Some relatives criticize that they have not received to this day a sign of regret of the German Government
The attack on the Christmas market in Berlin leaves at least 12 dead and 48 injured
The victims of the attack in the Christmas market in Berlin feel abandoned by Merkel
Germany today recalled the victims of the jihadist attack perpetrated in a Christmas market in Berlin just a year ago between criticism for the lack of consideration shown by authorities to the families of the victims and the promise of Chancellor Angela Merkel that errors will be corrected
“Today is a day of sadness, but also to show the will to do better everything that was done wrong,” underlined Merkel after the ceremony held behind closed doors in the Gedächtniskirche, name of the church that dominates the square where the attack and where today it will not open its traditional Christmas market as a sign of mourning.
Merkel chanted a mea culpa before the criticisms made by the relatives of the victims against her and her Government. In an open letter published a few days ago, these relatives said they felt neglected, abandoned by the German state. In fact, it was only on the eve of this tragic anniversary that Merkel received them for the first time. They did not attend the meeting and the sober anniversary ceremony Jannina and Henryk Urban, parents of the Polish truck driver who Anis Amri murdered to get his vehicle and attempt. Lusas Urban, of Polish nationality, was the first mortal victim of a terrorist act in which twelve people were killed and some fifty were wounded.“I would like to tell Mrs. Merkel that there is my son’s blood on her hands,” Janina told German international television DW. It was the first time he broke the duel and talked to the press about what happened on December 19, 2016.
Jannina and her husband Henryk have not received until today a sign of regret “a letter from the chancellor giving her condolences for the death of Lukas”. The German authorities, for them, “have no shame.”
Merkel takes criticism and has indicated that the attack showed “weaknesses of the State” and not only in terms of security, because “that tragedy should not have occurred”, but also on a human level. “Victims have the right to receive help to overcome that blow as much as possible , ” he said.
The chancellor has advanced in her first meeting with wounded and relatives of the victims who will meet them again “in a few months” to show them “what has been learned” and “what can be done better in the future” so that the response of the State is “enough”.
Shortly before, the German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, had echoed these complaints when intervening in the tribute and urged the political class to “clarify the mistakes and learn from the mistakes”, some of which “were avoidable”.
For Steinmeier, it must be said that “the attack should never have happened” and ask “again and again” if the constitutional and democratic State is really doing everything possible to avoid terrorist attacks. “Do not give in to terror, it does not mean repressing the pain of the victims,” added the president and after acknowledging that the response from Germany was “cold and distant” guaranteed them “we will not leave them alone.”