A historic Bulgarian synagogue has been vandalised with a swastika and the numbers “1488”.
1488 is likely a coded reference to the neo-Nazi fourteen-word oath: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children”, a slogan initially devised by David Lane, a member of the white supremacist terrorist group “The Order” which was responsible for the murder of Jewish radio host Alan Berg. The number 88 refers to the eighth letter of the alphabet, H, and is intended as a code for “Heil Hitler.”
The vandalism at the Central Synagogue in Bulgaria’s capital of Sofia, the largest synagogue in the Balkan peninsula, was reportedly discovered on Sunday.
Last month, a far-right Bulgarian politician was condemned after he reportedly praised Adolf Hitler and denied the Holocaust in a television interview.
Campaign Against Antisemitism has expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.
Shameful desecration of the Central Synagogue in Sofia, #Bulgaria. The building was sprayed with swastikas and a '1488' tag – a known white supremacist symbol.
— B'nai B'rith Intl. (@BnaiBrith) August 23, 2021
We stand with the local Jewish community and urge authorities to intensify efforts to secure Jewish institutions. pic.twitter.com/7Uw5Qfg2DJ








