Fires were set at the Jewish area of Vienna’s Central Cemetery which was also vandalised with swastikas and Hitler graffiti on Wednesday in the latest outburst of antisemitism in Europe.
The President of the Jewish Community of Vienna Oskar Deutsch revealed on Wednesday that the Jewish section of Austria’s most famed cemetery was targetted by antisemitic thugs, who set fire to the vestibule of the Jewish ceremonial hall in the cemetery, the Kurier newspaper reported.
The outside walls of the building were scrawled with red graffiti, including a depiction of the Nazi swastika symbol as well as the name of Austrian-born “Hitler”.
Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident, although there was significant damage to the property. The building was temporarily closed by the authorities on Wednesday, however, graves could still be visited.
The cemetery, which is one of the largest in the world and the burial site for many historical figures, including Ludwig van Beethoven, announced a vigil on Thursday to “take a stand against anti-Semitism and misanthropy. For an end to the attacks on Israel, Judaism and democracy, for the liberation of all hostages.”
This photo taken on November 1, 2023 shows swastika symbols sprayed on an external wall in front of the ceremony hall at the Jewish part of the Central Cemetery in Vienna, Austria, after police cordoned off the area. (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
In response to the incident, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said: “I strongly condemn the attack on the Jewish cemetery in Vienna. Anti-Semitism has no place in our society and will be fought with all political and constitutional means. I hope the perpetrators will be identified quickly.”
The Rabbi for the Jewish Community of Vienna, Schlomo Hofmeister said: “The desecration of Jewish cemeteries is one of the most cowardly and disgusting forms of anti-Semitic violence.”
“The arsonists left behind beer bottles and swastikas. I hope we don’t hear anyone using the words ‘rascals’, ‘isolated case’ or ‘Halloween’ to ‘explain’ anything here.”
This photo taken on November 1, 2023 shows a firefighter and forensic police at the entrance of the ceremony hall at the Jewish part of the Central Cemetery in Vienna, Austria, after a fire damaged the hall. (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
The attack on the Jewish cemetery comes amid a wider campaign of antisemitic acts of intimidation across Europe, including in neighbouring Germany where a Jewish synagogue was firebombed with Molotov cocktails last month and homes of Jewish people were branded with the Star of David, harkening back to the Nazi era in the country.
Antisemitic acts have also been on the rise in Britain and in France, where just this week some sixty Stars of David were stencilled on the walls of the 14th arrondissement of Paris.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, there have been nearly 800 antisemitic incidents throughout the country since the Hamas terror attacks against Israel on October 7th.