What happened:
On May 29, 1993, four young men from Solingen carried out an arson attack on the Genç family’s house at the Untere Wernerstraße 81. The attack, which took place shortly before the most important Muslim holiday, Eid al-Adha, claimed the lives of five family members: The sisters Saime (4) and Hülya Genç (9), their aunts Hatice Genç (18) and Gürsün İnce (27), as well as their cousin Gülüstan Öztürk (12), died painfully in the flames. Gülüstan had travelled from Turkey to celebrate the holiday (Eid al-Adha) with the family – but that never came to be.
The attack caused immeasurable suffering to the Genç, Duran, İnce, Saygın, and Öztürk families. Another 14 family members suffered serious injuries. The physical and psychological consequences of this crime are still felt today. All survivors are deeply traumatized. Hatice Genç said: “Thirty years have passed since the arson attack. I even had more children, but I still can’t sleep. I wait until it gets light and can only sleep for a few hours after seven in the morning. I mostly sleep during the day.”
Goals and tasks:
The initiative offers various activities and programs to raise awareness of the events and their consequences. These include educational programs, readings, participation in panel discussions, conversations with contemporary witnesses, and interviews. It is particularly important to members of the Genç family that children and young people are made aware of these issues. These initiatives are intended to help keep history alive and preserve the memory of the victims. Their goals are education and raising awareness, in order to foster a better understanding of the causes and consequences of racist violence.