NSU: The judgment on Beate Zschäpe is not a final shot

Beate Zschäpe with her lawyer. (Image: Michaela Rehle / Reuters)

That's it, you could actually call. Beate Zschäpe was sentenced to life imprisonment. She was convicted of complicity in ten murders committed between 2000 and 2006 in Germany, two explosive attacks, arson and other serious crimes. She will be behind bars for many years, maybe even the rest of her life. The four co-defendants were sentenced to several years in prison. After more than five years of trial and a total of 438 trial days, a verdict was announced that the prosecution as well as the survivors of the victims and most of the spectators had hoped.

The tribunal fulfilled its mission

For the Senate Under the presidency of Manfred Götzl at the Munich Regional Superior Court, the mission is accomplished. Legally, a line has been drawn. Although it will take months or even years before the respective judgments become final. But it would be dangerous for society if now draws a line under the entire NSU complex. Because there are a variety of signs that nowadays it could give a new edition of the NSU under any other name at any time.

Nebenklagevertreter as well as far right experts assume that the NSU network, estimated up to 200 people, in preparation and perhaps also helped in the execution of acts, in Much or totally untroubled continues to live in different places in Germany. The man in the subway next to me on the way back from the lawsuit or the woman behind me online at the bakery he or she might have been there. It scares the bereaved. And it's also a scary thought for all others.

But do not just try to blame the underdeveloped law enforcement agencies. Or, they were sloppy constitutional protectors who should have watched the scene from the right, but who, on the contrary, were not too involved in it and therefore did not transmit enough of the 39, information or information. Although all this does not really give hope when it comes to preventing future offenses by state organs.

The company should however recognize that Zschäpe and his companions died while committing suicide in 2011 Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Böhnhardt the NSU, violent and deadly, was not dried up or even destroyed. At Pegida events or at some alternative meetings for Germany is rushed against foreigners that Zschäpe and Co. would have their brilliant joy.

Criminal fires became models

The far-right scene of the time around Zschäpe and its comrades in Jena related to the arson of houses inhabited by foreigners in the early 1980s. 1990 had prompted the trio to now even once to take action against unwanted intruders. It takes little imagination to imagine what the frequent attacks on refugee homes could trigger among right-wing extremists today. In addition, the way in which more and more people are talking about refugees does not necessarily serve to consider them and to protect them as human beings. In addition, the spread of hate speech and hate speech at the time of Facebook services and courier services is as easy as the NSU could not even dream of.

The conclusion of the NSU process should therefore be that the society be vigilant and ready to recognize the right ideas in time. Everyone must have the courage to counter.