Leonhard cemetery Graz

Knife attack: Parish offers escort to the grave

Johann Schrei is a priest in Graz-St. Leonhard. The knife attack there caused horror.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

There is still fear after the knife attack on a 73-year-old woman at the Leonhard cemetery in Graz. The parish now offers an escort service to the grave.

The terrible act took place on January 29th: when a 73-year-old woman from Graz wanted to visit her husband's grave at Leonhard Cemetery, she was attacked by a stranger with a Stanley knife. Apparently the man wanted to cut her throat. After weeks in the nearby LKH University Hospital in Graz, the woman barely survived.

Since then, the police have been searching intensively for the perpetrator. Information from the public has been received and checked, the victim has been questioned, her surroundings screened, more patrols are still on the move at cemeteries - and still: there is no trace of who the perpetrator could have been. The police are still asking people to come forward with any relevant information.

Older people in particular want security
Understandably, there is great uncertainty in the parish. Pastor Johann Schrei is now responding: After older people in particular expressed concerns, an escort service is starting on Friday, according to the Kleine Zeitung newspaper. A whole group, led by employees of the parish, will meet in the church square at 3 pm each day and then go to the graves together. The service will continue at least until Easter. Anyone who would like to can also volunteer to accompany the group.