Armin Meiwes
Encyclopedia
Armin Meiwes is a German
man who achieved international notoriety for killing and eating a voluntary victim whom he had found via the Internet. After Meiwes and the victim jointly attempted to eat the victim's severed penis
, Meiwes killed his victim and proceeded to eat a large amount of his flesh. Because of his acts, Meiwes is also known as the Rotenburg
Cannibal or (The Master Butcher).
As is known from a videotape the two made when they met on 9 March 2001 in Meiwes's home in the small village of Rotenburg, Meiwes amputated Brandes' penis and the two men attempted to eat the penis together before Brandes was killed. Brandes had insisted that Meiwes attempt to bite his penis off. This did not work and ultimately, Meiwes used a knife to remove Brandes' penis. Brandes apparently tried to eat some of his own penis raw, but could not because it was too tough and, as he put it, "chewy". Meiwes then fried the penis in a pan with salt, pepper, wine and garlic; he then fried it with some of Brandes' fat but by then it was too burned to be consumed. He then chopped it up into chunks and fed it to his dog.
According to journalists who saw the video (which has not been made public), Brandes may already have been too weakened from blood loss to actually eat any of his penis. Meiwes read a book for three hours, while Brandes lay bleeding in the bath. Meiwes apparently gave him large quantities of alcohol
and pain killers
, twenty sleeping pills and a bottle of schnapps
, kissed him and finally killed him in a room that he had built in his house for this purpose, the Slaughter Room. After stabbing Brandes to death in the throat
, he hung the body on a meat hook
and tore chunks of flesh from it; he even tried to grind the bones to use as flour
. The whole scene was recorded on the two-hour video tape. Meiwes ate the body over the next 10 months, storing body parts in his freezer under pizza boxes and consuming up to 20 kilograms (44.1 lb) of the flesh. According to prosecutors, Meiwes committed the act for sexual enjoyment.
Jonas Bahceci is also known as an accomplice for Meiwes as he frequently taught him different ways to fry genitals.
phoned the police after seeing new advertisements for victims and details about the killing on the Internet. Investigators searched his home and found body parts and the videotaped killing.
On 30 January 2004, Meiwes was convicted of manslaughter
and sentenced to eight years in prison. The case attracted considerable media attention and led to a debate over whether Meiwes could be convicted at all, given that Bernd Jürgen Brandes had voluntarily and knowingly participated in the act.
Meiwes has admitted what he did, and expressed regret for his actions. He added he wanted to write a book of his life story with the aim of deterring anyone who wants to follow his steps. Websites dedicated to Meiwes have appeared, with people advertising for willing victims. "They should go for treatment, so it doesn't escalate like it did with me", said Meiwes. He believes there are over 100 cannibals in Germany.
. Among the questions courts answered is whether Brandes agreed to his killing, and whether he was legally capable of doing so at the moment, taking into account his apparent mental problems as well as his significant intake of alcohol. Other aspects of the retrial determined whether Meiwes killed to satiate his own desires (in particular sexual desires
), and not because he was asked to, which Meiwes has repeatedly rejected during testimony. At his retrial a psychologist stated that Meiwes could reoffend and still "had fantasies about devouring the flesh of young people." On 10 May 2006, a court in Frankfurt convicted Meiwes of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
man who achieved international notoriety for killing and eating a voluntary victim whom he had found via the Internet. After Meiwes and the victim jointly attempted to eat the victim's severed penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
, Meiwes killed his victim and proceeded to eat a large amount of his flesh. Because of his acts, Meiwes is also known as the Rotenburg
Rotenburg an der Fulda
Rotenburg an der Fulda is a town in Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany lying, as the name says, on the river Fulda.- Geography :- Location :...
Cannibal or (The Master Butcher).
