Cried for help

Courageous neighbor protects victim (18) from tormentor

There was excitement on the estate in Oberwart at the weekend: The residents approached Mayor Rosner first thing in the morning on Monday.(Bild: Christian Schulter)

"It's my duty to help!" A resident of a housing estate in Oberwart (Burgenland) showed courage when she rushed out into the street to help a desperate 18-year-old woman who had been held captive in an apartment and managed to escape being raped. The resident stood protectively in front of the victim.

The scenes from last weekend in the Roma settlement in Oberwart are a terrible memory. As reported, a young woman had stormed out of a house onto the street at lunchtime and desperately called for help: "Help, help!"

Hours of agony
A local resident, who was at home cooking, heard the screams and rushed to her. "She was crying bitterly and her whole body was shaking," said the witness. The 18-year-old from Kosovo, the victim, described in tears how she had been held down by a fellow countryman in the apartment of a Burgenlander.

There was excitement in the settlement in Oberwart at the weekend: First thing in the morning on Monday, local residents approached Mayor Rosner(Bild: Christian Schulter)

The 45-year-old had beaten them and threatened them with a gun. He had tried to force them to have sex. The accused - together with a companion (23) - is said to have been under the influence of cocaine.

Reacted confidently
The 18-year-old managed to escape after hours. Without hesitation, she protected the neighbor from further assaults. The neighbor helped the Kosovan out of conviction: "It's my duty!" The resident only ran to her stove for a moment, put the saucepan with the food to one side and immediately returned to the 18-year-old.

Showing nerves of steel
"I can't leave the poor woman alone. What if the men come out of the house and go after her?" The local resident did not leave the Kosovan woman's side when the suspected perpetrator and his friend suddenly appeared.

The two men quickly disappeared in the direction of the Roma memorial - and were arrested shortly afterwards! The suspect is in custody in Eisenstadt. The Diana R-22 rifle with the magazine attached and 120 pieces of ammunition were seized during the house search.

120 of these cartridges were discovered during the house search.(Bild: Christian Schulter)

Talk in the town hall
The shocking incident overshadowed the day of remembrance, which was dedicated entirely to the Roma and Sinti ethnic group. On Monday morning, the courageous helper and a companion, as spokesperson for the settlement, met with Mayor Georg Rosner.

Lawyer examines the case
Much to the chagrin of the residents, strangers have been appearing in the residential area since last October, disturbing the peaceful atmosphere. "We take the residents' concerns very seriously. In consultation with the police and our lawyer, we are now investigating whether there have been any breaches of residential law. Inspections by the building authorities are also planned," Rosner explains.