In the German town Rüsselsheim all figures of a nativity scene, including the depiction of baby Jesus, Joseph, Mary and the three Wise Men, have been beheaded in an act of vandalism. The damage was discovered on December 17. According to a report, the nativity scene, which was part of a Christmas marked, looked like a battlefield and the figure of Jesus in the manger was found beneath the rubble.
The Rüsselsheim trade association that funded the nativity scene said the incident should be approached with humour, but was later criticised for downplaying the attack. “This situation should be approached with humor and the Christmas story should be used as an analogy for solidarity and cohesion,” the association wrote on Facebook. “Similar to the Holy Night, which was marked by unexpected twists and challenges, we see this ‘Headless Night’ as an opportunity to stand together and bring light into the darkness together.”
The police are investigating the incident and suspect a religiously motivated crime. “For us, this is not a joke,” commented the county’s police department.
The same nativity scene had already been attacked in 2021 and 2022.