Killing and cannibalism
Looking for a willing victim, Meiwes posted an advertisement at a website, The Cannibal Cafe, whose disclaimer mentions the distinction between reality and fantasy. Meiwes's post stated that he was "looking for a well-built 18 to 30-year-old to be slaughtered and then consumed". Bernd Jürgen Brandes then answered the advertisement. Many other people responded to the advertisement, but backed out; Meiwes did not attempt to force them to do anything against their will.As is known from a videotape the two made when they met on 9 March 2001 in Meiwes's home in the small village of Rotenburg, Meiwes amputated Brandes' penis and the two men attempted to eat the penis together before Brandes was killed. Brandes had insisted that Meiwes attempt to bite his penis off. This did not work and ultimately, Meiwes used a knife to remove Brandes' penis. Brandes apparently tried to eat some of his own penis raw, but could not because it was too tough and, as he put it, "chewy". Meiwes then fried the penis in a pan with salt, pepper, wine and garlic; he then fried it with some of Brandes' fat but by then it was too burned to be consumed. He then chopped it up into chunks and fed it to his dog.
According to journalists who saw the video (which has not been made public), Brandes may already have been too weakened from blood loss to actually eat any of his penis. Meiwes read a book for three hours, while Brandes lay bleeding in the bath. Meiwes apparently gave him large quantities of alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and pain killers
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
, twenty sleeping pills and a bottle of schnapps
Schnapps
Schnapps is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage. The English word schnapps is derived from the German Schnaps , which can refer to any strong alcoholic drink but particularly those containing at least 32% ABV...
, kissed him and finally killed him in a room that he had built in his house for this purpose, the Slaughter Room. After stabbing Brandes to death in the throat
Throat
In vertebrate anatomy, the throat is the anterior part of the neck, in front of the vertebral column. It consists of the pharynx and larynx...
, he hung the body on a meat hook
Meat hook
A meat hook is a two-sided hook normally used in butcheries to hang up meat or the carcasses of animals such as pigs and cattle on a moving conveyor line. There are many types of hooks, but meat hooks are the only ones used in butchering....
and tore chunks of flesh from it; he even tried to grind the bones to use as flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
. The whole scene was recorded on the two-hour video tape. Meiwes ate the body over the next 10 months, storing body parts in his freezer under pizza boxes and consuming up to 20 kilograms (44.1 lb) of the flesh. According to prosecutors, Meiwes committed the act for sexual enjoyment.
Jonas Bahceci is also known as an accomplice for Meiwes as he frequently taught him different ways to fry genitals.
Arrest, trial, and conviction of manslaughter
Meiwes was arrested in December 2002, after a college student in InnsbruckInnsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
phoned the police after seeing new advertisements for victims and details about the killing on the Internet. Investigators searched his home and found body parts and the videotaped killing.
On 30 January 2004, Meiwes was convicted of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and sentenced to eight years in prison. The case attracted considerable media attention and led to a debate over whether Meiwes could be convicted at all, given that Bernd Jürgen Brandes had voluntarily and knowingly participated in the act.
Meiwes has admitted what he did, and expressed regret for his actions. He added he wanted to write a book of his life story with the aim of deterring anyone who wants to follow his steps. Websites dedicated to Meiwes have appeared, with people advertising for willing victims. "They should go for treatment, so it doesn't escalate like it did with me", said Meiwes. He believes there are over 100 cannibals in Germany.
Retrial and murder conviction
In April 2005, a German court ordered a retrial after prosecutors appealed his sentence. They believed he should have been convicted of murderMurder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. Among the questions courts answered is whether Brandes agreed to his killing, and whether he was legally capable of doing so at the moment, taking into account his apparent mental problems as well as his significant intake of alcohol. Other aspects of the retrial determined whether Meiwes killed to satiate his own desires (in particular sexual desires
Paraphilia
Paraphilia is a biomedical term used to describe sexual arousal to objects, situations, or individuals that are not part of normative stimulation and that may cause distress or serious problems for the paraphiliac or persons associated with him or her...
