HAMBURG – Last September, the biography of Ivana Hoffmann (Nom de Guerre: Avaşîn Têkoşîn Güneş) was published. Now Young Struggle is organizing a reading tour to different cities. On Friday, a reading took place in Hamburg’s Schanzenviertel in the association of AGIF (Almanya Türkiyeli Işciler Federasyonu, Federation of Immigrant Workers from Turkey in Germany e.V.).
Ivana Hoffmann from Duisburg lost her life on March 7, 2015 defending Rojava against the “Islamic State” (IS) in the small Assyrian village of Til Nasri (Aramaic Waltoo). Although only 19 years old, she had already been organized in the KGÖ, the Communist Youth Organization, since 2012. The two representatives of Young Struggle read from the chapters of the book about Ivana’s life, accompanied by photos. Ivana comes back to life in front of the audience: A young and courageous woman, lesbian, black, working class, and full of positive energy.
It becomes clear how much Ivana Hoffmann burned for the revolution and for the liberation of women, how unconventional and wild she was. When she heard about the revolution in Rojava, about the fighting women, she was unstoppable. She wanted to be part of it.
Her path first led her to the mountains of Kurdistan, to the “Hüseyin Demircioğlu” Academy. This academy had been built in 2010 in the Medya defense areas by the MLCP with the help of the PKK. Typical Ivana, she did not freeze in awe, but first took the commander for a ride by saying that she actually wanted to go somewhere else. When she was told it would be taken care of, Ivana laughed out loud and clarified that it was a joke. Of course, that’s exactly where she wanted to go.
Inspired countless people
The two readers also explain to the audience backgrounds, the revolution in Rojava, women’s liberation, why leftist organizations say the fallen are immortal, although they are materialists. Ivana Hoffmann’s struggle stands for this immortality. Thousands of people came to her funeral, countless were inspired by her. One listener reports that it was Ivana’s example that led her to organize and build a women’s group.
Particularly touching is the description of the scenes when Ivana’s mother Ela Hoffmann and her friends pick up the coffin at the Turkish border to Rojava. The cry of a mother who sees the body of her daughter, the solidarity of the people in Rojava and Bakur, the west and north of the four-divided Kurdistan. The mother’s letter to her daughter: “Now I am standing at the events holding the flag that you would have held. My child, it took me so long to understand why you left. But in the meantime I have understood. You gave something because you believed in something and because freedom was more important to you than your own life. Still, I curse that you are no longer here. But I’m also proud of you.”
Other readings:
Kiel: May 7, 6 p.m. – Die Pumpe, Hassstraße 22, 24103 Kiel, Germany
Leipzig: May 13, 6 p.m. – location on request
Dessau: May 14, 4 p.m. – Ferdinand-von-Schill-Strasse 23, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau
Berlin: May 15, 4 p.m. – Bavul Café, Annenstraße 13, 10179 Berlin
