There is great sadness throughout the country. One of the police officers who took part in the operation against the apparently Islamist-motivated knife attacker in Mannheim has died from his injuries. There is a lot of sympathy on the Internet and the first fundraising campaigns for the relatives have already been launched.
Rouven L. is dead. The police officer was so badly injured in a knife attack by an Afghan on Friday in Mannheim that he did not survive the consequences of the attack. His department published an emotional Facebook post just a short time after the 29-year-old’s death was officially confirmed. The profile picture is gray because of the mourning for the comrade.
The Mannheim police wrote on Facebook: “We mourn the loss of our colleague – he gave his life to protect others! On Friday, our colleague from the Mannheim police headquarters was seriously injured in a knife attack during a police operation. Today we received the sad news that he succumbed to his serious injuries in hospital. We are deeply shocked – the loss affects us all deeply and leaves us stunned at the same time. The entire police family mourns him and our thoughts are with his family, friends and relatives. He was a special person – calm and thoughtful in his actions and always with a friendly, open smile towards everyone. We will never forget him!”
After just a short time, hundreds of comments had accumulated under the post. The vast majority of people expressed their grief and sympathy in brief and emotional words. Udo Haupt, for example, wrote: “My sincere condolences to his family, colleagues, friends and acquaintances. What a tragic loss.”
In their expressions of condolence, some also recall the achievements that police officers perform every day in Germany and how dangerous their job is. Ilona Maro, for example: “Our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues. We simply cannot thank you enough for your daily commitment to the safety of all of us! We are deeply saddened that our colleague did not make it. We had hoped so much that things would turn out well for him.”
Jenny Re also addressed all police officers in the country: “It is unbelievable. Even for complete outsiders. Deeply affected. My deepest condolences to all relatives, friends and colleagues. Many thanks to all police officers like Rouven who risk their lives every day for the rest of us in action.”
Alex Bensch sees it similarly and posts: “My heartfelt condolences to the family and the bereaved as well as colleagues. Also my heartfelt thanks to the entire police and all other rescue workers for their service and constant commitment. All of Germany loves the police!”
Boris Stefanie Kristo says: “My condolences. Thank you, dear Mannheim police, for risking your lives to protect us. Every day anew. It’s a shame that it has come to this, that we have to read something like this here.”
Some also complement their expressions of condolence with more or less hidden criticism of politicians. Claudia Hensler, for example, writes with a lot of irony: “Simply sad. My condolences and lots of strength to the family. Big thanks to politicians.”
The background to this statement is probably the fact that the attacker is an Afghan who is said to have come to Germany as a refugee many years ago. In view of this fact, there is a lot of anger in social media towards politics and the migration and refugee policies of recent years.
There are already fundraising campaigns for the bereaved, for example on Gofundme. There, colleagues from a police unit in Blumberg have called for donations for the relatives of Rouven L. Several thousand euros have already been collected.