Vandals used a cigarette to deface the photographs.
Photo: video still from Bayerischer Rundfunk report

Police in Munich, Germany are investigating an act of vandalism on an outdoor exhibition in front of the city’s Jewish Center. Unknown perpetrators defaced a photo exhibition by burning Hitler mustaches onto a photographic display.

A photo of a group of prominent Rabbis and a photo of former Munich Mayor Christian Ude together with former German President Horst Köhler at the groundbreaking of the Jewish Center’s construction were emblazoned with Hitler mustaches.

The defaced images depict important rabbis and prominent politicians
Photo: via Bayerischer Rundfunk

The vandalism, which was discovered on Monday morning, is reportedly being treated as a politically motivated act. According to police, the vandals presumably used a cigarette to burn the images.

The installation honors the 200 year anniversary of the founding of Munich’s Jewish community and the 70th anniversary of its re-establishment following the Holocaust.

Bavarian Culture Minister Ludwig Spaenle and the leader of Munich’s Jewish community Charlotte Knobloch condemned the act.
Photo: Bayerischer Rundfunk

According to Haaretz, Bavaria’s Culture Minister Ludwig Spaenle condemned the anti-Semitic graffiti. “The attack on these images must be seen as an attack on the people themselves,” he said in a statement.

The head of Munich’s Jewish Community, Charlotte Knobloch, told Art Magazin “This act is an expression of the worst cynicism and contempt towards our liberal democratic principles.”

The attack took place outside of Munich’s Jewish Center.
Photo: Bayerischer Rundfunk

The defacing of the installation is the latest anti-Semitic incident in European cultural institutions after the Louvre was accused of discrimination for barring Israeli students in June.