Mourning a hero
Twenty-three-year-old student Tugce Albayrak, who died after being punched when she came to the aid of two threatened girls at a fast food restaurant, has been laid to rest. Her death sparked an outpouring of sympathy.
Moving moments of farewell
Pallbearers carried the dark brown coffin with 23-year-old Tugce Albayrak to the mosque in the town of Wächtersbach on Wednesday. She was later buried at a private ceremony in the small German town where she was born.
Shared sadness
Some 1,500 people took part in a memorial to Tugce. Most of them did not personally know the young woman but wanted to show their respect for her and her actions. Tugce died after protecting two girls from a group of men harassing them.
Flowers and tears
Many of the guests at the memorial, which included the state of Hesse's premier and the Turkish ambassador to Germany, brought wreaths as a sign of admiration for Tugce's courageous action.
A private burial
Tugce was born in the town of Bad Soden-Salmünster. It's also where she was buried in a private ceremony on Wednesday.
Courage that inspired the world
Tugce's decision to help two girls turned her into the victim. Italian daily La Stampa called her the "Angel of McDonald's." Turkish media thanked Tugce on their pages, writing "We love you" and commenting on the outpouring of sympathy for Tugce from Germans.
She died because she wanted to help
On Saturday morning, police confirmed the death of the young woman. The people who who had led a her vigil in front of the Offenbach were stunned by grief. Tugce died on her 23rd birthday. She had to pay with her life because she wanted to help others.
Moving candlelight vigil
Around 1,500 mourners gathered in silence in front of the hospital where the young Turkish-born woman died. They laid down flowers and lit candles.
Life support switched off
According to Offenbach police, the student's life-support machine was turned off on Friday night. Tugce's parents, her mother shown here at the window, made the decision after doctors pronounced the young woman as brain dead.
Deeply affected
German President Joachim Gauck and the Hessian state government sent their condolences to Tugce's family. "It is horrible to lose a daughter who had her whole life ahead of her," said Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) and his deputy, Economy Minister Tarek Al-Wazir (Green) .
Quarrel at a fast food restaurant
Two weeks ago, the teaching student at the University of Giessen in western Germany was punched by a young man in front of a fast food restaurant and fell to the ground. As a result, she fell into a coma from which she never awoke. Tugce had been trying to help two threatened girls.
Perpetrator remains silent
The crime was filmed by a CCTV camera. According to the prosecution, in the first interrogation, the alleged perpetrator admitted to the blow. Since then, he has remained silent in custody and is now being investigated for bodily harm resulting in death. The two girls who Tugce tried to protect are still being sought as witnesses.
Great sympathy and solidarity
People who gathered in Offenbach in front of the Sana Clinic held up placards bearing the words "Today we are all Tugce."
Calls for the German Order of Merit
Thousands have turned to social media to express their grief and disbelief. The Facebook page "Tugce zeigte Zivilcourage, zeigen wir ihr unseren Respekt" meaning "Tugce showed courage, we show her our respect" has received more than 125,000 "likes." On Saturday morning an Internet petition demanding Germany's Order of Merit to be awarded to Tugce posthumously, had more than 50,000 signatures.