On February 19th 2020, in a quiet German town called Hanau, a deadly shooting attack took place. 9 people in two hookah bars were shot dead and 5 people wounded in a violent rampage. The hookah bars were chosen specifically by the attacker who held deeply racist beliefs.
The victims were:
Hamza Kurtović, Ferhat Unvar, Vili Viorel Paun, Said Nesar Hashemi, Mercedes Kierpacz, Sedat Gürbüz, Gökhan Gültekin, Fatih Saraçoglu, Kalojan Velkov, and the shooter’s mother Frau R.
The attacker Tobias R left behind a manifesto filled with racist hate and further investigations uncovered extensive beliefs in conspiracy theories.
After the shooting thousands of people in Hanau gathered for an anti racism demonstration and there was a memorial service attended by The Chancellor, Angela Merkle.
There is a mural commemorating the Hanau victims in Frankfurt under the Friedensbrücke, translated as the ‘Peace Bridge’. The faces of the victims tastefully painted with the phrases “Racism Kills” and “ Never Forget”. The artistic group who created the mural said:
“The aim of this mural is not only to commemorate but to confront people with social problems so they have to think about them, and not avoid them.”
A digital commemoration for the victims will take place on 19.02.20 at 12.00 and there will be an inter religious service.
https://www.demokratie-leben-hanau.de/projekte/projekte-2021/saytheirnames-projekt
#SayTheirNames
Categories: Uncategorized
what has happened to Tobias R? – Germany is so coy about right wing terrorism – it is worrying
Hi Peter, Tobias shot himself and his mother after his killing spree. I wouldn’t say that Germany is coy about right wing terrorism. It has also been reported in German press recently that criminal charges have been brought against Tobias’ father, Hans-Gerd R. initiated by the families of the bereaved. It can sometimes feel like Germany doesn’t reveal much but that’s because all their news is in German and English speaking news outlets tend to give a potted version of it. This may give the impression that not much has been said. But German media give such events very high coverage and there are many anti racism marches and events. Best wishes from Germany, Laura M
Thank you very much Laura – very glad to get a view from Germany – UK media on the subject is woeful. I often wonder how much guilt plays a part in the German psyche when reacting to such events. .
Take Care
Peter