All cases

Filtered by: Country: Germany Timeframe: 04/01/2019 to 06/10/2019

Manhole Cover Used to Break Window in Attempt of Theft on Pentecost

June 9, 2019, Germany

Unknown offenders unskrewed the outside barring of a window of the Protestant Johannes Church in Tostedt in the night of June 9th, Whitsunday to Whitmonday. They then broke the window by throwing a manhole cover at it, however, they were not able to gain access due to another set of window grills on the inside of the window.

Vandals Destroy Shrine Outside Church on Pentecost

June 9, 2019, Germany

Unidentified vandals targeted the St. Josef Catholic Church in Ebingen, Albstadt during the night of June 9th (Whitsunday to Whitmonday). They damaged the shrine outside the church by smashing the glass pane, tore down flowerpots, and destroyed candles. They also smashed the mirror glass in the bathroom which is accessible from the outside with a rock. Property damage amounts to about 100 euros.

Church's Exterior Crucifix Destroyed

June 9, 2019, Germany

Unknown vandals damaged the wooden cross in the church yard of the Catholic Church in Harbach during the night of June 9th to 10th by tearing down the corpus (statue of Jesus) and completely destroying it.

Persistent Vandalism of Church in Dierdorf

June 6, 2019, Germany

The Protestant Church in Dierdorf im Westerwald has been a target for vandalism for nearly two years. Reports beginning in July 2017 indicate that vandals have smashed windows, burned feminine hygiene products stuck to a wall to damage wall plaster, left graffiti on the walls and doors, knocked over park benches, and littered the area around the church every week. Property damage has reached tens of thousands of euros. The congregation is frustrated and horrified.

Fire Set On High Altar in Bad Dürrheim Church

June 5, 2019, Germany

Unknown arsonists lit all candles in the Catholic St. Johann Church in Bad Dürrheim on June 5th before setting fire to a flowerpot placed on the 300-year-old wooden high altar with several burning candles. A church visitor noticed the burning candles and the smell of something burning. As she looked for the source, she found that the flowerpot was almost completely burned and the fire had spread to the wooden altar tabletop. Just in time, she extinguished the fire with holy water and reported the incident. A book for pryer requests was also burned a little bit on one side. The immense damage that was done to the altar could not be estimated yet.

Arson Suspected in Ankum Catholic Church Fire

June 1, 2019, Germany

The fire department in Ankum was called to a smoldering fire in the St. Nikolaus Catholic Church around noon on June 1st. When the team of 33 firefighters in six firetrucks arrived, the Swedish visitors who had initially discovered the two spots of smoldering fire in the church, had already extinguished them out with water. According to police, the church wasn't damaged by the fire and the fire department only had to inspect the site and quickly gave the all-clear. Police suspect arson and began their investigation with the help of the Swedish visitors describing two girls running out of the church just before they themselves entered and the church's surveillance video tapes.

Robbery from Esslingen Church

May 31, 2019, Germany

Between May 29th and 31st, several unknown perpetrators broke into the Osterfeld Protestant Church in Berkheim, Esslingen. They entered by climbing the porch roof and, once inside, stole three game consoles and eight controllers from the youth room as well as one digital and one SLR camera from a storage room. The value of the stolen goods was estimated at around 1,000 euros and the property damage amounted to around 2,000 euros.

Vandals Burned Bible and Song Book; Left Feces in Church

May 31, 2019, Germany

On May 31st, the Lutheran Nikolaikirche in Caldern was the target of vandals. Sometime between 8:30 am and 1:30 pm, unknown perpetrators entered the church, set fire to the bible and hymn book on the altar, and damaged three large candles. They also broke into a cabinet and a chest, but stole nothing. Finally, they left a pile of feces at the church entrance and another on a bench outside the church. Property damage amounted to approximately 300 euros and it is not yet clear how the perpetrators accessed the church. For the time being, the church will stay closed while investigations are ongoing.

Altar Window Smashed

May 28, 2019, Germany

An unidentified vandal smashed the lead glazing of an altar window at the Catholic Church in Büchel in the afternoon of May 28th.

Graffiti on Church in Kronach

May 26, 2019, Germany

On a Sunday afternoon, perpetrators tagged a church in Kronach with the tags "RCS" and "RCG" causing damage estimated at about 500 euros. The graffiti was found on the main entrance door and on a message board.

Vandals Burn Statue of Jesus in Großholbach Church

May 19, 2019, Germany

Police reported that unknown perpetrators broke in a church window with stones and invaded the interior of the church of the Heiligen Dreifaltigkeit in Großholbach (Westerwald in Rhineland-Palatinate) during the night of May 18th to 19th. Several sacred objects, including statues of saints, were broken. The Jesus figure was removed from the crucifix and burned. The intruders also urinated in the aisle and on several pews.

