10 Vengeful Details Surrounding Marianne Bachmeier, The Mother Who Murdered Her Child’s Killer In The Middle Of His Trial

6 /10 Offensive Claim

Detectives found no difficulties in getting a confession from Klaus. While in custody, he admitted to killing Anna but denied any sexual abuse accusations.

He told the police that Anna had attempted to blackmail him with the very same allegation.

According to Klaus, Anna threatened to tell her mother that he had sexually assaulted her if he refused to give the little girl some money.

Knowing the statement, Marianne was infuriated. She felt the story insulting and damaging her daughter’s reputation. If Marianne had no intention to kill this man before, the statement for sure changed her mind.

5 /10 Homicide In Courtroom

March 6, 1981, was supposed to be the third day of the trial in the murder case of Anna Bachmeier. A few minutes past 10 a.m., two guards appeared with the defendant into the hall of Lubeck jury court.

The defendant was not the first to arrive, but the judge’s table was still empty at the moment. Behind his back was the auditorium.

Moments later, Marianne came approaching the defendant wearing a wide black coat. She pulled a gun out of one pocket and shot Klaus in the back six times. She then tossed the gun to the ground.

4 /10 Famous Vigilante

Witnesses at the trial later said Marianne tossed the gun to the ground in a calm fashion. Some said she fired seven shots instead of six. The weapon she used was a .22 Beretta pistol.

Marianne suddenly found herself in the spotlight after the killing. Public interest focused on the life of the mother.

The magazine “Stern” gave Marianne 250,000 marks (close to half a million American dollars of today’s money) for her life story.

Readers learned details about her unhappy childhood raised by her former Waffen-SS father. She used the money to cover legal fees for the November 1982 trial.

3 /10 Charged For Murder

Of course, the trial was a highly anticipated event all across Germany. Many blamed the law because, for some reason, a convicted sex offender had acquired artificial male hormone treatment.

Some accused Marianne of neglecting her daughter and doubted her credibility following all sorts of publicity stunts. Others expressed sympathy and hoped the court would be on her side this time.

Marianne Bachmeier was initially charged with murder but later reduced to manslaughter.

In addition to the income from the magazine, public donation for Marianne reached nearly $60,000 by the first week of November 1982.

2 /10 Guilty As Charged

The court had a lot to consider before giving a verdict. Apart from murder and manslaughter, there were other factors such as grievance and public opinion.

The court approved the defendant’s argument that the killing was not planned, meaning Marianne carried the gun into the courtroom without any intention to use it.

On March 2, 1983, she was found guilty of manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm. She was sentenced to six years in prison but released early in June 1985. Marianne left the country afterward.

1 /10 Return To Germany

Marianne returned to Germany in 1996. By then, she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

She died on September 17 at the age of 46. Marianne had her last days filmed by an NDR (Northern German Broadcasting) reporter, further casting doubt on her sincerity.

On the other hand, the fact that she sought public attention until her last moments – when the interest had faded out considerably – proved her consistency to earn a spot in the spotlight.

She was buried in Germany against her wish to have a funeral in Palermo, where she had worked.