Open letter to Hanau: Much solidarity for Emiş Gürbüz
In a letter available to taz, 222 journalists, authors and cultural workers, including the authors Fatma Aydemir, Shida Bazyar, Dana Vowinckel and Asal Dardan as well as the author Max Czollek, are now demanding a public correction of the statements and an apology to Emiş Gürbüz and the “February 19” initiative, which had already expressed its disappointment with the city government at the beginning of the week.
The letter, addressed personally to the parliamentary group leaders Schwarzenberger (SPD), Pascal Redding (CDU) and Henrik Statz (FDP), accuses the Hanau politicians of their words and attitude being "shameful, shocking and unacceptable". The families of the victims are not extras who "owe you reconciliation or even tame PR for your city," it continues. By defaming justified anger and grief as hatred, the Hanau coalition is demonstrating a lack of sympathy and recognition of the tireless efforts of the bereaved.
The Hanau City Hall coalition also made it clear in its statement: "There will no longer be such a memorial event in Hanau." It would be advisable to hold future commemorations on a smaller scale. The 222 signatories described these "clearly formulated threats" as outrageous.
The comments of the town hall coalition on Gürbüz's citizenship caused even more outrage: "Why she is applying for German citizenship in such a state of mind will probably remain her secret," it said in its statement. Gürbüz and the February 19th Initiative criticized the fact that their private concerns had been addressed. Politicians had violated their personal rights and at the same time exposed a person affected by racism, including the 222 signatories. "And it is dangerous in a society in which resentment and violence against migrant people are constantly increasing ."
The Republican Lawyers Association (RAV) also clearly criticized the city hall coalition in Hanau: "It is an expression of an authoritarian understanding of the state when the coalition in Hanau obviously demands unconditional loyalty to state action in return for an application for naturalization and even makes this public." This is not only disrespectful, but also a violation of personal rights.
The Hanau City Hall coalition had also accused Gürbüz of saying at the premiere of the film "The German People" at the Berlinale that she hated Germany, Hanau and the mayor of Hanau. Gürbüz denied this. When asked by taz, other premiere guests confirmed that such a statement had not been made.
Hanau's mayor Claus Kaminsky supported the coalition's statements, as Hessenschau reported on Monday, but made it clear that the commemoration would continue, but on a reduced scale. This decision was by no means a reaction to Emiş Gürbüz's speech.
In addition, he is used to harsh words from some of the victims' relatives and understands them, said Kaminsky. He therefore allows himself to be insulted in a way that he would not let others get away with. Ms. Gürbüz has already called him a Nazi. However, he no longer wants to take the legal route announced by the city spokesman at the weekend. He has now clarified the matter and wants to leave it at that. The Hanau SPD faction announced on Sunday that it would comment on the criticism "in the next few days."
taz
