Mystery Surrounds Cemetery Fence Vandalism – Wild Boars Rooting Through Graves
Stahnsdorf, September 16 – The Stahnsdorf Southwest Cemetery, located southwest of Berlin, is facing a perplexing and distressing situation. Cemetery administrator Olaf Ihlefeldt is appalled: the cemetery fence has been repeatedly cut, and beech tar, a known attractant for wild boars, has been left on trees. This has led to wild boars invading the grounds and disturbing graves.
Repeated Vandalism and Boar Incursions
Gardeners at the extensive Stahnsdorf Southwest Cemetery, one of Germany’s largest and most significant, are constantly repairing damaged sections of the fence, only to find new cuts the very next day. Ihlefeldt stated to the German Press Agency that these recurring damages have become a ‘serious burden.’
Last week, it was revealed that unknown individuals damaged the fence and applied beech tar to trees as a lure for wild boars. ‘You need strong tools to cut through that,’ Ihlefeldt commented on the deliberate nature of the damage.
Wild Boars Rooting Through Grave Fields
According to Ihlefeldt, the culprits cut the four-kilometer-long fence in 18 places. Wild boars, which have been a significant problem in residential areas around Berlin for years, are now rooting through grave fields in the forest cemetery of the Protestant Church.
Significant Burial Site in Germany
The Stahnsdorf Cemetery, spanning 206 hectares, is considered the second largest in Germany, after the Ohlsdorf Cemetery in Hamburg. It also attracts tourists as a monument to funerary art, being the resting place of notable actors, singers, and artists, including Manfred Krug, Dieter Thomas Heck, and the inventor and engineer Werner von Siemens.
Administrator Describes Insidious Actions
Ihlefeldt noted that his team is currently continuously engaged in repairing the fence. ‘Freshly repaired damage points are deliberately reopened daily.’ He described this as an ‘insidious’ approach. ‘This is causing us a lot of trouble,’ Ihlefeldt said, highlighting that the devastation caused by wild boars is visible anew every day.
Emotional Impact and Financial Costs
For six years, the cemetery had been free of wild boars thanks to a robust fence. The church cannot yet quantify the financial damage. However, as Ihlefeldt explained, there are also significant emotional consequences when people encounter disturbed graves and the peace of the deceased is disrupted.
There are currently no clues as to who is behind these acts or what their motives might be. The police are investigating, and the municipality of Stahnsdorf has also called on the public to report any information.
No Quick Solution in Sight
The cemetery administrator does not foresee a quick resolution. Ihlefeldt, a trained gardener, believes the wild boars will now remain in the area for months or even years. ‘This will haunt us for a long time,’ he said. However, hunting the animals is planned once an exceptional permit application is approved.
The cemetery director, who also lives on the premises, does not see any danger to visitors. ‘Wild boars are not a danger to life and limb if they are not threatened.’ Additionally, the animals are primarily active at night. However, dogs must be kept on a leash.
