Pro Islamic State, Holocaust denying, Hitler-praising, anti-Semitic graffiti has appeared at a Polish, Jewish cemetery this week, leading those who look after the site to dub the culprits “barbarians”.
A statement on the Museum of Sochaczew and Battlefield Bzura website said the incident occurred earlier this week, “probably in the night” at the Jewish cemetery in Sochaczew, Poland.
Vandals are reported to have destroyed the Ohel Tzadiks memorial, and monuments dedicated to the Sochaczew Jews who were murdered by the Germans during the Nazi occupation.
Graffiti at the cemetery included the words “Allah Bless Hitler” as well as “Islamic State Was Here” and “Islam Will Dominate”.
Paul Rozdżestwieński, the director of the museum tasked with the upkeep of the cemetery said: “Despite the turmoil of history, historical catastrophes and fought wars in this region, in the minds of the inhabitants still lies the memory of former neighbors.
“[The] museum for years [has] carefully protected the finest artifacts of the past, all cultures and religions. With disbelief [we] discovered this barbaric behavior at the cemetery. It does not display human decency”.
Local police are reportedly investigating the incident, though it is believed there have been no arrests to date.
A Facebook friend of the Museum reported on Tuesday: “Today walking to the train in the subway at the train station I saw similar-looking text, content approximate[ly the same]. Maybe the [police] are monitoring and if it’s actually the same person they can find out their identity?”
Sochaczew is located in the heart of Poland, and has a population of around 40,000. It was one of the first towns taken by the Germans in the Second World War, when 100 per cent of the town’s Jewish population was lost. It is most famous for being the birthplace of composer Frédéric Chopin.
There has been no comment as to why the graffiti is in English, rather than Polish, and the use of the number 88, which signifies “Heil Hitler” in Neo Nazi circles, might add another dimension to the story.
IN PICTURES