Vandalism at the Roman monument in Beuel. Severe damage to the Caesar sculpture

Why do people do such things? That was the question of the many passers-by who were walking along the Beueler Rheindamm towards the Sieg in the beautiful early spring weather on Sunday. The night before, there had been a brutal attack on the Roman monument.

The sandstone figure of Julius Caesar was violently damaged, the nose broken off, the protruding foot smashed and the corner of the stone tablet showing Caesar's bridge-building plan chiselled off in stone Only last year, the statue had been restored for the first time after 30 years.

It was erected in 1989 by the Bonn-Rechtsrheinisch Monument and History Association, supported by the stonemasons' guild. The information board provided by the association explains the many aspects of this special place. Since prehistoric times, the Rhine has been crossed here by a fixed ferry connection, which continued into the 18th century.

Above all, however, the monument wants to remind us that the Romans in their time (50 BC - 350 AD) were also permanently settled on the Beuel side, which now also makes it part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Lower Rhine Limes. This is the reason why it has had the official designation "Roman Monument" since its installation. The massive damage to the sculpture was discovered by neighbour G. Geiß, who was also able to secure the chipped splinters.

It is unclear whether they can be of use in the restoration. "In any case, we will tackle the restoration as soon as possible," says Carl J. Bachem of the Monument Association. "We owe this not least to the patronage of "our" monument". Anyone who can provide information to help solve the crime should contact the Monument Association (www.denkmalverein-bonn.de) or the police.