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Teenager investigated after gravestone shot at in Jewish cemetery
German police say there is currently no evidence of a political motive after damage was discovered at historic Langenselbold cemetery
German police are investigating a 15-year-old after a gravestone was allegedly shot at with an airsoft pistol in a Jewish cemetery.
Officers were called to the historic cemetery in Langenselbold, in the state of Hesse, shortly after 7pm on Saturday after a witness reported seeing a group of youths firing at graves.
Several police patrols were sent to the scene and found five young people nearby who matched the description given by the witness.
One fled on foot when officers arrived but was found nearby, according to Southeast Hesse Police. Witness accounts led investigators to identify a 15-year-old as the suspected shooter.
Police said the weapon believed to have been used has not been recovered.
An examination of the cemetery found damage to one gravestone, estimated at around €500 (£429). Investigators are examining suspected property damage and disturbance of the peace of the dead.
A police spokesperson said that only one damaged gravestone had so far been identified, although further damage could potentially be difficult to spot because airsoft pellets are small.
The force said there was currently no evidence pointing to a far-right or other political motive. According to the newspaper, police believe the incident may have been a “bad joke”.
All five young people were allowed to leave following police enquiries.
The incident comes amid wider concern over antisemitism in Hesse. The Research and Information Centre on Antisemitism Hesse (RIAS Hessen) has reported a significant rise in recorded antisemitic incidents in the state.
Hesse police recorded desecrations at 21 Jewish cemeteries between the beginning of 2020 and October 2025.
The Jewish cemetery in Langenselbold dates back to the second half of the 18th century and contains many historic graves.
The town’s Jewish community was destroyed during the Holocaust. According to the German report, all Jews remaining in Langenselbold were deported between 1938 and 1942, with at least 110 murdered.
Hanau criminal investigators are appealing for anyone with information about Saturday’s incident to come forward.
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