It has been 32 years since the fatal arson attack on a refugee accommodation in Saarlouis. The verdict against the suspected arsonist from the neo-Nazi scene at the time is expected today.
“The worst thing that ever happened to me.” “I can’t see any fire.” “It was hell on earth.” “The pain is still there.” This is how survivors describe the arson attack on their accommodation in 1991 and its consequences. The trial, which is now coming to an end almost a year after it began at the Koblenz Higher Regional Court, gave them and their suffering a hearing for the first time.
For Samuel Yeboah from Ghana, any help came too late; he died of severe burns. The defendant is 52-year-old Peter S., a member of the skinhead scene at the time. He is charged with murder and twenty counts of attempted murder based on racist sentiments.
Witness brings decisive turning point
Despite the handwriting of the crime and an allegedly visible skinhead scene in Saarlouis, officials have rejected a right-wing radical background for decades – due to an alleged lack of evidence.
This results in serious investigative errors, for which the Saarland police chief has now officially apologized. Only the testimony of a witness with contacts in the right-wing extremist scene brought about a turning point. The case will be reopened in 2019.
27-year-old Samuel Yeboah was killed in the attack.
“Something like that would have to burn or happen here.”
Today the crime is as follows: September 18, 1991, Bayerischer Hof restaurant in Saarlouis. The attacks on foreigners’ accommodation in Hoyerswerda are said to be the subject of a drinking session between three skinheads. The scene boss at the time is said to have commented on this with the words “Something like that should burn or happen here.” The prosecution speaks of a pogrom atmosphere that prevailed.
On September 19th at 3:30 a.m. a fire was started with gasoline in the stairwell of the asylum seekers’ accommodation. It is spreading rapidly. The flames cut off Samuel Yeboah’s escape route on the upper floor.
The 27-year-old died a few hours later from severe burns. Two residents can only save themselves by jumping out of the window. The co-plaintiff later spoke of a signal that wanted to set the scene for further violence against refugees.
Investigations closed after a year
The police are investigating, including in the right-wing scene, but end the proceedings after a year. Activists from the left spectrum were already convinced of a right-wing radical background. “The Nazis were widely visible in the cityscape and acted publicly. They were trivialized by party politics, the judiciary and the police as young people who perhaps drank a little too much alcohol and who all also had a bad childhood,” says Roland Röder from the 3rd World Saar campaign.
Röder and his fellow campaigners have been keeping the memory of the case alive with demonstrations and poster campaigns for decades.
Roland Röder at a memorial rally for Samuel Yeboah.
Alleged confession at a barbecue
In the summer of 2007, Saarlouis neo-Nazi Peter S. is said to have confessed to witness Diana K. at a barbecue that he was behind the arson attack with the words “That was me, and they never caught me.”
Twelve years later, in October 2019, Diana K. went to the police with this knowledge – and got the investigation rolling again 30 years after the crime.
The prosecution is requesting a nine and a half year youth sentence
The trial against Peter S will begin in Koblenz in November 2022. In May 2023, the 52-year-old admitted through his lawyer that he was present at the crime scene. The fire was started by Heiko S., who had left the scene. He rejects this. The former scene boss was arrested in June. He is accused of encouraging Peter S. to commit the crime. He rejects that too.
The defense is requesting four and a half years in prison for Peter S. for aiding and abetting murder and twelve attempted murders. A youth penalty was to be imposed against the then 20-year-old. The prosecution is demanding a nine and a half year youth sentence for the murder of Samuel Yeboah and twenty counts of attempted murder. This is just under the maximum penalty.