), and not because he was asked to, which Meiwes has repeatedly rejected during testimony. At his retrial a psychologist stated that Meiwes could reoffend and still "had fantasies about devouring the flesh of young people." On 10 May 2006, a court in Frankfurt convicted Meiwes of murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
Consultant in criminal cases
According to a Bild report from October 2007, Meiwes was helpful in the analysis of two suspected cannibal murders from 1998 and 2000, in which two young boys were found mutilated.Cultural impact
- The film Three and OutThree and OutThree And Out is a 2008 British comedy film directed by Jonathan Gershfield. It premiered in London on the 21 April 2008 and was released in the UK and Ireland on 25 April 2008.-Plot:...
contains a reference to the incident in which a German persistently calls the protagonist asking if he would eat his penis. The protagonist, Paul, was previously looking for a man willing to jump in front of his train as he believed if three people did so in a month he would get 10 years of wages. - The song "Mein TeilMein Teil"Mein Teil" is the first single by the German industrial metal band Rammstein from their fourth album Reise, Reise. The song is inspired by the case of Armin Meiwes and Bernd Jürgen Armando Brandes. In March 2001, in Rotenburg an der Fulda, the two men aged in their 40s met each other, cut off and...
" by German band RammsteinRammsteinRammstein is a German Neue Deutsche Härte band from Berlin, formed in 1994. The band consists of members Till Lindemann , Richard Z. Kruspe , Paul H. Landers , Oliver "Ollie" Riedel , Christoph "Doom" Schneider and Christian "Flake" Lorenz...
was inspired by the case. Teil translates literally to "part" or "member," but is German slang for penis (much as "member" is in EnglishEnglish languageEnglish is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
). The chorus of "Mein Teil" includes the line "Denn du bist, was du isst und ihr wisst, was es ist", which translates to "Because you are what you eat and you (plural) know what it is" with "Du bist was du isst" being the famous catchphrase for the Swedish brand of crisp bread WasaWasabrödThe Swedish company Wasabröd is the largest producer in the world of Scandinavian style crisp bread . The Wasabröd company has been in business since 1919, opening its first bakery in the city of Skellefteå...
. The statement was originally made by Ludwig Feuerbach, a German philosopher, expressing that everything a human consumes influences his mind and body. - In the 2005 song EatenEaten (song)Eaten is a song by Swedish death metal band Bloodbath. The music and lyrics were composed by Dan Swanö, and was released on the album Nightmares Made Flesh....
by Swedish death metal band BloodbathBloodbathBloodbath is a Swedish death metal supergroup from Stockholm formed in 1998.-History:A year after being formed, the band, then consisting of Mikael Åkerfeldt on vocals, Dan Swanö on drums, Anders "Blakkheim" Nyström on guitar, and Jonas Renkse on bass, released their EP Breeding...
, the lyrics are from the point of view of a man who fantasizes about being cannibalized.
- Other songs inspired by Meiwes's story include "The Wüstenfeld Man Eater" by American deathDeath metalDeath metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It typically employs heavily distorted guitars, tremolo picking, deep growling vocals, blast beat drumming, minor keys or atonality, and complex song structures with multiple tempo changes....
/thrash metalThrash metalThrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band MacabreMacabre (band)Macabre is an extreme metal band from Illinois. They were formed in 1985 in Chicago, Illinois, and have never had a line-up change. They blend thrash metal, death metal, and grindcore to form their own unique style dubbed murder metal...
, "Let me Taste your Flesh" by Spanish death metal band Avulsed, as well as "Cannibal Anthem" by German electro-industrial project :wumpscut:, and "Menschenfresser [Man-eater]" by electro-industrial act Suicide CommandoSuicide CommandoSuicide Commando is a Belgian electro-industrial act created by Johan van Roy in 1986.- History :Johan van Roy, Suicide Commando's only member, began experimenting with electronic music in 1986. Three years later he released his first tape under the moniker Suicide Commando, and made an appearance...
