User:AthresInMemoriam
Konstantin "AthresInMemoriam" Gedig. Affectionately known around the group simply as "AIM" because his username was such a mouthful.
Also known by his assumed Kurdish name Andok Cotkar. Cotkar being the Kurdish word for farmer.
AIM was a 24 year old German citizen. Several of us knew him before Coalition, and over the years many of us got to know him. He had a pretty stereotypical German sense of humor, Meaning he was very efficient at timing his deadpan delivery. He went to school to be and eventually worked as a farmer. Everywhere he went AIM brought with him a determined and practical attitude. He could always brighten a conversation, seeing the best of the worst.
AIM eventually seen the events unfolding around the world and took that determination to a new cause. In late 2016 Konstantin stepped away from his own life, everything he knew. And set his path to Syria. There he joined the "International Brigade" of the YPG. A mostly Kurdish group of fighters that were dedicated to protecting the civilian populous of northern Syria from the likes of the Islamic State. While over there he served with distinction and earned the respect of his comrades in arms. He participated in the intense fighting in and around Raqqa. On more than one occasion saving the lives of those around him, and ensuring wounded were extracted. Even on one occasion being a sole survivor ensuring he delivered vital information, and immediately going back into combat. On another occasion he was shot in the head. The bullet going through his helmet grazing his head taking a bit of hair with it. Eventually he was wounded more severely or as he put it a few times "I was shot in the ass, man". This prompted him a return home to Germany. Resulting in the period in which he joined Coalition after talking to those of us who knew him already. Rolling Stone article featuring AIM under a pseudo-name This tells some of the events involving his unit from 2016-2017.
As a member of the community just as in combat. AIM was more than we could have ever asked for. He made missions, sat in TS bsing with us, and just generally brought a light around that only he could. Anything could be improved in his eyes.
Although he seemed content for a while. It soon became apparent that he would not sit idle while innocent people were being murdered. In Early 2019 he once again set out for Syria. This time ending up with the YBŞ. A subgroup of the YPG created to defend the Yezidi people from another genocide. For a time he was stationed in Northwestern Iraq. Ever restless in downtime he was a common fixture in discord making memes, and sending us pictures of the conditions around him to pass the time. He even ended up making a wiki edit to stay in contact with the group because it was the only page that would load for him at the time due to internet being cut off from his region. At this point he was the oldest member of his unit. He was the mentor, running the weapons training and keeping morale up.
On 13 OCT 2019 he informed us that he had volunteered to go to the border where Turkish sponsored insurgents and Turkish troops had been making incursions into Syria.
AthresInMemoriam 10/13/2019 At no point did I have to go, I could still tell them not to send me. getting them to send us was actually a significant and continuous effort, and they haven't even done it yet. when I make it there, I want to stay till I'm dead, wounded or we win. fuck them, well fight in the cities where their arty and air has a harder time.
AthresInMemoriam 10/14/2019 a lot of our troops are cut off in Serêkaniyê, no one comes in or out. We are waiting for them to attack us in Quamishlo, the biggest city in the region. If they come it's gonna be a huge battle. saw at least two dudes in wheelchairs with kalashes this morning. If we fight here, it's gonna be an incredibly comfy front line. This point here has AC and internet, it's :ok_hand: Also, news of the invasion are 24/7 on every Kurdish channel, even the Barzanî ones. lots of footage of mothers cradling their dead children while cursing Erdogan and America.
AthresInMemoriam 10/15/2019 ya. there are difficulties getting to the front line we want to since it's half surrounded and they bomb everything that moves in the part that isn't surrounded I'm under some ostensibly influential people who are working on making a way, and I am optimistic that they want me with them. I was told am going for Serêkaniyê any moment to try and open a corridor. See you guys.
On 16 OCT 2019, Konstantin and his unit were killed in action while defending the only large (syrian) hospital within 40km, with the nearest small hospital being 20km away. They fought from their position which was a multi story building several blocks away from the hospital holding a vital intersection. AIM was a PKM gunner, and as such I am sure he kept the advancing forces sufficiently suppressed. By all accounts, they held their ground through artillery and mortar fire which was indiscriminately fired around the hospital. Undeterred they held out long enough for every soul in the hospital to be evacuated. Fighting so hard that eventually, the advancing Turkish column had to call in air support to knock out their position.
Konstantin died in a foreign land, for a people that weren't his, for ideas he didn't always believe in or even necessarily agree with. Just because he seen the opportunity to do some good. The world is far too short on people who would do what Konstantin did.
Rest well Konstantin. Friend. Brother. Son. Stereotypical soft spoken German man. And above all, a man of his morals.
Two years later a small documentary has been made by a German reporter.
Here is a direct account of the day from someone that was with AIM's group for his last fight.
