Germany long overlooked far-right terror threat, says President Steinmeier

BERLIN

Germany has long overlooked far-right terror threat, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Monday, calling for stronger efforts to combat right-wing extremism.

“Right-wing extremists and racists are dehumanizing individuals, spreading fear and anxiety among all those who might become their victims. I call this terror,” Steinmeier said.

He made the remarks during a memorial event in Solingen to remember the victims of a 1993 racist arson attack, which left five members of a Turkish family dead.

Steinmeier said for many years when a far-right attack happened in Germany, authorities assumed that it was an isolated incident, committed by a lone perpetrator.

“The structures behind it and the ideology of the perpetrators have long been overlooked, ignored, and sometimes suppressed,” he said.

“Right-wing terror is responsible for the deaths here in Solingen. This right-wing terror existed before Solingen, and it exists after Solingen. There is a continuity of right-wing extremist violence in our country,” he added.

Remembering Mevlude Genc

Steinmeier praised Mevlude Genc, who survived the attack but died in 2022, for her exemplary stance with her repeated calls for restraint, reconciliation, and understanding.

“Even in the turbulent days following the arson attack, she repeatedly said that violence should not be answered with violence. For her, solidarity and humanity were stronger than hatred,” he said, recalling that she lost five family members in the attack.

“Mevlude Genc not only advocated reconciliation, but also underlined that our entire society should take tough action against right-wing extremism, hatred, and violence – especially the state institutions,” Steinmeier said.

Problem of institutional racism

The German president underlined that it is the state’s duty to protect all people, especially those who are at higher risk of becoming victims of violence. He underlined that stronger efforts are needed to address the problem within the ranks of police.

“I’m stunned when I hear that individual members of the security authorities, who are supposed to prevent right-wing extremist attacks, are in fact members of right-wing chat groups. We cannot and must not tolerate that,” he stressed.

Steinmeier also underlined that combating right-wing extremism and racism necessitates broader and more active social engagement.

“When I speak of a well-fortified democracy, that means for me: Being strong against those who spread hate speech and violence; being strong against those who do not want to accept the diversity of our country,” he said.

The house of the Turkish immigrant family in Solingen was set ablaze in 1993 by neo-Nazis amid growing resentment against foreigners in the country after the unification of East and West Germany.

At least 213 people have been killed in Germany by neo-Nazi violence since 1989, according to the human rights organization Amadeu Antonio Foundation.

Racism remains a major problem in the country, as official figures show an increase in far-right crimes in recent years.

Right-wing extremists carried out 1,170 violent attacks last year targeting migrants, refugees, or political opponents. At least 675 people were injured in those attacks.