Das Deutsche Volk (The German People) recounts the story of the crime from the perspective of bereaved friends and family and those who survived the attack. It shows the pain and rage a crime of this nature causes and the long shadow that it casts. What immediate and long-term consequences did the attack have on these people and Hanau? And what does it say about Germany?
Director Marcin Wierzchowski accompanies the victims’ loved ones as they navigate grief and loss, documenting their struggle for justice, their calls for acknowledgement and their determination not to be treated as second-class citizens. They expose the structural racism expressed not only in the crime itself but also how they are treated by the authorities.
As politicians search for the right words and many questions regarding the crime go unanswered, those left behind set out to find answers themselves. Together, they reconstruct the events of the night of the attack, endeavor to ensure it is not forgotten and demand consequences. As time passes public awareness wanes, yet the families continue their fight: a fight for justice, a fight to remember those who were murdered.
This event has been generously supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)
