Status: 19.12.2021 7:21 p.m.
13 people were killed when a terrorist drove a truck to the Christmas market on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz five years ago. At the act of commemoration for the victims, Federal President Steinmeier admitted that the state had failed to do so.
Five years after the Islamist terrorist attack on Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has complained of government errors and omissions. “The state has not been able to keep its promise of protection, security and freedom,” said Steinmeier on the anniversary.
In his speech during the commemoration, Steinmeier emphasized that the state “has a duty to rectify the errors, omissions and problems that contributed to the fact that this attack was not prevented”. If there is any new knowledge about the act, one has to investigate further. “This is the only way people can trust their state to grow again.”
The attack plunged the bereaved into pain and grief. “The rift of December 19, 2016 divides your life into a before and an after,” he told them. “It also divides the consciousness of our society into a before and an after.” The 15-meter-long crack in front of the entrance to the Memorial Church is evidence of this. The attack “was aimed at our way of life: in peace, freedom and democracy”. You shouldn’t let this be taken from you.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) emphasized: “On the fifth anniversary of this terrible incident, our thoughts are with the 13 people who died, their families and all those who were injured.” He continued on Twitter: “The state must defend itself and protect its citizens.”
On December 19, 2016, an Islamist terrorist raced into the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz by the Memorial Church in a hijacked truck in the evening. As a result, 13 people died and dozen were injured. The assassin fled to Italy, where he was shot by the police.
Those affected demand comprehensive clarification
Victims had expressed dissatisfaction in an open letter to the federal government before the fifth anniversary. They demanded a dignified treatment of those affected and the full investigation of the crime.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser agreed to do so. “As far as there are still unanswered questions, we will look for answers,” said the SPD politician. “Nothing is swept under the carpet. We owe that to the victims and the bereaved.” Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) assured more support: “Those affected can be certain that we will be there for them.” He supported the plan of the Ampel coalition to declare March 11 a national day of remembrance for the victims of terrorist violence.
“There are still laborious processes going on”
The victim organization Weißer Ring reminded that the processing had not been completed. “There are still laborious processes going on, especially in the area of victim compensation, there are quite a few incapacities of those affected,” said Federal Managing Director Bianca Biwer of the “Heilbronner Voice”. In some cases, new cases are added because people only seem to get along well. “You didn’t even recognize the trauma at first,” said Biwer.
The authorities made mistakes in dealing with the victims, for example when sending blood-soaked objects, but also with applications for compensation. “There was no victim-sensitive handling to be seen, there was no transparency,” she said.
The Berlin victim commissioner Roland Weber said that communication from government agencies was not happy from the start, and that the victims felt like petitioners when they asked for support. Nevertheless, there are improvements: “The Breitscheidplatz, I think, can definitely be seen as a turning point in victim protection.”