Victims of right-wing extremist terror: Election call for Berlin's left-wing top candidate Eralp

Survivors and relatives of the victims of the most serious right-wing extremist terrorist attacks in Germany's recent past are calling in a joint statement to elect the left-wing top candidate Elif Eralp as Governing Mayor of Berlin. Every vote for them is “a clear signal against right-wing extremist violence and threats, against hatred and division,” says the letter, which is available exclusively to the taz.

The total of ten signatories include the siblings Semiya and Abdulkerim Şimşek, whose father was murdered by the NSU, Sibel and Hasan Leyla, whose son was killed in the attack on the OEZ in Munich, Çetin Gültekin, who lost his brother in Hanau, and Ismet Tekin, survivor of the anti-Semitic attack in Halle. The letter was initiated by Seda Başay-Yıldız, former NSU co-plaintiff and legal counsel for several opera families from Hanau. Mehmet Daimagüler, also an NSU co-plaintiff, also signed.

The letter says: "Many of us feel that we should justify ourselves instead of naturally belonging. We want a different country and a different Berlin, one in which we can live without fear, raise our voices and defend our rights." It's about "a city in which migrant life, Jewish life, Muslim life, queer life and all other ways of life are visible and protected, not endangered." In Elif Eralp they see a fellow campaigner: “As a politician and lawyer, she stands up for those who are threatened and fights for everyone who is excluded or disrespected.” A vote for Eralp is “a vote against every form of racism and against anti-Semitism”.

In an interview with taz, Başay-Yıldız said she had known Eralp for many years, for example from events after the attack in Halle. Eralp “always stood by those affected,” said the lawyer. The AfD's electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt motivated her to organize her support for Eralp, who has the same migrant background as herself. Başay-Yıldız says: “The election of Elif Eralp in Berlin would be an important, also federal political, signal that not everything is too late, not everything is lost.”

A letter from Volker Beck, President of the German-Israeli Society, which became known on Monday, goes in a completely different direction, in which he calls on the Greens and the SPD not to form a coalition with the Left. It says: “Eralp as a person may be above reproach,” but at the same time she fails to “put a stop to anti-Semites and militant and terrorism-affinous anti-Zionists.” Başay-Yıldız, on the other hand, emphasizes that Eralp has “clearly positioned itself” and asks: “What else should she do?”

Meanwhile, an anti-Semitic attack in Berlin on Friday night on Torstrasse caused horror. According to police reports, two men approached a woman about her Star of David and made anti-Semitic insults. Finally, one of the two attacked her with a broken glass bottle. The woman suffered cuts to her hand.

In a joint statement, the Left state chairmen and Elif Eralp condemn the attack. It must be possible to wear a Star of David safely at any time and anywhere. “We will never allow anti-Semitism to spread again in our city.”

There was also a reaction from Green Party lead candidate Werner Graf: “It will be a central task of the next state government to intensify the fight against anti-Semitism so that Berlin remains the city of freedom in which Jews can live well and safely,” Graf continued.

Most recently, in view of a rapped call for the Intifada at a left-wing election campaign event in Neukölln, Graf emphasized not to form a government that is “dependent” on the Neukölln district association of the Left. Eralp also distanced itself sharply from the incident.