Opinion: Mourning for Tugce

Tugce A. intervened on behalf of the weak and paid for it with her life. This courageous Turkish-German student stepped in to protect defenseless young girls who were being harassed by thugs, and became a victim herself. Tugce died on her 23rd birthday as the result of a brutal beating. The whole of Germany is in mourning for this brave and vibrant young woman. The whole of Germany is bowing its head in respect and admiration for her.

On the night of her death hundreds of people held a candlelight vigil in front of the hospital where she lay, until her life support machines were switched off. Hundreds of thousands have registered their sympathy and admiration on social media. Politicians, too, have been expressing their condolences: Not only has German President Joachim Gauck written to her parents to express his shock at her death, he is also considering posthumously awarding the national Order of Merit to Tugce for her civil courage.

The Dominik Brunner case

The terrible death of this young Turkish-German woman is a stark reminder of a very similar incident in Germany five years ago. Yet much about this case is different. Five years ago a company manager called Dominik Brunner stepped in to protect defenseless schoolchildren on a suburban train, and was beaten to death. The fact that his intervention on behalf of the weak cost him his life prompted weeks of discussion in Germany about the price of civil courage and whether it made sense. Dominik Brunner was also the object of a wave of sympathy and respect.

Then, as now, we can all ask ourselves the question: What would I have done if others, weaker than I, were in danger? Would I be brave enough to show as much civil courage; to take a risk, even if it might be dangerous for me? Then, as now, prevailing public opinion is that the right thing to do is to intervene, even if in the worst case the price for such intervention may be appallingly high.

Dominik Brunner's fate soon disappeared from the headlines. Will Tugce's death quickly sink into oblivion, too? Hopefully not, because in addition to all the parallels with Dominik Brunner's death, there is another aspect to this case. Tugce's tragic death offers an opportunity because it could change the way we look at our negatively charged immigration debate.

The integrated migrants Germany needs

All too often discussion about immigration in Germany is confined to problem cases, marginal groups, those immigrants who don't want to integrate and who live in their own parallel world. This time, however, it is the hero herself who, like her alleged assailants, had a migrant background. We see a young woman with Turkish roots who wanted to become a teacher and was interested in her own social advancement. A student who took a stand for peaceful coexistence. A representative of that large group of people with foreign roots who make a substantial contribution to social development in Germany, and from which Germany benefits significantly - demographically, economically, culturally.

Countless studies have confirmed these findings, but dates, facts and figures have little influence on public debate, which is usually conducted at an emotional level. As so often, it is the fate of the individual that makes the greatest impact upon us. In this case it is that of a brave young Turkish-German woman whom every German has now taken to their heart.