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Dietrich Wagner

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Dietrich Wagner (1944 – 28 June 2023) was a German engineer who suffered damage to his eyes during the 2010 Stuttgart 21 project protests due to the use of water cannons. He was 66 at the time.[1]

Wagner was struck and knocked unconscious by the high velocity stream of water and noticed blood running down his face when he woke up.[2] He suffered damage to his eyelids, an orbital blowout fracture, and damage to both lenses and retinas.[3] Wagner subsequently had six eye operations but regained little of his vision and remained almost completely blind.[2] [4][5]

Aftermath

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Before his participation in the Stuttgart 21 protests, Wagner had no political involvement since being in university. Pictures showing Wagner injured, with two people assisting him, were published in many German newspapers.[6] During later demonstrations, some protesters put red colour on their faces to symbolize Dietrich Wagner.[7]

Tristana Moore of Time wrote that the photograph of his injury caused "a regional dispute over an unpopular building project instantly transformed into a national issue — and the political repercussions are now reverberating all the way to Berlin."[1] Wagner became a symbol of the protest against the Stuttgart 21 project. The German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote that he was the "face of the protest".[8] According to the author Jakob Augstein, the picture had a relevant impact, causing Minister of Baden-Württemberg Stefan Mappus to lose his position.[9]

In 2014 he visited the United Kingdom to ask Theresa May, the Home Secretary, to not authorise usage of water cannons.[2] In an editorial to The Telegraph Wagner opposed the use of water cannons.[10]

Wagner died on 28 June 2023, at the age of 79.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b Moore, Tristana (8 October 2010). "German Railway Controversy Sends Angela Merkel Off Track". Time. Archived from the original on 12 October 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Morrison, Sarah (17 February 2014). "The dangers of water cannon: Blinded German man tells Britain 'don't make the same mistakes as other countries'". The Independent. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  3. ^ "Injured Stuttgart 21 protestor could stay blind". The Local. 6 October 2010. Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  4. ^ "Wasserwerfer-Opfer bleibt auf einem Auge blind" [Water cannon victim blinded in one eye]. Der Spiegel (in German). 13 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2 May 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  5. ^ "Blinded Stuttgart 21 protestor wants apology". The Local. 28 December 2010. Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2011.
  6. ^ "Demonstranten drohen zu erblinden". Stuttgarter Zeitung. 6 October 2010. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Stuttgart 21: Blutiger Protest". RP online. 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2014.
  8. ^ Deininger, Roman (30 September 2011). "Als ob sich der Mörder selbst freispricht". Süddeutsche Zeitung. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  9. ^ Augstein, Jakob (3 June 2013). "Im Zweifel zuschlagen". Der Spiegel. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022.
  10. ^ Wagner, Dietrich (21 February 2014). "People of Britain, beware of the water cannon': a warning from Dietrich Wagner, near-blinded in Stuttgart". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 September 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  11. ^ "Durch Wasserwerfer erblindet: Stuttgart 21-Gegner Dietrich Wagner ist tot". SWR. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2023.


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