Commemoration in Neuruppin: Steinmeier warns against right-wing violence!

Commemoration in Neuruppin: Steinmeier warns against right-wing violence!

On July 2, 2025, a strong signal against forgetting was sent in Neuruppin. Mayor Nico Ruhle (SPD) and Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier gathered in the rose garden to commemorate Emil Wendland, who was murdered in 1992 while sleeping drunk on a bench. This case is not an isolated incident, but a shocking example of the growing hostility towards homeless people that can be observed in many parts of Germany. [maz-online.de]. Neo-Nazis were specifically looking for homeless people. They attacked him brutally - with kicks and a beer bottle - before stabbing him to death.

How long will injured humanity remain unpunished? This question hovered over the memorial event, which was launched by a memorial initiative in 2022. Their goal is to demand more support from city politicians and to draw attention to right-wing violence. “We need long-term financing for clubs that are committed to combating such issues,” said the initiators. The murder of Wendland shows that despite ongoing efforts to provide information and support, the threatening developments in society cannot be ignored.

The reality of hostility towards the homeless

The conditions for homeless people in Germany are worrying. Numerous studies, including those from the Federal Agency for Civic Education bpb.de, show that anti-homeless attacks often go unpunished. Unfortunately, social prejudices and discrimination against homeless people are widespread. Their visibility in public spaces leads many passers-by to harbor prejudices and stigmatize them. The disparaging discourse surrounding homeless people is visible in social language; Insults like “You bum!” become normal.

The dangers for people who live on the margins of society are concrete. Since 1990, at least 185 cases have been recorded in which homeless people were killed by non-homeless perpetrators. The number of unreported cases is likely to be significantly higher, as many of those affected hesitate to report attacks after attacks. Losing one's home is often accompanied by social isolation, and the prejudice that homeless people experience leads to a cycle of discrimination and violence.

A responsibility for society as a whole

The memory of Emil Wendland is not only a tribute to past suffering, but also a call not to close our eyes to current reality. “How many more days of death are necessary to understand that we all have to do something about such acts?” says a message from the memorial initiative. Initiatives committed to combating right-wing violence are crucial to creating a peaceful and just society.

The signs are clear: violence and hatred, whether through right-wing agitation or through ignorance towards the weakest in our society, must not go unpunished. Only by acting together can we counteract this and ensure that the murderers of Emil Wendland and other victims do not go unpunished. It remains to be hoped that citizens and politicians will work together to prevent these terrible incidents and to set an example for humanity and justice.