Angela Merkel has reminded in Zwickau of the ten victims of the right-wing extremist terror cell NSU. Together with the Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU), the Chancellor visited a memorial site and laid flowers down.
In a short speech, the Chancellor said that it was up to the state to act decisively against such violent offenders.
"We have laid flowers and with that I want to express, for the whole federal government also that we will do everything, I have already promised the relatives many years ago, so that such things do not repeat," said the Chancellor. In addition to politics, citizens should also take a stand against right-wing extremism.
DPA
Angela Merkel with a rose for the NSU dead in Zwickau
Saxony's Prime Minister Kretschmer found clear words: he called for a more decisive commitment by all to anti-Semitism and right-wing extremism. That starts in private.
Kretschmer also spoke directly to present disturbers of the commemoration and announced that they would closely follow on which political events they would occur in the future.
Within sight and earshot, but about 100 meters away, 20 people had protested against the memorial service for those murdered by the NSU terrorists. They waved a Germany flag, chanted and chanted "Merkel must go". When the chancellor laid down the rose, they began the national anthem. The right-wing groups were also "Bürger Offensive Deutschland" and "Pro Chemnitz", who shouted into a megaphone.
On Sunday, the city of Zwickau had inaugurated the memorial in Schwanenteichpark. There, ten newly planted trees and a commemorative plaque commemorate the ten deaths of the NSU. "We show that the NSU is a part of Zwickau history," Mayor Pia Findeiß (SPD) had said at the inauguration.
Unknown sawed off commemorative tree for Enver Simsek
At the beginning of October, a commemorative tree for Enver Simsek, the first victim of right-wing terrorists, was planted in Zwickau by unknown persons. The act had caused nationwide outrage, but also triggered a wave of solidarity: The administration of the Saxon city received around 14,000 euros in donations, flowers were laid down and vigils were held. The stump of the sawn-off tree initially remained as a reminder. The chancellor laid flowers at this point.
The NSU had acted unrecognized for many years from Zwickau in the underground. The group included Uwe Mundlos, Uwe Böhnhardt and Beate Zschäpe. After a run over several years NSU trial Zschäpe was sentenced in 2018, inter alia, for tenfold murder. Four other defendants were sometimes given long prison sentences for aiding or abetting a terrorist group.
In September 2000 Mundlos and Böhnhardt had shot the Turkish florist Simsek in Nuremberg. The murder of the family man was the prelude to an assassination series, which nationwide nine citizens with a migrant background and a policewoman fell victim. Also two explosive attacks and various robberies should go to the account of the right-wing extremists.