Vandalism Forces Church in Bad Dürrheim to Close
On 16 July 2026, a man vandalised St. Johann Catholic Church in Bad Dürrheim, causing approximately €15,000 in damage, and leaving the building temporarily unusable for worship. As a result, the church had to be closed and scheduled services had to be relocated and a parish celebration was cancelled.
On 16 July 2026, a 40-year-old man caused extensive damage to St. Johann Catholic Church in Bad Dürrheim. According to the police, he initially left excrement inside the church before damaging the interior while under the influence of alcohol. The destruction primarily affected the church's glass doors and windows, resulting in an estimated €15,000 worth of damage. The report states that all of the glass doors between the entrance area and the nave were completely shattered. Bloodstained glass fragments indicated that the perpetrator had injured himself during the attack. Both a side table and a literature stand from inside the church were reportedly used to cause the damage.
Although police have have attributed the incident to the perpetrator's intoxication, the degrading act of leaving excrement inside the church before destroying parts of the interior is an insult to the Christian place of worship and constitutes more than ordinary property damage.
Source: schwarzwaelder, evangelische-zeitung
Image: Wiki Commons
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