Axe thrown through chapel window in Belgrade Jewish cemetery

One of the Jewish cemeteries in Belgrade, Serbia was vandalised on Wednesday night when an axe was thrown through its chapel window.

A spokesperson for the Jewish Community of Belgrade said that the vandalism had caused serious material damage, adding that “severe physical injuries or even death” could have occurred had the chapel been occupied at the time. “This act reminds us of Kristallnacht,” they added.

On Thursday, European Jewish Association Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin called upon Serbia’s Minister of Internal Affairs to carry out a full investigation. Rabbi Margolin said: “It is clear that whoever was responsible has no respect for the dead, never mind the living. We extend our support to our Jewish brothers and sisters in Belgrade and Serbia as a whole, who must be reeling at this attack, and feeling vulnerable.

“I have written to Serbian minister [sic] of Internal Affairs asking for a robust response to the attack, as well as a full throated condemnation, lest the antisemites that carried out this act believe that it is now open season on Jewish buildings in Serbia.”

It was also reported that Serbia’s Jewish community has faced other incidents of hostility recently, which included a campaign of repeated, antisemitic harassment against a well-known Jewish epidemiologist that involved comparisons made between him and Josef Mengele, and the infamous Nazi doctor. Demonstrations were also reportedly made outside of the epidemiologist’s home, whereby demonstrators wore yellow Stars of David.

Threats of a second Holocaust, as well as Nazi symbols, antisemitic emails, have also been made against the Community’s Facebook page.

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Image credit: Chabad Serbia