Vandals targeted Berlin's renowned Kindertransport memorial, defacing the bronze sculptures depicting children with graffiti that resembled the Al-Aqsa mosque. The memorial, named
'Trains to Life – Trains to Death' and crafted by Frank Meisler, stands as a tribute to the 10,000 Holocaust survivors rescued through the Kindertransport initiative and the millions of children transported and murdered by the Nazis.
The defacement occurred following a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the city on New Year's Eve, during which illicit anti-Israel protests took place despite official bans over the Christmas and New Year period. The aftermath of the rally showcased disorder, with numerous arrests made.
The act of vandalism on the Berlin memorial is suspected to have been carried out by individuals associated with the pro-Palestine demonstration. The desecration has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
The Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) expressed deep dismay, labeling the defacement as an antisemitic act that dishonors the monument's significance in commemorating the vulnerable victims of Nazi oppression.
Revital Yakhin Krakowski, deputy director general of the World March for Life, condemned the deliberate damage, highlighting the intentional attack on crucial symbols that hold immense importance to the Jewish community. Krakowski emphasized the link between Holocaust denial and the recent terror attacks in Israel, suggesting a deliberate attempt to weaken Jewish spirits through such targeted vandalism. Photo by Miriam Guterland, Wikimedia commons.