Photo: DPA

Victims' parents planning school shooting hotline

Published: 2 Nov 09 16:59 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20091102-22981.html

A new foundation being formed to prevent school attacks has announced plans to create an early-warning system and 24-hour hotline for students to report threats.

The foundation, Gegen Gewalt an Schulen, or “Against violence in schools,” will be officially founded on November 18 thanks to donations of some €50,000. It was formed out of the action alliance Amoklauf Winnenden created by community members in Winnenden after a 17-year-old killed 15 people and himself at his former school and in flight from the crime scene on March 11.

Members include parents of students killed by the shooter.

The new warning system will include a phone and text message hotline, in addition to an online form where students can register evidence of threats from fellow classmates, Amoklauf Winnenden spokeswoman Gisela Mayer said as the scheme was announced on Monday.

The organisation will be aided by church networks and crime prevention organisations to stay running 24-hours a day in the state of Baden-Württemberg where the shooting occurred, and then later across the nation, she added.

In the nearby state of Bavaria, an 18-year-old student attacked an Ansbach high school with five Molotov cocktails, knives and an axe in September. One teacher and nine students were injured – two girls severely.

In May a 16-year-old student nearly severed a fellow classmates' thumb with a knife when she was caught off guard before she could carry out an arson attack on her school near Bonn.

DDP/DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This Facebook  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
For comment quoting and other advanced formatting features,
try posting via this article's discussion forum page instead.
Today's headlines
Photo: DPA

Hartz IV welfare benefits ruled unconstitutional

Millions of German families on welfare could receive more government assistance after the nation’s highest court ruled Tuesday the controversial Hartz IV system of payments was unconstitutional. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Opel boss unveils plan to slash 8,300 jobs

Opel boss Nick Reilly presented on Tuesday a plan for the future of the ailing General Motors unit, with a forecast loss of 8,300 jobs from a total of around 50,000, as expected. READ »

Photo: DPA

Hamburg politician puts the 'I' in street de-icing

The president of Hamburg's city parliament is reportedly in hot water for ordering authorities to clear the footpaths of ice outside his own home while leaving the rest of the city to slip and slide their way home. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Photo: DPA

Construction worker confesses in Cologne archive collapse case

Eleven months after the deadly collapse of Cologne’s city archive, a construction worker has given investigators their first confession in the case, media reports said on Tuesday. READ »

Photo: DPA

Berlinale highlights shift to 3-D films

Buyers at the Berlin film festival will be seeing triple this year, as 3-D productions such as "Avatar" transform the global cinema industry. READ »

Photo: DPA

Munich and Nuremberg airport workers strike

One day ahead of wage talks with state and municipal employers, public workers' union Verdi called for further temporary strikes on Tuesday – this time at airports in Munich and Nuremberg. READ »

Photo: DPA

Doctors outraged by infant vaccine shortage

Medical experts warned of grave health danger to children on Monday following weekend reports that many important infant vaccinations have not been delivered to German hospitals since late January. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

The Görmitz ice breaker makes its way to Hiddensee.  Photo: DPA

Germany facing another blast of winter weather

The harsh winter weather continued to batter Germany on Monday, with more snow in the forecast. Hospitals reported a spike in ice-related injuries and an ice breaker delivered provisions to the Baltic Sea island of Hiddensee. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

More National
Highlights
Photo: Robert Mapplethorpe
LIFESTYLE »
The Best of the Rhineland: This month Rhine-online offers some Karneval insight, uncovers a Mapplethorpe retrospective in Düsseldorf, and dines the Michelin-way in Königswinter.

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

548 jobs in Germany, in English
374 new jobs this week
54 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest news from The Local in Sweden
Blog
Essentials

Dating
Looking for your own blonde bombshell? Or is the strong, silent type more your style? Find a German sweetheart here.

Weather
"After clouds comes clear weather," say the Germans. But what about after that? Find out in The Local's weather section.

Blog
German stuff that's distracting us today.

Noticeboard
Whether you want to buy, sell, hire, announce or promote something, here's the place to do it - completely free of charge.

Discuss
Debate the news, ask for advice, make friends - or just let off steam.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

News from the Goethe-Institut
News from Young Germany
News from DeutschlandOnline
Sales managers - country wide
The Local is seeking talented and experienced media sales professionals for our online advertising sales in Germany
FULL JOB DETAILS
Best Foreign exchange rates dealing - all major currencies
Foreign Currency Direct voted as offering the best exchange rates. All currency exchange transactions are managed by Ben Amrany. We guarantee that readers of The Local/Toytown receive a 5 star service
FULL DETAILS HERE>>>
JOB: Nursery Teacher / Early Years Educator
Wolfsburg nursery, specialising in an Early Years Programme, seeks English speaking nursery teacher
FULL JOB DETAILS
JOB: Admin and academic positions
GBCM is currently seeking experienced and ambitious full/part-time staff in the academic field as well as a flexible office manager for roles in an international environment
FULL JOB DETAILS
Advertising 2.0
MARKETPLACE - promote your business to half a million targeted readers a month on The Local. Find great products and services in Germany or tell The Local's readers about your own business.
CLICK HERE>>>

The Local Europe GmbH
Linienstrasse 214
10119 Berlin
Germany