The first anti-semitism commissioner of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, paid a visit to Borussia Dortmund this Tuesday, 25 June. The visit, which lasted approximately an hour, involved a discussion focused on the club's engagement against anti-semitism and discrimination. 

''One of the footballing mottos of Dortmund reads: what matters is what happens out on the pitch. But I would like to add that Borussia Dortmund's bold engagement off the field is even more important. An excellent combination is formed by the club's huge popularity as well as its sense of social responsibility in the fight against anti-semitism and hostility against Jewish people,'' stated Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger. 

In May of this year, Borussia Dortmund donated one million euros to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, with much of the money going towards the newly-opened ''House of Memories.'' An eight-person delegation from BVB that included Chief Executive Officer Hans-Joachim Watzke and Director of Sales & Marketing Carsten Cramer travelled to Israel for the cornerstone laying ceremony which took place in May. 

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger also took the opportunity to learn about the educational trips that have taken place each year since 2008 and are catered to both fans and employees of the club. On these educational trips, fans and employees visit different places: the trip to Zamosc and Lublin focused on the history of the May 1942 deportation of 791 Jewish people from Dortmund and the Arnsberg administrative district, while a different trip saw BVB fans visit the small Polish city of Oswiecim as well as the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial site. Since 2017, BVB, alongside main sponsor EVONIK, have organised educational trips for employees of both companies which involve a visit to Oswiecim and the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial site. Since 2008, over 800 fans and employees have participated in an educational trip. Each event has been accompanied by a seminar held in Dortmund, in which current forms of anti-Semitism are discussed and a connection is made to the present day.

The day's visit was rounded off by a report on the campaign for ''Holocaust Memorial Day''  as well as the varied, important and unique engagement on the part of the club's fan base and how it serves to highlight the important connection between the fan base, the city of Dortmund and the club.  

Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger was left impressed by the club's work, its approach to dealing with antisemitic incidents as well as the engagement on the part of the fan base, all of which plays a key role in cultivating the club's unequivocal attitude with regards to anti-racism and resistance against anti-semitism. She announced a further visit to the club to discuss potential collaboration.