Winnenden shooting
June 16, 2009
Outwardly, there is hardly a reminder of the shooting spree at the Albertville Secondary School in the southern German town of Winnenden. After Easter, the town began the task of removing the signs of mourning in order to restore step by step a sense of normality. New flower beds have been planted, the black ribbons which adorned the front of the houses have been removed and the flags at half-mast have also vanished.
Victims' parents push for stricter gun laws
In the neighboring town of Leutenbach, the families of eight of the victims have founded an initiative in a bid to prevent further killing sprees ever taking place in Germany.
The group's spokesperson, Gisela Mayer, lost her 24-year-old daughter who was completing her teacher training at the Albertville Secondary School. She has been collecting signatures and giving interviews to effect a change of German gun laws.
"The planned changes to the firearms law do not go far enough," Mayer claims. "We demand that large caliber weapons are no longer classed as sport weapons. They do not belong in private ownership".
The most basic demand of the group is to see the separation of sport weapons and ammunition, as is currently the case in Switzerland.
The wounds of trauma run deep
Since the shooting spree, several hundred youth psychologists and trauma experts have been active in Winnenden. They set up a container opposite the vacant school which serves as a help centre for pupils, teachers, and either directly or indirectly affected residents. The psychologists working there are able to draw in part from past experiences from Germany's Erfurt shooting spree of 2002.
Cologne-based psychologist, Thomas Weber, is responsible for the coordination of the long-term support program which treats highly complex grievance and trauma conditions. "With many children it is sufficient to work solely with stabilizing exercises and to include the parents in this process," said Weber. "However, there are some who need comprehensive care or individually tailored psychotherapy".
All traces must be erased
After the crime, the school's classes were distributed amongst the schools in the surrounding areas but since the middle of May, the pupils have been moved to their own makeshift school building constructed on the site of a former playing field. All classes are always under the instruction of two teaching staff.
Lessons are to take place in the old school building by next year, but first this has to rebuilt in such a way as to leave no direct trace of the shooting spree - an idea supported by a workshop consisting of pupils, teachers, parents, psychologists, and city and school authorities.
Author: Till Opitz / Andrew Shale
Editor: Neil King