Sol – Sozialistische Organisation Solidarität (CWI Germany) mourns the death of National Committee member, Jan Horsthemke.
We are sorry to announce that our Dortmund comrade and member of the Sol National Committee, Jan Horsthemke, decided to retire from life in mid-May. He could no longer stand the horrors and injustices of capitalist society and the competitive logic that permeates all areas of social life.
This is a severe shock for us and we are incredibly sad. This is especially true for the Sol members in the Ruhr area, who not only built up the organisation together with Jan and took part in many struggles and protests, but for whom he was also a friend. We mourn together with his family and friends.
We lose a comrade who was very serious and conscientious. He was a role model for many, especially young members of the Sol. Jan joined the SAV (predecessor organisation of the Sol) in 2016 and was active in the linksjugend[‘solid] (youth wing of the Left Party), among others. He was a shop steward at the Dortmund city administration and was active in the leadership of industrial action . He took part in the founding conference of the Network for Combative Trade Unions (VKG) and was one of the speakers at a commission during the conference. Jan‘s special talent and exemplary commitment led him to join Sol’s national committee as a relatively young member.
Jan was known for his dry sense of humour, his love of sport, beer, and the Borussia Dortmund football club, and as a point of contact for political questions and advice. His typical Ruhr area mentality was characterised by honesty, directness, and deep empathy for all those suffering under the system. He was firmly anchored in the Dortmund Sol branch and leaves a gap that cannot be filled.
We will uphold Jan’s memory in the organisation and continue our struggle for socialist change in the world. We are sure that this is in his spirit and the best way to commemorate Jan.
Sol Executive Committee
