A Greek 20-year-old was beaten to death by a gang of men at a park in the western German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The young man, Philippos Tsanis, had attended his sister’s graduation ceremony and dance last Sunday night at the Kaiserpalais in the spa town of Bad Oeynhausen.
Philippos Tsanis was hospitalized with severe brain injuries following the horrendous attack. His family remained by his bedside for three days. However, the young Greek man was pronounced brain dead.
“We cannot believe that something like this happened to us,” Philippo’s father, Dimitris Tsanis, told BILD. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”
Tsanis was with his best friend, a classmate of his sister, at the time of the attack. They then headed to a nearby park around 1:30 am local time.
Incident leading to killing of Greek man
It has been speculated that the two friends were either heading to Adiamo Dance Club or walking home. They were attacked by a group of around 10 young men in the park. According to police, the men repeatedly kicked and punched the two friends.
It has been reported that one of the assailants mercilessly beat Tsanis. His friend sustained minor injuries as well.
Maurice M., an old school friend, had also met Tsanis earlier that evening. “We hadn’t seen each other for a long time, but we always got on well before and then we lost touch,” he told BILD.
Maurice and a few others were in close proximity to the park when the fighting broke out. “We were just a few meters away and we were partying. I was wondering why Philippos didn’t show up at the nightclub. Nobody could have guessed that he was fighting for his life just a few meters away,” the young man said in speaking to BILD.
The police are carrying out a manhunt to identify the attackers. The primary suspect is reported to be 5’7″ feet (1.76 meters) tall, with a moustache. He was wearing an orange Adidas jacket at the time.
Following Tsanis’ death, a bed of flowers was laid at the scene of the crime. Mourners also lit candles and left cuddly toys at the site. Worried parents from the neighborhood have pinned a letter on a tree nearby, which reads “Why this senseless act?”
A mother told BILD, “My daughter also celebrated at the graduation ball—it could have happened to anyone.”
Greeks in Germany
Large-scale immigration from Greece to Germany began around the year 1700, when the Ottoman Empire opened its borders. The first community settled in Leipzig around this time. A second wave of immigration took place when Otto of Wittelbach became King of Greece, also known as “Otto of Greece.” Many Greeks also pursued studies in Bavaria.
The last significant wave occurred after World War II, with most of today’s Greek population having arrived during this period. In the post-war years, West Germany sought workers for their expanding industries, while East Germany provided a safe haven for Greek communists.