Solingen arson attack

neo-nazi arson attack on Turkish home in Solingen

The Solingen arson attack of 1993 happened on the night of 29 May 1993 when five Turkish people were killed in Solingen, Germany.[1] They died when four young German men, belonging to the political far right,[2] firebombed a house.[1] The dead were women and children, aged four, nine, 12, 18 and 27, all of whom who were related.[1][2]

People protest outside the house in Solingen

The attack caused many protests in Germany, and many German government officials were at a memorial service for the dead.[1] Some of the protests were violent, but others were peaceful.[1][2]

Because of the attack, Germany decided to make sure fewer people from other countries came into Germany for political asylum.[2] It also banned some right-wing political groups.[2]

On 14 October 1995, a German court sentenced the four people who did the attack. Three men, aged 18, 19 and 22, were given prison terms of ten years.[2] The fourth man, 25, was given a term of 15 years.[2] The sentences were opposed by the men and their families, though most of the Turkish people in Germany approved of them.[2] Some Turkish people wanted the men to get life terms in jail.[2]

References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Thousands of Germans Rally for the Slain Turks". The New York Times. 4 June 1993. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 "Germans Sentenced in Arson Killing of Turks". The New York Times. 14 October 1995. Retrieved 20 December 2010.