Memorial for the NSU Murder Victims in Zwickau

Fifteen years after the National Socialist Underground (NSU) terrorist cell revealed its own existence, the victims of this far-right terrorist cell will be commemorated today in Zwickau. Following an event on the theme of charity held in the late afternoon at St. Mary’s Cathedral, a silent memorial service will be held this evening at the city’s memorial site, where flowers, candles, and paper cranes will be placed in memory of the victims of the murder spree. 

In the city’s Schwanenteichpark, a tree is growing for each of the ten murder victims. They were eight small business owners of Turkish descent, one of Greek descent, and a policewoman: Enver Şimşek, Abdurrahim Özüdoğru, Süleyman Taşköprü, Habil Kılıç, Mehmet Turgut, İsmail Yaşar, Theodoros Boulgarides, Mehmet Kubaşık, Halit Yozgat, and Michèle Kiesewetter. 

The core trio of the NSU—Uwe Böhnhardt, Uwe Mundlos, and Beate Zschäpe—had lived undisturbed in Zwickau for many years, building a network of supporters along the way. In addition to the murders, the right-wing terrorists were also responsible for numerous robberies and several bombings. After a bank robbery, Böhnhardt and Mundlos took their own lives on November 4, 2011, in Eisenach. Zschäpe then set fire to their shared apartment in Zwickau. She was later sentenced to life in prison and is currently incarcerated. 

To mark the anniversary of the group’s self-exposure, a city walking tour focusing on NSU terrorism is also being offered in Zwickau. According to reports, the so-called “Critical Walk” will take participants to former residences of the core trio and members of their circle of supporters. The memorial site is intended to focus on the lives and wishes of the victims, officials say.