Image by Screen Shot

An organization belonging to the Swiss socialist party apologized for posting online a caricature which critics said was reminiscent of Nazi anti-Semitic propaganda.

JUSO, the youth division of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland – the country’s second largest party – on Saturday released a statement saying it was a “mistake” to publish the caricature last week on JUSO’s Facebook page.

The caricature shows Swiss Economics Minister Johann Schneider-Ammann saying: “And one spoonful for the international finance lobby” as he feeds a large-mouthed man wearing a black coat and hat and side-locks, who is clutching the minister’s wrist. A boy with lighter hair sits on the minister’s other side while opening his far smaller mouth.

Antisemitism Notebook

Your weekly guide through the news and the noise of how rising antisemitism and disputes over how to address it are shaping American Jewish life.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

“We understand that the cartoon allows for an interpretation through anti-Semitic codes and stereotypes that absolutely do not correspond with JUSO’s basic values,” the organization wrote in a statement on Jan. 23. ”We would like to apologize unreservedly for this regrettable error and affirm that there was no intention to reproduce anti-Semitism.”

The caricature was part of the party’s campaign against speculation, according to the Swiss Blick daily, which defined it as “reminiscent of the imagery of the Nazis.”

And the political blog etwasanderekritik.wordpress.com published a post on the caricature, writing that “Julius Streicher would certainly be proud of the JUSO cartoon and would have added it to his Nazi magazine, Sturmer.”

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount