Public Hearing of the Committee on Home Affairs and Homeland Security on the NSU Complex Foundation Act
Berlin, January 21, 2025 – In a public hearing, the Committee on Home Affairs and Homeland Security discussed the draft law on the establishment of the NSU Complex Foundation. The foundation is intended to comprehensively research and document the NSU complex, its history, and impact.
Background: The NSU Complex
The NSU (National Socialist Underground) was a right-wing terrorist group that carried out a series of murders, bombings, and robberies in Germany between 2000 and 2007. Its victims were primarily immigrants and people of color.
The discovery of the group shocked German society and exposed deep-seated problems within the security services and other public institutions. Several investigations and trials have been conducted to uncover the full extent of the NSU complex and its connections to other right-wing extremist groups.
Purpose of the NSU Complex Foundation
The NSU Complex Foundation is designed to:
- Conduct scientific research on the structure, ideology, and activities of the NSU
- Document the experiences of victims and survivors
- Analyze the failures of the security services and other institutions in combating right-wing extremism
- Promote educational work and remembrance culture
Discussion in the Public Hearing
The public hearing provided an opportunity for representatives of victims’ organizations, researchers, and experts to express their views on the draft law.
Representatives of victims’ organizations emphasized the importance of including the perspectives of those directly affected by the NSU terror. They called for the foundation to prioritize the support and counseling of victims and survivors.
Researchers welcomed the establishment of the foundation as a significant step towards comprehensive research on the NSU complex. They highlighted the need for independent and critical research that would shed light on the systemic failures that allowed the NSU to operate for so long.
Experts from the fields of security and counter-terrorism expressed concerns about the potential for the foundation to become a platform for right-wing extremist propaganda. They called for strict measures to ensure that the foundation would not be used for such purposes.
Next Steps
The Committee on Home Affairs and Homeland Security will now deliberate on the draft law based on the input received during the public hearing. The law is expected to be passed in the coming months.
The establishment of the NSU Complex Foundation is a significant milestone in the efforts to confront the legacy of the NSU terror and prevent similar incidents in the future. The foundation will serve as a repository of knowledge and a platform for dialogue and critical reflection on one of the darkest chapters in German history.
Öffentliche Anhörung des Ausschusses für Inneres und Heimat zum NSU-Komplex-Stiftungsgesetz
The AI has provided us with the news.
I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.
Pressemitteilungen a new article on 2025-01-21 13:07 titled “Öffentliche Anhörung des Ausschusses für Inneres und Heimat zum NSU-Komplex-Stiftungsgesetz”. Please write a detailed article on this news item, including any relevant information. Answers should be in English.
43