“C’est l’histoire d’un homme qui tombe d’un immeuble de 50 étages. Le mec, au fur et à mesure de sa chute, il se répète pour se rassurer: ‘Jusqu’ici tout va bien… jusqu’ici tout va bien… jusqu’ici tout va bien.’ Mais l’important c’est pas la chute*, c’est l’atterrissage.” – La Haine (1995)
Dear Hertie Community,
I hope those who celebrated had a peaceful Easter, and that you’ve all arrived safely back in our good old ivory tower on Friedrichstraße. The streets are quiet, and our expat parallel universe glides along, untouched.
On the night before Easter Sunday, 21-year-old Lorenz A. was murdered by police in Oldenburg. Lorenz—a young Black man—wanted to spend the evening in a club, but the internalised racism of German police officers cut his life short. He was shot three times from behind—in the hip, torso, and head. Police claim he was carrying a knife, yet prosecutors admit no knife was ever found. How could he have posed a threat, considering he was shot in the back?
This murder is part of Germany’s long legacy of police violence. In 2025 alone, eleven people have been killed by police.
Lorenz’s chute is painful and tragic. We demand justice for him. May he rest in power.
* la chute (Fr.) = the fall – referencing the parable from La Haine (1995)
Fanus Ghorjani is a Political Scientist focusing on the Coloniality of Data. She studies Data Science for Public Policy at the Hertie School.