Some 30 people gathered at the grave of Kevin Jochim in the cemetery in Karlsruhe on Sunday to commemorate the internationalist. After a minute's silence, speeches were delivered in which the importance of the work of the two Germans for the Kurdish liberation struggle and the Rojava revolution was emphasized. Speakers said: “As internationalists, Dilsoz and Şiyar recognized their responsibility and devoted their young lives and all their energy to the revolutionary struggle and the defense of a democratic society in the Middle East. They recognized the strength hidden in the PKK and the political thinking of Abdullah Öcalan.”

While the European states never tire of promoting values ​​such as democracy, peace, freedom and equality, they are actually pursuing an imperialist strategy that means nothing to the peoples of this earth but exploitation, oppression and slavery.

“Dilsoz and Şiyar exposed this mendacious double standard early on and set out in the mountains of Kurdistan in search of answers," says Gulê Agir, adding: “There they learned that, contrary to what we are led to believe, a life beyond capitalist modernity can already be a reality today. This alternative ranges from the grassroots democratic revolution in Rojava to the city administrations in North Kurdistan to the liberated mountains of the guerrilla Kurdistan and shows us the way to a free future today.”

With their lives and struggles, Dilsoz Bahar and Şiyar Gabar have become a guide and an inspiration for thousands of internationalist youths who have flocked to Kurdistan from all over the world to take their place in the ranks of the revolution. "Even today they are a shining example for us here of the real spirit of internationalism."

At the end of the meeting, a wreath was laid at Kevin Jochim's grave while the crowd sung the international partisan song "Bella Ciao". The commemoration ended with a promise to continue the unfinished struggle of the martyrs and to organize "for the realization of a liberated Kurdistan and a free world".

Dilsoz and Şiyar

Kevin Jochim (Nom de Guerre Dilsoz Bahar) grew up in the southern German city of Karlsruhe and joined the Kurdish freedom movement in 2012 at the age of nineteen. He went to Rojava and fought in the ranks of the People's Defense Units (YPG) against the Islamic State, driven by his "desire for freedom". On 6 July 2015, near Silûk, he lost his life in combat.

Jakob Riemer (Şiyar Gabar), born in 1994, was a young internationalist from Hamburg. He went to Kurdistan at the end of 2013 to fight with the guerrillas for his ideas of a better world. On 9 July 2018 he died in Çarçella in North Kurdistan as a fighter for the People's Defense Forces (HPG) during a military operation by the Turkish army.

“Dilsoz and Şiyar united in the search for solutions to the acute crisis of the ruling system. In this way, they got to know Abdullah Öcalan's ideas and were inspired by the development of democratic confederalism in Kurdistan," said Gulê Agir on Sunday during a visit to the cemetery in Karlsruhe where "Şehîd Dilsoz" is buried. People from the Kurdish association in Heilbronn and young internationalists called for the commemoration of Kevin Jochim and Jakob Riemer.