The newly elected mayor of a German town was discovered with stab wounds at her residence, purportedly after being tortured for hours in the basement before the assault took place.
Iris Stalzer, aged 57, won the mayoral election in Herdecke, located in western Germany, on September 28 and was scheduled to assume office on November 1. Her daughter contacted emergency services on Tuesday, reporting that Ms. Stalzer had sustained severe injuries in what seemed to be a robbery attempt outside their home.
Upon arrival, the police found the victim with multiple stab wounds seated indoors, contrary to the initial report of an outdoor attack. She was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition but has since stabilized. During police questioning, the mayor implicated her 17-year-old daughter as the alleged perpetrator, according to police investigator Jens Rautenberg.
In a recent development, German newspaper Bild disclosed that the SPD politician informed authorities that she had been subjected to prolonged torment by her adopted daughter in the house’s basement. The report also mentioned that the victim sustained injuries from two knives, and efforts were made to clean the bloodied evidence from the scene.
Bild reported that significant bloodstains were apparently removed before the emergency call, but forensic investigators identified and documented them. Both the teenage daughter and the mayor’s 15-year-old son were apprehended, with the daughter being handed over to the youth welfare office, as per Die Zeit.
Prosecutor Bernd Haldorn categorized the incident as a case of bodily harm. The attack on Ms. Stalzer, following a series of violent acts against local politicians in Germany, prompted swift condemnation from Chancellor Friedrich Merz and others.
Chancellor Merz expressed concern on social media following the assault, stating, “We have received news of a terrible deed in Herdecke. It must be swiftly investigated. We fear for the life of the mayor-designate and hope for her full recovery.”
Ms. Stalzer, a labor lawyer, represents the center-left Social Democrats and defeated a candidate from the center-right Christian Democrats to secure her mayoral position. However, investigations indicated no political motive behind the attack.
Herdecke, situated in Germany’s Ruhr region between Hagen and Dortmund, is a town with a population of approximately 23,000. Following the incident, heightened police presence was observed, including a helicopter transport to convey Ms. Stalzer to the hospital.
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