Iraq, freed German archaeologist seized three weeks ago

BERLIN – German television has announced that German archaeologist Susanne Osthoff, kidnapped in Iraq, was released in the area of ​​Ninive on November 25th. The news was given by his brother Robert, who said: “My sister is free, we are all very happy”.

The German foreign minister, Frank Walter Steinmeier, confirmed the news and said that the woman is in fairly good health. The woman’s driver, kidnapped with her, is still in the hands of the kidnappers, but according to the minister the kidnappers have announced that they will release him soon.

Susanne Osthoff, 43, born in Munich, already married to an Arab of Jordanian nationality, converted to Islam and mother of an 11-year-old girl, had been one of the first to arrive in Baghdad in 1993, immediately after the war of the Gulf, with a load of humanitarian aid for the population following secret paths that she knew thanks to her previous experiences.

“Those who lose their nerves die” said Susanne Osthoff, confirming the awareness of the risks she was running, in an interview in 2004, immediately after receiving the Tassilo award from the German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung, for the civil courage shown for years ‘to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi population before the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime and during the war.

December 18, 2005