A new survey has found that Germans are considerably more negative in their views about Muslims and Jews than their European neighbors

Germans view Muslims and their religion, as well as Jews, more negatively than their European neighbors, according to sociologist Detlef Pollack, who led a study on religious tolerance by the University of Muenster in north-western Germany. "Compared to France, the Netherlands and Denmark, there is a more rigid and intolerant understanding of extrinsic religions in Germany," Pollack said. Most Germans entirely disagree with a recent statement by President Christian Wulff that Islam "belongs to Germany," he added. The study also revealed a more prevalent anti-Jewish undercurrent in Germany than in other western European countries. A little more than 28% of West Germans and 29% of East Germans had negative attitudes about Jews, the survey found. This compared to about 10% in the Netherlands, 12% in Denmark, and nearly 21% in France. The figures and comparisons were also similar for other religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism. The representative survey, which polled 1,000 people in each of the four countries mentioned, found that fewer than 5% of Germans thought Islam was a tolerant religion, compared to roughly 20% for the Danes, Dutch and French. While 50% of Danes and two-thirds of the French and Dutch respondents approved of the building of mosques, fewer than 30% of Germans said they did. In Denmark, France and the Netherlands, a clear majority of respondents viewed Muslims positively. In Germany, however, only 34% of those surveyed in the west of the country and 26% in eastern Germany had a positive view of Muslims. When asked what they associated with Islam, more than 80% said discrimination of women, 60% said fanaticism, and only 8% of West Germans and 5% of East Germans said that Islam was peaceful.