Maribor Synagogue desecrated with antisemitic graffiti
Maribor, 13 January - Police have launched an investigation after the Maribor Synagogue, a medieval building that serves not as an active place of worship but as a Jewish cultural centre, was desecrated with antisemitic graffiti over the weekend.
Pictures released by the cultural centre on Facebook on Monday morning show graffiti with the slogans "Jews are the evil of the world," "Death to Jews, glory to Slovenia" and "Read the Talmud".
The cultural centre said it was saddened that the building was once again targeted by vandals expressing "offensive and menacing views" against Jews.
"All the staff at the Maribor Synagogue are Slovenian. We cannot judge the graffiti on our building as Jews, but as Slovenians we strongly reject the content thereof," the post says.
The Maribor Synagogue was also defaced with hateful graffiti in 2009. "Sixteen years have passed since then, but I fear the situation has worsened in many respects, particularly regarding hatred in public discourse and calls for intolerance," Maribor Synagogue director Boris Hajdinjak told STA.
"I only hope that, at least at the institutional level, matters will be resolved as swiftly as they were in 2009," he added, while also noting Jews have always been a small minority in Slovenian history, making the preservation of the medieval synagogue in Maribor particularly remarkable.
The Slovenian government condemned the graffiti in a post on X saying that "such outbursts of hatred have no place in our society and are in utter opposition to the principles and values of tolerance and coexistence between nations".
The Culture Ministry said the incident was "a worrying reflection of the growing lack of tolerance in society". It added that "the responsibility for fostering a tolerant and respectful public discourse also lies with politicians and those with a more prominent voice in society".
"The Maribor Synagogue is a public cultural institution, a monument of national significance, and one of the oldest preserved synagogues in Central Europe. Protecting its dignity reflects our commitment to respecting history, culture and coexistence," the ministry added.
The Maribor municipality similarly said that "in a modern society founded on mutual respect, there should be no room for hateful slogans and ideologies of the past - ideologies that did not spare Maribor or its people".
"Actions such as the new intolerant graffiti on the Maribor Synagogue are unacceptable," said Advocate of the Principle of Equality Miha Lobnik. Law enforcement authorities must do their job, bearing in mind that attacking and insulting people because of their personal circumstances, such as religious belief, nationality or ethnic origin, is an aggravating circumstance under the law, he pointed out.
Lobnik noted that Holocaust Remembrance Day, 27 January, would mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest concentration camp, and stressed the importance of maintaining an inclusive society. "The tragedy of the Second World War shows what can happen when discrimination is allowed and reminds us of the importance of protecting our fundamental rights and maintaining a tolerant, open and inclusive society," Lobnik said.
Estimating the material damage at EUR 1,500, the Maribor Police Department said it was investigating suspected instigation of hatred, violence or intolerance, and damaging of a cultural monument. The first offence carries a potential prison sentence of up to two years, while the second can result in up to five year in prison.