B.
Efe

21. June 2020

Kassel

Life of B. Efe

B. Efe, born in Aydiın (Turkey), was a passionate taxi driver. He really liked driving a taxi. He mainly drove at night and shared the car with a colleague who was on the road during the day. Efe had many regular customers who called him again and again, regardless of whether he was on duty or not. Before the racist murder attempt, he once said to a journalist: “I love driving. Give me a coffee and I’ll take you non-stop to Italy or Holland.” Efe also loves fishing. Since the crime, his life has changed. He can no longer maintain his hobbies, friendships and everyday routines from before the offence. His life is different after the crime than it was before. In an interview, Efe described the consequences as follows: “Since the crime, I’ve become a sad person. I can no longer sleep properly. I no longer have confidence in people. I would love to go into town without fear, but I always have to turn round. The fear is constantly in my head. The perpetrator ruined my life. I used to be a happy person. I’ve been a different person for three years.” Since the crime, Efe has been unable to work owing to his mental state and has been struggling to survive financially, which is determined by others and characterised by dependence on state structures.

Forms of remembrance

Efe had to fight for all forms of remembrance and public relations work himself – with the support of the solidarity group. One of his main wishes was to erect a memorial plaque at the starting point of the taxi ride on 21 June 2020 to commemorate the racist murder attempt and his survival. With this memorial plaque, we not only want to commemorate the crime itself, but also create a visible marker of the location that clearly emphasises the racist background of the crime for the public.

It is particularly important to us that the memorial plaque provides a broader context and refers to other right-wing, racist and anti-Semitic acts of violence in Kassel and beyond. Friedrich-Ebert-Straße in particular, where the attempted murder began, has repeatedly been the scene of right-wing attacks in recent years. The plaque could also serve as a contact point for survivors of right-wing violence by providing information and contact addresses for support.

The city of Kassel has not yet provided any support for this commemoration – neither in the form of a memorial plaque nor through other measures to support remembrance work or support Efe itself. But we will not remain inactive: On every anniversary of the attack, we organise a bicycle and car parade to draw attention to Efe. These actions are supported by campaign groups of those affected from all over Germany, who visit us and show their solidarity.

We also take part in critical city tours every year, during which the racist attempted murder of Efe is discussed, among other things. In this way, we ensure that this crime is not forgotten and remains part of the public consciousness.

What happened

This memorial chronicle addresses right-wing, racist and anti-Semitic violence, including specific incidents, backgrounds and consequences. The content may contain incriminating descriptions of violence, discrimination and suffering.

The following fold-out section “Description of the offence” describes specific acts of violence. We would therefore like to point out to those affected and readers that dealing with this content can have a re-traumatising effect. Before accessing the content, please check whether you feel mentally and emotionally able to deal with such topics and, if necessary, do not do so alone.

On the night of 20/21 June 2020, Efe was out and about as a minicar driver in Kassel. It was the first night during the coronavirus period that people were allowed to party again and clubs could open. The perpetrator got into Efe’s car near Club22, a local club in Kassel, on Friedrich-Ebert-Straße. He did not name a specific destination, but only gave Efe brief instructions such as “Turn off here”, “Now right” and “Now left”. In Kassel’s Nordstadt district, on the corner of Fraunhoferstraße and Knutzenstraße, the perpetrator wanted Efe to stop. When Efe then demanded the fare, the perpetrator insulted him in a racist manner with the words “Fucking foreigners, just money-eaters” and then stabbed him in the neck with a knife, narrowly missing the carotid artery. After the attack, the perpetrator fled in the direction of Fiedlerstraße. Efe survived the racist murder attempt because he was able to drive himself to the nearby hospital. But Efe not only survived a racist murder attempt; he has survived day by day ever since: because what the attempted murder triggered has shaped Efe’s entire life. The perpetrator has still not been found.

Sources

Soligroup B. Efe 09