Hattingen/Ruhr – The Hattingen/Ruhr eV local association condemns a suspected antiemitic incident in which the Israeli flag hanging on the iron house was stolen, damaged and disposed of in a nearby waste container on the night of October 21st to 22nd, 2023.
“We condemn all antisemitism in the strongest possible terms, especially given the recent cruel terror of Hamas. Therefore, the chairman of the Hattingen local history association, Lars Friedrich, has filed a complaint with the police about violating the national emblems of foreign states,” said Florian Fackler, treasurer of the Hattingen local history association.
The board of the Hattingen/Ruhr local history association agrees that the attack on the Israelite flag hung on the gable of the Iron House as a sign of solidarity threatens the historical memory of the Hattingen Jews. “We will not allow hatred and intolerance to divide our community, especially in the context of the history of the Iron House and its Jewish owners, the Cahn family,” said Lars Friedrich.
The iron house, once owned by the Jewish Cahn family, is a symbol of Hattingen’s cultural diversity. The permanent exhibition “The Cahns. A Jewish family in Hattingen between integration and persecution” reminds us of the importance of Jewish life in Hattingen and urges us to protect tolerance and respect as a valuable social asset.
The Hattingen police station is accepting information about the incident. The board of the Hattingen/Ruhr Heimatverein: “It is our civic duty not to look away when it comes to antisemitism, intolerance and discrimination.”