Fires Set in Nordhausen Church

May 18, 2019, Germany

Police announced on May 19th that a tablecloth had been set on fire in the vestibule of St. Blasii's Evangelical church in Nordhausen during the night of May 18th. Fortunately, it did not catch fire completely. There were also traces of fire on a cordon to the church balcony. The professional fire brigade used a thermal imaging camera to scan other areas for evidence of fires. Police are now looking for witnesses who may have seen something suspicious.

Etsy Admits Sale of Consecrated Hosts Violated Policy

May 16, 2019, Germany

On May 7th, an unknown buyer purchased "nine real Catholic hosts, consecrated by a priest” from a Germany-based Etsy seller for $11.58. The seller, who called himself “AL” and his business “Pentagora,” said the hosts were “to abuse for classic black fairs or black magic purposes.” In response to a petition with over 10,000 signatures demanding the online marketplace ban the sales of consecrated hosts, the company admitted that such a sale was in violation of their policies.

Iranian Christian Awaits Trial in Iran after being Deported

May 15, 2019, Germany

The Iranian Christian convert Fatemeh Azad's claim for asylum due to conversion to Christianity was rejected by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and she was deported to Iran. The reason for her rejection was that she did not convince the judge of her genuine conversion. Upon arrival in Iran, she was arrested immediately and released on bail and now she is waiting for her trial which could mean a death sentence because in Iran there is a death penalty for apostasy from Islam.

Activists Block University Christians' Event in Göttingen

May 9, 2019, Germany

Activists prevented a planned lecture by the gynecologist Michael Kiworr (Mannheim) on 8 May at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.

Break-in and Attempted Burglary in Two Hesse Churches

May 8, 2019, Germany

During the afternoon of May 7th, the priest of a Hofheim church caught a man trying to break into the donation box with a tool. The man fled the scene on bicycle. Later, during the night between May 7th and 8th, intruders entered a church in Raunheim (about 65 km away from Hofheim) through a broken basement window. Although it appeared that nothing was stolen, they damaged the locked entrance door as they left.

Repeated Thefts from Churches in Baden-Württemberg

May 6, 2019, Germany

Freiburg police are investigating a series of thefts from Catholic churches in Rheinfelden-Nollingen, Schwörstadt, and Bad Säckingen from mid-April to the beginning of May. Offering boxes were pried open and the contents stolen in each of the churches, with the Nollingen church hit twice by thieves.

Winnweiler Church Damaged by Vandals

May 6, 2019, Germany

During the period from May 4th to 6th, unknown perpetrators broke the lock at the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Winnweiler (Rhineland-Palatinate), lit a small campfire on the sandy ground outside the church, and defaced a wall with graffiti. A lightning rod was torn from the wall and the outer facade of the church was damaged. The police in Rockenhausen are investigating.

Thüringen Church Vandalized

May 6, 2019, Germany

Unknown perpetrators smeared "several numbers, characters and figures in different colors" on the outer wall of the Evangelical Lutheran City Church in Rudolstadt. Police began an investigation.

Hoxel Chapel Window Damaged

May 5, 2019, Germany

During the night from May 4th to 5th, unidentified vandals smashed a stained glass window in the chapel in Morbach-Hoxel with a paving stone. Property damage is estimated to be around 2000 euros.

Thieves Steal Cross from Altar

May 4, 2019, Germany

Sometime between May 3rd and 4th, the intricately carved wooden cross was stolen from the altar of the Peter-Paul-Kirche in Bad Oldesloe. Pastor Diethelm Schark said to enter the sanctuary to steal the wooden cross broke a major taboo and said he hoped the cross would be found and returned.

Donation Box Torn from Wall of Church found at Bus Stop

May 2, 2019, Germany

Police investigated the theft of an offertory box from a church in Wiehe (Thüringen). On May 2nd, church staff discovered that the donation box had been forcibly torn from the wall. It was later found at a bus stop. A small amount of cash was stolen, but the incident caused property damage of about 100 euros.

Heavy Damage after Church Break-In

April 29, 2019, Germany

Unknown thieves broke into a church on the Luisenring in Mannheim on April 29th. According to police, the perpetrators gained access to the church through a back window during the night of April 29th. They searched the chapel and the sacristy. Doors and containers were broken into with massive force, resulting in property damage of around 10,000 euros throughout the building. Police began an investigation.

Theft from Evangelical Church During Service

April 28, 2019, Germany

During the Sunday morning worship service on the 28th of April, an unknown perpetrator stole the offertory box from the evangelischen Kirchengemeinde Spaichingen (Baden-Wüttemberg).

Disruptions and Security Concerns at Armenian Genocide Commemorations in Germany

April 27, 2019, Germany

In Frankfurt am Main, the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany and the Central Council of Armenians held a memorial service at the Paulskirche on April 27th for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Just hours before the event, the keynote speaker was forced to cancel his participation due to acute security concerns. The speaker, Mourad Franck Papazian of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Associations in France, received a warning from French security police that he might become a target for Turkish extremists in Germany.  Other incidents included damage of cross stones and threats toward ceremony participants.

