On August 23rd, another attack was carried out by a migrant in Germany, this time in Solingen, where a Syrian man assaulted and stabbed several people. Three people were killed, five are in critical condition, and three others were injured. The city was celebrating its 650th anniversary when the Syrian migrant, who had arrived in the country two years ago, turned the event into a bloodbath. The victims included a 67-year-old man, a 56-year-old man, and a 56-year-old woman. Eight other people were injured, four of them seriously. Many other attendees suffered psychological trauma. On Saturday, the “Islamic State” claimed responsibility for the attack. The suspected attacker later turned himself in to the police.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his regret and promised that his government would improve measures against illegal migration and strengthen deportation processes. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser pledged to ban knives. The absurdity of this promise lies in the fact that Solingen is the only city in the world whose name is a registered trademark. Only high-quality knives and scissors made in Solingen can bear the “Made in Germany/Solingen” label, which is a guarantee of precise craftsmanship and durability.
Friedrich Merz, the leader of the largest German opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to stop accepting Syrian and Afghan migrants after the Solingen terrorist attack. “It must now be definitively clear: the problem is not with the knives, but with the people carrying them. In most cases, these are refugees, and most crimes have Islamist motives,” Merz said in a statement on his website. According to Merz, it is no longer enough to visit crime scenes, express sympathy, and threaten severe punishment. He believes that now is the time to deport them to Syria and Afghanistan, and “no more refugees should be accepted from these countries.”
Emotions have been running high in the country ever since, especially in light of the upcoming elections in three federal states in September, where anti-migration forces are the most likely to win. Germans and other European Union countries have been living with the consequences of the “Willkommen!” policy for nearly nine years.
Voters are now asking politicians numerous questions, but so far, there are no reassuring answers.
How was this attack different from any of the previous 100? How many more people need to die or be injured before the German leadership finally acknowledges that illegal migration poses far more disadvantages, risks, and dangers to German society than benefits?
Why is the (perceived) economic benefit of migration considered more important than the lives and safety of German people?
Festivals, New Year’s celebrations, Christmas markets, national holidays—can they never again attend these events in complete peace? Do they have to accept living with those who constantly threaten their lives?
The upcoming elections in three federal states in September may not change everything overnight, but it is fundamentally important to elect leaders who can and truly want to protect the citizens. If the current leadership cannot provide this, it is time to give power to those who genuinely prioritize the interests of the German people.
Translated and edited by Evan Right
