By Anne Losensky
Words are his world. But once, in the wrong place, he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut. Now the poet and musician is before the Berlin district court – and with one leg in jail…
Eduard H. (21, name changed) faces up to ten years in prison. He’s sitting in front of a juvenile court.
The accusations: particularly aggravated robbery, dangerous bodily harm, procurement of narcotics. His career began full of hope: Born in Saint Petersburg (Russia), father art impresario, high school diploma at a private school in Berlin.
On January 27, 2020, a man was beaten up in Oldenburger Straße (Moabit) at night. Four perpetrators, four weapons (telescopic baton, knife, brass knuckles, tear gas). The thugs steal cannabis, amphetamine, ecstasy, diazepam and two cell phones.
The musician is said to have given the thugs the contact details of the dealer and stood within shouting distance. “Yes, I betrayed him,” he admits. “I gave his name and contact to impress the guys, to impress. But I wasn’t there when they actually met him.”
And further: “I was 400 meters away. It was really stupid, I could have guessed that something bad was going to happen. I thought if four people lined up in front of him, he’d give it all voluntarily.”
The extent of the violence surprised him. That’s why he’s now offering 1,000 euros in compensation and a personal apology. Judgment on July 15.
