German Synagogue Targeted With Antisemitic Threat and Suspicious Powder

“We condemn this monstrous antisemitic act in the strongest possible terms. We stand in full solidarity with the community,” Becher said.

By United with Israel Staff

A synagogue in the German city of Giessen was evacuated Thursday after a threatening antisemitic letter containing an unidentified powder was opened inside the building, prompting a major police and emergency response.

The incident occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. when the powder was released into the air as the envelope was opened.

According to Central Hesse police, 26 people were inside the synagogue at the time and were evacuated as a precaution.

Four individuals who were in the immediate vicinity of the letter were examined by paramedics. None suffered injuries, and all were released at the scene without requiring further medical treatment.

Police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel responded to the synagogue, while investigators began examining the suspicious substance and working to identify the sender.

Authorities confirmed that the letter contained antisemitic and threatening messages. The nature of the powder has not yet been determined.

Giessen Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher strongly condemned the incident, describing it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate the city’s Jewish community.

“We condemn this monstrous antisemitic act in the strongest possible terms. We stand in full solidarity with the community,” Becher said.

“For regardless of the substance of the powder contained in the letter, there can be no doubt about the perfidious message intended to be conveyed by this threatening letter. The sender wanted to say: Jewish people are not welcome here.”

The incident came just days after Germany commemorated Kristallnacht, the November 1938 Nazi pogrom during which synagogues were burned, Jewish businesses and homes were destroyed, and thousands of Jews were arrested.

Becher drew a direct connection to the anniversary, recalling the destruction of synagogues in Giessen during the Nazi era.

“What we said just a few days ago in commemoration of the Nazi pogroms in November and the burning of synagogues in our city still stands: Never again! Never again will we stand by and do nothing,” he declared.

The threatening letter comes amid heightened concerns over antisemitism in Germany, where Jewish communities have faced increased hostility, threats and attacks since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel.

Police said the investigation into the letter’s origin and the unidentified powder remains ongoing.