Schützenhaus burned down in Brehme: the festival is canceled and investigations are underway

Schützenhaus burned down in Brehme: the festival is canceled and investigations are underway

On Sunday morning, on the night of May 29, 2025, the shooting house of the Brehme 1859 shooting club in the Eichsfeld district was completely destroyed. In a devastating fire that broke out around 1 a.m., about 150 firefighters battled the flames for several hours. The building was locked at this time and the alarm system was activated. The police are currently investigating intentional arson and are looking for witnesses who can provide information about people in the building between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m. The material damage is estimated at several hundred thousand euros, although estimates for reconstruction could be between 350,000 and 400,000 euros, which represents an immense financial burden for the small club. The shooting house, which was originally planned as a weighing station, was made available to the shooters after the fall of the Wall, and many of the club's stories were lost in the fire. According to chairman Patrick Döllmann, the moral loss is serious and he emphasizes that the entire history of the club has been lost.

The shooting festival in June, an important event for the community, is also canceled. Döllmann stated that the club flag and around 70 shooting targets, all of which were lost in the flames, represent a significant financial burden: The cost of a new club flag is estimated at 6,000 to 8,000 euros, while each shooting target costs between 50 and 60 euros. Historical items such as plaques, trophies and the club's first rifle also fell victim to the flames. The business documents from the past few years have largely been burned, which poses additional challenges for the club. The shooting club, which has more than 100 members, used the shooting house for training, meetings and celebrations, which is why the loss is now all the more serious.

Support and reconstruction

Training is currently not possible because the stand is without power. Support for the shooting club comes from various quarters: The Thuringian Shooting Association and friendly shooting clubs have already offered their help. Political support is also desired, with the aim of district shooting champions and the CDU Bundestag member David Gregosz driving forward the reconstruction of the club. Gregosz has also launched an online fundraising campaign to support the reconstruction, as many members of the association now rely on quick financial help.

Police will begin their investigation on Thursday after the scene of the fire has been seized by the Criminal Investigation Department. An insurance claims expert should also be called in after the police have completed their investigation. The loss of the Schützenhaus goes beyond material values; The fire affected an important part of the village community. The entire history of the club, which was bound up in valuable goods and documents, is at great risk and causes not only sadness, but also an urgent need for support.

Overall, it is clear that the Schützenhaus, a central place for the community, functioned not only as a training location, but also as a cultural memory of the club. The shooters and the entire community are now faced with the task of revitalizing the club and managing the reconstruction together in order to preserve the legacy of the shooting club.