Munich prosecutors close fatal 1970 antisemitic arson case
Prosecutors and police in Munich believe they have identified the man who set a 1970 fire at a Jewish community center and old people's home that killed seven people. But he died in 2020, so prosecution is not possible.
Munich's Public Prosecutor's Office has concluded that a deadly antisemitic arson attack in 1970 has been solved. The investigation, reopened in April 2025, points to a man who died in 2020 as the perpetrator. The fire at a Jewish religious community killed seven survivors of the Holocaust, two of whom had been in Nazi concentration camps.
The arsonist used a gasoline mixture to set the blaze in a stairwell, hoping to accelerate the flames. Fifteen others were injured, with four suffering serious burns. The damage to the building was extensive, particularly on the upper levels. The case was initially closed in 2017 but was reopened when a witness provided credible information about the suspect, who was later identified as a 25-year-old man who had been in close contact with a relative of the victim.
The suspect was known to be a far-right extremist with antisemitic views and a history of violent behavior, including a juvenile conviction for blowing up telephone booths. Despite the evidence, posthumous prosecution is not possible in Germany, and no accomplices were found.
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