Memorial tournament Kicking for the Nine Angels”: Together against forgetting!

Memorial tournament Kicking for the Nine Angels”: Together against forgetting!

A very special commemoration is coming up: On Saturday, June 21st, the memorial football tournament “Kicking for the Nine Angels” will be held on the TSV Moosach-Hartmannshofen sports grounds at Lechelstrasse 35, 80997 Munich. From 10 a.m., all football fans are invited to remember the nine victims of the right-wing terrorist attack at the Olympia shopping center (OEZ) on July 22, 2016. This event aims to remember the tragic fates of Armela Segashi, Can Leyla, Dijamant Zabërgja, Guiliano Kollmann, Hüseyin Dayıcık, Roberto Rafael, Sabine S., Selçuk Kiliç and Sevda Dağ, many of whom came from immigrant families or were Sinti. Weekly Gazette reports.

These victims left a gap in Munich society that is still noticeable today. Special attention is paid to the remembered lives of these people, many of whom were young footballers with big dreams. Can Leyla was an active member of TSV Moosach-Hartmannshofen, while Guiliano Kollmann played in the youth team of TSV 1860 Munich. Hasan Leyla, initiator of the tournament and himself a relative of a victim, attaches great importance to the fact that the memory is not just seen as mourning, but as a celebration of friendships and shared experiences.

A strong sign against forgetting

The tournament is organized by the “Munich OEZ Remember!” initiative, founded in 2021 by relatives and supporters. The initiative not only advocates for a dignified memory of the victims, it also calls for clarification about the events, which to this day are classified as right-wing extremist and racist. Munich's mayor Dieter Reiter emphasizes the significance of this act, which he compares to historical events such as the 1972 Olympic bombing, and calls for "unrestricted solidarity with the victims and their relatives." reported BR.

The tournament will not only take place as a sporting competition, but will also be a place for encounters, solidarity and the visualization of the victims' stories. The challenge cup that is being played for symbolizes lived remembrance, collective responsibility and diversity in our society. Robert Reisinger, President of TSV 1860 Munich, will be the patron and will be present at the trophy presentation.

Changing culture of remembrance

The commemoration of the nine angels is part of a larger trend that appeals to our society's incomplete memory of right-wing extremist violence. Although awareness of the crimes has changed since the 1970s, the discussion of the issue often remains inadequate. The memory of the Holocaust and German atrocities in the Second World War continue to dominate, while current forms of right-wing extremist violence, such as the events in Solingen, Hanau or the actions of the NSU, often disappear from public memory states the bpb.

It is to be hoped that the “Kicking for the Nine Angels” memorial tournament not only serves to keep memories alive, but also encourages everyone to think about social cohesion. Because in the end it is the responsibility of all of us to ensure that the stories of those affected are told and that their remembrance is not forgotten.