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Swastikas in the castle: Police are asking for information from the public
16 swastikas were discovered in Goethe Park in Burg. The police are looking for witnesses and are investigating right-wing extremist groups.
Swastikas in the castle: Police are asking for information from the public
On Sunday afternoon, 16 swastikas were discovered in the Goethe Park in Burg (Jerichower Land). The symbols, which were painted with brightly colored Sharpie on trash cans, the tourist information center and the skate rink, are a worrying sign of the spread of right-wing extremist ideologies. The police immediately defaced the graffiti and are now urgently looking for witnesses who can provide information about the incident. Relevant information can be forwarded to the Jerichower Land police station on 03921/920-0 or by email, as [Tag24](https://www.tag24.de/thema/nazis/16- Hakenkreuze-in-park-entdeckt-polizei-sucht-zeugen-3393336) reports.
The incident is not isolated, but part of a growing wave of right-wing extremist activity in the region. Thomas Kriebitzsch, the head of the Jerichower Land police station, noted in March that several investigations are currently underway involving a group of around ten people. This group is suspected of spreading xenophobic stickers and graffiti directed against refugees and Israel. Particularly striking was the demand to become “active for the homeland”, which only reinforced the worrying mood in Burg.
An environment of fear and threat
The anti-Semitic and xenophobic climate seems to be increasing in Burg. Graffiti was found proclaiming a “Nazi neighborhood” and glorifying Adolf Hitler. The authors identify themselves as “National Socialists Burg” or “National Socialists Jerichower Land”. In the past, there have even been insults and threats directed at a person who publicly condemned the right-wing extremist graffiti. These developments cast a shadow on coexistence among the local population and act as an alarm signal for the authorities, as [MDR](https://www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen-anhalt/magdeburg/jerichow/ Hakenkreuze-schmiererei-burg-100.html) reports.
The scale of the problems with right-wing extremism in Germany is alarming. Over 25,600 right-wing extremist crimes were recorded in 2023, an increase of 22.4% compared to the previous year. The number of violent attacks based on xenophobia is particularly worrying. This development shows that right-wing extremism in Germany continues to pose a serious challenge, as Verfassungsschutz states.
The authorities face the difficult task of breaking through these criminal structures and regaining the trust of the population. With the discoveries in Goethe Park it is clear: there is a lot to do and the unity of the community is required to counteract such ideologies.