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Silent remembrance of the victims of the rampage three years ago

On the third anniversary of the shooting rampage in Trier, the shock is still great. The victims were remembered with the ringing of bells, candles and prayers. In silence.

A stuffed teddy bear sits amidst mourning candles in front of the Porta Nigra. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
A stuffed teddy bear sits amidst mourning candles in front of the Porta Nigra. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Trier - Silent remembrance of the victims of the rampage three years ago

Three years after the deadly rampage in Trier, the victims were remembered on Friday. People paused as the large bell of Trier Cathedral rang for four minutes from 1.46 pm at the time of the crime. Relatives, those affected and citizens gathered in the cathedral to remember the victims in silence. At the request of the bereaved, there were no speeches this year, only a silent commemoration.

Earlier, the Lord Mayor of Trier, Wolfram Leibe (SPD), had laid a wreath at a memorial plaque at the Porta Nigra. A number of relatives and those affected had also gathered there. "Everything has been said," said Leibe. It was important to meet and pause on this day to show: "We have not forgotten the crime."

During the rampage on December 1, 2020, a man drove his SUV through the pedestrian zone and deliberately hit passers-by. Five people died in the attack, many were injured and traumatized. In October 2021, a man who had been seriously injured in the attack also died. The city therefore speaks of six fatalities as a result of the rampage.

For around two weeks now, memorial plaques in Trier's pedestrian zone have commemorated the victims. They have been laid in the ground at the places where people were killed by the driver in the rampage. A central memorial in a square near the Porta Nigra is due to be completed in spring 2024.

The shock in Trier is still great. Leibe said: "I am aware of this because people still tell me where they were on that day. Everyone who speaks to me is still dealing with the issue today."

The perpetrator was sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple murders and multiple attempted murders at Trier Regional Court in August 2022. The court also established the particular gravity of the guilt and ordered the man to be placed in a closed psychiatric hospital due to his mental illness. The verdict is not yet final.

"For many relatives, the big worry is that a possible retrial could trigger all the emotions again," said Leibe.

Statement from the city of Trier

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Source: www.stern.de

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