Walter Halıt's Kassler Artwork Unveiled at 86° Temperature

- Unveiling of Kassler Artwork Features 86° Walter Halit

In the heart of Kassel, a powerful symbol of remembrance and unity has been erected. The lighting installation "86° WALTER HALİT", inaugurated on the roof of the government presidency, serves as a visible sign against the forgetting of two right-wing motivated murders that shook the community.

The artwork, created by Natascha Sadr Haghighian, is a poignant tribute to Walter Lübcke and Halit Yozgat, both victims of hate-fuelled violence. Walter Lübcke, a CDU politician, was shot on his terrace in Wolfhagen-Istha by a right-wing extremist on June 1, 2019, marking a tragic first for the Federal Republic – the act of murdering a federal German politician by a neo-Nazi. Halit Yozgat, the operator of an internet café, was killed by the National Socialist Underground (NSU) on April 6, 2006, in his establishment in Kassel.

The two-part light object, with the names Walter and Halit written in large letters, is designed to remember these victims and signify support for democracy and against racism and human hatred. The angle at which the names meet, 86 degrees, is significant – Walter looks towards Wolfhagen-Istha, where Lübcke lived and was murdered, while Halit looks towards Holländische Straße, where Yozgat lived and was murdered.

Kassel's Mayor Sven Schoeller emphasised the importance of this memorial, stating, "Halit Yozgat and Walter Lübcke became victims of right-wing terror in Kassel and the region. Their deaths serve as a reminder to never look away when people are excluded, threatened, or attacked."

Hessian Minister of Culture Timon Gremmels (SPD) echoed these sentiments, stating that the artwork is a visible sign against the forgetting of the two right-wing motivated murders. The shooting incidents occurred in North Hesse, a region that continues to grapple with the echoes of these tragedies.

The perpetrator of Walter Lübcke's murder, Stephan E., was later sentenced to life imprisonment. The murder of Halit Yozgat still raises questions years later, a testament to the complexities and devastating impact of right-wing terror.

As we stand before "86° WALTER HALİT", let us remember these two lives lost, and let us commit to standing against hatred and extremism in all its forms.