500-year-old lime tree in Thuringia destroyed by firecrackers!

A tragic destruction of a centuries-old natural monument occurred on January 1st in Gleicherwiesen, Thuringia, a district of Römhild in the Hildburghausen district. A 500-year-old linden tree, which is a listed building, burned down completely after unknown people placed a firecracker in a cavity in the tree. The explosion caused a fire, which spread quickly thanks to strong winds.

The volunteer fire department was on site with 15 comrades to fight the fire, but despite their efforts, the tree could no longer be saved. The circumference of the linden tree was 7.75 meters while it reached a height of 27 meters. These impressive dimensions were documented on the “monumentale-eichen.de” portal. The material damage cannot currently be quantified, but the loss of the tree cannot be considered to be worth it.

Identifying the perpetrators

The Thuringian police have started investigations and are looking for those responsible who should be held accountable for this vandalism. If arrested, the perpetrators could face charges of damaging property by setting things on fire, as confirmed by the authorities.

This destruction of a valuable natural monument not only evokes sadness at the loss of 500 years of history, but also raises questions about the safety and protection of such monuments. According to reports from Thuringia24 and n-tv It remains to be seen whether the investigation will lead to a clarification of the incident.