A German mayor who wanted to accommodate refugees has reportedly been assaulted in a suspected xenophobic attack.
Joachim Kebschull, 61, mayor of Oersdorf, was struck on the back of the head with a club or wooden beam on his way to a town hall meeting.
Mr Kebschull lost consciousness and was taken to hospital, German newspaper Bild reports.
The perpetrator fled after the attack and is yet to be identified. Police have determined that the crime was politically motivated.
Earlier in the day, the Oersdorf mayor received a threatening letter reading: "He who will not hear must feel."
The mayor has received several death threats and town hall has had to cancel two meetings on whether to allow refugees to move into local housing because of bomb threats.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel recently admitted she lost control of the refugee crisis in Germany.
Ms Merkel said if she cold she would "turn back time by many, many years" to prepare the nation for the influx of refugees.
"For some time, we didn't have enough control," the chancellor said. "No one wants a repeat of last year's situation, including me."