Thieves Fled Church after Trying to Steal Donation Box

April 26, 2019, Germany

At about 4:30 pm on April 26th, two people entered the Annakirche in Düren (Nordrhein-Westfalen) and immediately noticed two males: One was kneeling in front of the donation and sacrificial candle container trying to cut open the padlock with a bolt cutter. When the witnesses approached the men, they fled the church.

Bomb Threat Halted Church Commemoration of Armenian Genocide

April 24, 2019, Germany

Police evacuated the Lutherkirche in the Bad Cannstadt district of Stuttgart on April 24th shortly before a 7pm commemoration service for the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was to take place. The pastor of the Armenian Christian community reported that received a warning from police to clear the church after an anonymous bomb threat was received. Police forces blocked off a large area around the church, employing special forces with machine guns and dogs until late in the evening. A police spokesman neither confirmed nor denied that it had been a bomb threat, but called it a "threat situation" and explosives detection dogs were brought in as a precautionary measure. Police authorities are still investigating. 

Windows Damaged and Donations Stolen from Lower Saxony Chruch

April 24, 2019, Germany

Sometime between April 21st and 24th, unidentified perpetrator(s) broke at least nine windows of a Wilhelmshaven and stole the donation proceeds from the inside the church. Police investigated and looked for witnesses.

Intrustion into Ennepetal Church

April 19, 2019, Germany

Unknown perpetrators broke a window in order to get into the Herz Jesu Catholic Church in Ennepetal sometime between April 19th and 20th. After an investigation, it appeared that nothing was stolen.

Theft from Offertory Box in Euskirchen Church

April 17, 2019, Germany

Around noontime on April 17th, unknown thieves emptied the offertory box in the St. Martin Catholic Church in Euskirchen and fled the church unnoticed. The amount stolen cannot be determined.

Donation Box in Wittmund Church Broken Into

April 16, 2019, Germany

Police are investigating the April 16th theft of an unknown sum of money from a donation box in the Deichkirche in Carolinensiel.

Dillenburg: Vandalism in the Catholic Church

April 14, 2019, Germany

On April 14th, between 2 pm and 6 pm, unknown persons vandalized the Herz Jesu Catholic church on Wilhelmsplatz in Dillenburg (in Hesse's Gießen region). They damaged a holy water stoup and candles and scattered leaflets on the floor.

Break-in at Church in Herne

April 14, 2019, Germany

Between April 14th and 15th, unknown thieves broke into the Protestant Church Baukau in Herne by breaking a window. They tore one donation box from a wall, destroyed another one, and pried open several cupboards and fled with the donations.

Vandalism in Nienborg Church

April 11, 2019, Germany

According to a police press release, unknown perpetrators set a brochure on fire and poured wax on an altar cloth in the church in Nienborg. An investigation was opened.

Burglary of Evangelical Church Sacristy in Ratingen

April 11, 2019, Germany

During the night of April 11th, burglars broke into the Evangelische Kirchengemeinde Hösel. They gained access to the inside of the church by prying open two back doors. Once inside, they found a safe about 1.20 x 0.80 m in an adjacent storage room. The safe was completely stolen, but there were no items of great value in it.

Offerings from Several Weeks Stolen from Church Office

April 8, 2019, Germany

In the afternoon of April 8th, a man walked into the St. Marien Catholic Church in Bremerhaven and entered the parish office unnoticed. He stole the dark green bag with the collected offerings from several weeks which amounted to 300-500 euros. A witness informed the sexton who only saw the man fleeing towards the town's pedestrian zone.

Vandalism in Parish Hall

April 7, 2019, Germany

Vandals ransacked the restrooms in the parish hall of the Catholic church of St. Leodegar Oberschopfheim (Friesenheim) causing an estimated €5,000 in damage. Toilet bowls and the sink were smashed, stall doors pulled from their hinges, and glass from broken windows and bottles was scattered everywhere. Lighting along the passage between the church and the parish hall was also destroyed.

Church Door Defaced in Münster

April 7, 2019, Germany

During the night of April 6th to 7th, unknown vandals defaced the St. Josef Catholic church. A woman discovered "Pädo" in black lettering and a cross painted on the door of the church. Police investigated.

Repeated Vandalism in Coesfeld Church

April 5, 2019, Germany

There were several reported incidents of vandalism in and around St.-Johannes-Kirche in Bösensell in late March and early April. A windowpane was smashed and wax was poured on the altar and on the sanctuary (chancel) lamp. Lightning rods were torn from the facade of the church, and tools were used to try to break into the Poor Clares donation box. Brochures, prayer books, and tea lights were scattered around the church, including in the holy water basin. Glass bottles containing holy water were smashed to pieces.

Attempted Break-in at New Apostolic Church in Soltau

April 3, 2019, Germany

Between March 31st and April 3rd unknown offenders tried to pry open a side entrance door of the New Apostolic Church in Soltau without success. However, they caused property damage of about 300 euros.