Turkish Victim of Neo-Nazi Hatred Dies
Turkish Victim of Neo-Nazi Hatred Dies
In 1993, Nazi radicals set fire to the home of a Turkish “guest worker” family in the western city of Solingen, killing Mevlude Genc’s two children, two granddaughters, and niece.
As “guest labourers” who arrived to Germany during World War II when the country was experiencing a severe labour crisis, Genc and her husband Durmus had previously emigrated from Türkiye to Germany decades earlier.
Despite her tragic loss, Genc urged Germans and Turks to put aside their differences and show compassion for one another. Genc even made an appearance with former chancellor Angela Merkel.
At a memorial service held soon after the attack, she declared, “The loss of my family should allow us to be friends. “Let’s coexist side by side.”
Later, four Germans were found guilty of homicide and attempted homicide. They received prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years for the arson attack, which also left 17 other individuals gravely injured.
Genc “embodied the belief in the goodness of human beings like few others,” according to state governor Hendrik Wuest.
