Germany rallies in solidarity after attempted arson on Oldenburg Synagogue

At the beginning of Shabbat on Friday evening, hundreds gathered for a silent demonstration outside the Oldenburg synagogue to voice their opposition to anti-Semitism in all its forms, with Israeli flags proudly displayed by some participants.

This demonstration was in direct response to the earlier events of the day when an unidentified individual attempted to set fire to the synagogue’s entrance. Fortunately, no one was injured, although the fire caused damage to the door.

Staff from the adjacent cultural centre swiftly extinguished the fire, making it unnecessary for the fire brigade to intervene. Police were, however, called to the site.

Despite ongoing efforts, the perpetrators remain at large, but the police are actively investigating to identify them and understand the motivations behind the crime.

"The Times of Israel" has reported that Andreas Sagehorn, the local police chief, labelled the attack as "cowardly" and assured the public that security measures around Jewish sites will be bolstered during the investigation. "The police will spare no effort in uncovering the facts and catching those responsible," he stated.

According to Deutsche Welle, to counteract anti-Semitic crimes, many Jewish places of worship in Germany have been under continuous police watch since October 7 of the previous year. Nonetheless, such attacks persist.

"Attacks on synagogues are an attack on us all. We cannot tolerate any Jewish institution in our city becoming an assault target," Oldenburg's Mayor Juergen Krogmann declared.

Leaders of the German Catholic Church, too, have spoken out against the attack. Officials from the Muenster diocese described the incident as "cowardly" and underscored that there is no place for anti-Semitism in society. They urged Christians to stand in solidarity with their Jewish counterparts.

The Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oldenburg, Thomas Adomeit, highlighted the attack as a grim reminder of the persistent anti-Semitism in society, deeming the aggression towards Jews in Germany as "unacceptable."

Michael Stahl, the deputy chairman of the local Jewish community, expressed shock over the synagogue being targeted for the first time by a hate crime. "The Jewish community is appalled to find that there are individuals in Oldenburg capable of such actions," he disclosed to Norddeutscher Rundfunk.

This incident is not isolated in Germany; similar acts of violence against Jewish communities have been reported in previous years, each met with firm condemnation and calls for solidarity from politicians and the public alike. A notable example occurred in June 2021 with an arson attack on the Ulm synagogue, reflecting a troubling pattern of anti-Semitic incidents.