Commemoration of the anniversary of the death of Enver Şimşek

Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche and the daughter of the deceased, Semiya Şimşek lay a wreath at Enver Şimşek Square in Jena

To commemorate the 21st anniversary of the death of the first victim of the so-called National Socialist Underground (NSU), Enver Şimşek, Lord Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche and the daughter of the deceased, Semiya Şimşek, laid a wreath at Enver Şimşek Square in Winzerla.

In a moving commemoration, the mayor emphasized in his speech the importance of a continuous reappraisal of the events of that time, so that a repetition can be prevented in the future:

"We must keep the events of that time, the murders as well as the subsequent failure to clarify and come to terms with the deeds today and in the future in view and in our thoughts, so that what happened here is not repeated. In order to learn from the past and to prevent a repetition of the terrible events, we in Jena must also face the question of how it was possible for the National Socialist Underground to come into being here. How could it happen that the perpetrators, who grew up or were shaped here in this city, went this way? What could have happened differently? What do we learn here in this city for the future?"

In this context of further discussion, he also placed the upcoming programs within the framework of "No Line! Jena and the NSU Complex":

"The urban-social confrontation with the subject area NSU by means of the annual project "No Line! Jena and the NSU Complex" is important, so that many of the still open questions in connection with the emergence and work of the NSU are answered. The artistic and honest examination of the content is a way in which hopefully still open wounds from the past can heal and also sensitize for high vigilance in the present."

The full speech can be downloaded here. The spoken word prevails.