Germany plans memorial dedicated to neo-Nazi terror victims

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) — The German government announced Wednesday its plans to establish a memorial and documentation center dedicated to the victims of the neo-Nazi terrorist group National Socialist Underground (NSU).

Between 2000 and 2007, the clandestine neo-Nazi group murdered 10 people, predominantly of Turkish origin, while also conducting bombings and robberies throughout Germany. The murders and the group's potential connections to state officials remain largely unresolved.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced that the Cabinet has approved today a draft legislation to establish a Berlin-based foundation to document the state's failures, preserve the memory of the victims, while educating future generations about the dangers of right-wing terrorism.

“The right-wing terrorist murders of the NSU and the state's failure to properly investigate them remains a disgrace for our country,” Faeser stated. ”The authorities' treatment of victims' families as suspects, rather than pursuing the actual perpetrators, continues to be deeply shameful.“

The Social Democratic politician explained that the memorial and documentation center for NSU victims will demonstrate the government's commitment to combating far-right terror, while serving as a reminder to remain vigilant against right-wing extremism.

“We aim to create a place of remembrance for the victims' relatives and survivors. Our goals are to inform, shed light on these incidents, and facilitate meaningful encounters. The foundation law provides the framework for this initiative. I urge all democratic parties to swiftly discuss and approve this project through the parliamentary process,” she stated.

Between 2000 and 2007, the NSU murdered eight Turkish immigrants, one Greek citizen, and a German policewoman. Until 2011, German police and intelligence services overlooked potential racial motives, instead treating immigrant families as suspects.

Recent media investigations have revealed that the federal domestic intelligence agency (BfV) and its regional offices maintained numerous informants who had previous contact with NSU suspects. However, officials maintain they had no prior knowledge of the NSU terror cell or its involvement in the killings.

The NSU scandal has initiated a broader discussion in Germany regarding institutional racism and the shortcomings of German security and intelligence organizations, which have faced criticism for underestimating the threat posed by far-right extremism.