. - Rock artist Marilyn MansonMarilyn MansonMarilyn Manson may refer to:* Marilyn Manson , an American rock musician* Marilyn Manson , the American rock band led by the singer of the same name...
has identified Meiwes as inspirational in the titling of his album Eat Me, Drink MeEat Me, Drink MeEat Me, Drink Me is the sixth full-length studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on June 5, 2007, debuting at number 8 in the United States with more than 80,000 copies sold in the first week. It was recorded in a rented home-recording studio in Hollywood, California by...
. Manson explained in an article what this story meant to him: "Although I can't relate to the relationship those two had, I found the story very compelling in a romantic way. I think a lot of people wouldn’t look at it as romantic, but it was to them in some sick way, and it is to me in some sick way, too". - Feature film Butterfly: A Grimm Love StoryButterfly: A Grimm Love StoryGrimm Love is a 2007 psychological horror film inspired by the Armin Meiwes cannibal murder case.-Plot:...
(aka Rohtenburg, which might be a pun on the name of the town Rothenburg near Armin Meiwes's house and the German word roh meaning "raw, uncooked") was scheduled for German release in March 2006. However, it was banned in that country after Meiwes complained that his personality rightsPersonality rights"Personality rights" is a common or casual reference to the proper term of art "Right of Publicity". The Right of Publicity can be defined simply as the right of an individual to control the commercial use of his or her name, image, likeness or other unequivocal aspects of one's identity...
had been violated. The ban has since been lifted by Germany's highest civil courtFederal Court of Justice of GermanyThe Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction in Germany. It is the supreme court in all matters of criminal and private law...
on appeal and has been released in German cinemas. The German film, which is fictionalized, stars Keri RussellKeri RussellKeri Lynn Russell is an American actress and dancer. After appearing in a number of made-for-television films and series during the mid-1990s, she came to fame for portraying the title role of Felicity Porter on the series Felicity, which ran from 1998 to 2002, and for which she won a Golden Globe...
and, in the role inspired by Meiwes, Thomas KretschmannThomas KretschmannThomas Kretschmann is a German actor best known for playing Leutnant Hans Von Witzland in the 1993 film Stalingrad, Hauptmann Wilm Hosenfeld in The Pianist, Hermann Fegelein in Der Untergang, and Captain Englehorn in the 2005 remake of King Kong.-Early life:Kretschmann was born in Dessau, former...
. The film won multiple awards at the 2006 Festival de Cine de SitgesFestival de Cine de SitgesThe Sitges Film Festival is a Spanish film festival that is one of the most recognizable ones held in Europe, considered the world's foremost international festival specializing in fantasy and horror movies...
, including Best Director, Best Actor for the two male leads, and Best Cinematography. - Other films based on the case include Rosa von PraunheimRosa von PraunheimRosa von Praunheim , in Riga, Latvia. His given name is Holger Mischwitzky. He is a German film director, author, painter and gay rights activist. Openly gay, he is one of the initiators of the gay rights movement in Germany....
's Dein Herz in Meinem Hirn (Your Heart in My Brain); Marian Dora's Cannibal; and Ulli Lommel's Diary of a Cannibal. - In 2005, the FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
author and actor Olivier Lejeune penned and acted a farceFarceIn theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,...
entitled Dévorez-moi (Devour me), loosely based on the case. - British comedy The IT CrowdThe IT CrowdThe IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4, written by Graham Linehan, produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Matt Berry...
parodied this story as part of a plot for the third episode of series 2 wherein the character Moss, in a confusion, was interested in cookery, however, was referred to a cannibal and later on watched a film on the cannibal's television. - Hip-hop artist Necro briefly makes reference to the case in the song "Human Consumption" (from his third album The Pre-Fix For DeathThe Pre-Fix for DeathThe Pre-Fix for Death Instrumentals is the instrumental version of American hip hop musician Necro's third studio album, released on June 20, 2005 by Psycho+Logical-Records...
