defeat Hitler and the Nazis,” Cooper and Greenberg said. 

For further information contact the Center’s Communications department at pressinquiries@wiesenthal.com, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino).