Antisemitic graffiti was discovered early on March 18 at the Holocaust memorial on Opernplatz in Hannover, prompting a police response and strong political condemnation.
Graffiti targeting Jewish victims
The inscriptions:
- contained antisemitic messages directed at Jewish people
- were painted directly onto the memorial
- were accompanied by a black line drawn across engraved names of Jews deported from Hannover during the Nazi era
Police from the local directorate quickly covered the graffiti with yellow spray chalk, pending full cleaning.
A complete restoration of the memorial was scheduled for March 19.
Strong condemnation by city leadership
Hannover’s mayor, Belit Onay, condemned the act, stating that:
- antisemitism continues to manifest within society
- such acts at a memorial site are particularly symbolic and alarming
- the city stands in solidarity with its Jewish community
Part of a broader pattern
Authorities noted that this incident is not isolated. In recent years:
- memorial sites in Hannover and surrounding areas have been repeatedly targeted
- the memorial site in Ahlem has faced multiple acts of vandalism, including in January 2025