), where he says : "it's legal in Germany, believe me, cannibals are celebrities". - In 2006, the film CannibalCannibal (film)- Plot :In a small rural town, a man roams the streets, his apparent search for a suitable partner runs without success.On the internet, he continues to search, he's looking for meat, and he finds a willing victim. The man meets the young man in the open field and entertains him on his farm...
was released, reconstructing the event. The film is directed by Marian Dora and stars actors Carsten FrankCarsten Frank-Filmography:as Actor:* Rudolf Klein-Rogge - Gestorben zu Pfingsten * Incubus * Killer Barbys vs. Dracula * Gewaltig-Erinnerungen an "Kinski Paganini" * Zombie Nation * Cannibal * Green River Killer...
, Victor Brandl and ManoushManoushMarcia Nicole Barandshay is an Dutch-German actress, singer, songwriter, anti death penalty advocate and Screenwriter.-Early life:...
. The film was banned in Germany. - The book EmergencyEmergency: This Book Will Save Your LifeEmergency: This Book Will Save Your Life is a 2009 book on survivalist preparedness by Neil Strauss. In the book, the author gains citizenship of the island nation of St...
by Neil StraussNeil StraussNeil Darrow Strauss , also known by the pen names Style and Chris Powles, is an American and Kittitian author, journalist and ghostwriter...
(2009) makes a reference to Meiwes in regards to how easy it is to find things using the internet. - Meiwes's life and the murder are the subject of an episode entitled "The Man Who Ate His Lover" from the sensationalist documentaryDocumentaryA documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
series BodyshockBodyShockBodyShock is a sensationalistic documentary series about the conditions or lives of extraordinary people. It was originally produced by redback for Channel 4 in the UK, but since September 2006, it has been carried by ArkMedia....
. - In the British TV Show Peep ShowPeep Show (TV series)Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
Mark insists that Jez's new boss is going to "invite a German 'round from the internet to eat you". - The 2005 film FeedFeed (film)Feed is a 2005 Australian thriller film directed by Brett Leonard. The plot involves a police investigation of the sexual fetish of feederism, where the 'feeder' will feed 'gainers' . The film explores themes of dominance, submission, love, and power...
, directed by Brett LeonardBrett LeonardBrett Leonard is an American film director, producer and music video director specializing in the science-fiction and horror genres. A few of his films such as The Lawnmower Man and Virtuosity feature groundbreaking computer animation and visual effects...
, depicts the search for a man addicted to Feederism, who ends up killing his victims by force feeding them an overdose of pure, undiluted fat. The very first scene shows the police breaking and entering in a home where they find a cannibal feeding his victim a piece of his own thigh, with his severed penis cooking in a frying pan in the kitchen. - In 2008 the distributor MORE Music and Media released the four hour interview and documentary from RTL Extra on DVD as "Der Kannibale von Rotenburg", it was released in the UK as Armin Meiwes: The Cannibal.
- In the 20072007 in literatureThe year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:...
novelNovelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Yeval by C. W. Schultz, there is a murder that is heavily influenced by the Armin Meiwes case. - The Tiger LilliesTiger LilliesThe Tiger Lillies are a three-piece band, formed in 1989 and based in London. They have toured worldwide and won acclaim with their opera Shockheaded Peter....
group recorded a song "Cannibal" in 2010. A cannibal wonders why eating willing adults is a crime and wants eating to be free from society control, or at least introducing cannibal consent age. - In the 2004 episode of Gilmore GirlsGilmore GirlsGilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
, "Girls in Bikinis, Boys Doin' the Twist", Paris Gellar makes a cultural reference when a character states about a fellow classmate "You're going to ride to Florida with a guy that's bummed he got turned down by that "German Cannibal?"", hinting that he responded to the ad. - The movie Grimm Love also tells the story
External links
- Interview with a Cannibal: Introduction
- Profile: Cannibal Armin Meiwes, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
- Guardian Unlimited article about the case
- Cannibal film banned in Germany
- CNN article with links and info
- Court sentences German cannibal to life for murder