Marcus Bensmann

TV and Print Journalist, Germany. Injured.

When German freelancer Marcus Bensmann was viciously attacked in Kazakhstan, he was lucky to survive. Marcus – an investigative journalist who had lived and worked in Central Asia for more than ten years covering stories for German newspapers and TV – was robbed, severely beaten and left for dead in a freezing car park outside Kazakhstan’s new capital, Astana in 2008.

He was found unconscious by local police after spending the night in freezing temperatures of -20˚C dressed only in a shirt and jeans.  He had a fractured skull, jaw, ribs, nose, cheekbones and very severe frostbite.  With the help of WDR, Marcus was flown to a specialist hospital in Germany where doctors were able to save his fingers, toes and tongue. But his injuries were severe and he faced a long road to recovery.

Support from the Trust enabled Marcus to undertake regular speech and physiotherapy sessions and essential trauma counselling.  We also helped him buy a special keyboard, desk and chair so that he could continue to work during his recovery. Marcus has since made steady progress, working for various organisations including WDR’s Monitor programme.  In the Autumn he travelled back to Central Asia and plans to return there to work in the Spring.