Abuse trial Stuttgart: grandchildren report years of trauma
Three adult siblings testify before the Stuttgart Regional Court about their grandfather's sexual abuse spanning decades. The 84-year-old has confessed to the offences in over 450 cases.
Abuse trial Stuttgart: grandchildren report years of trauma
Before the Stuttgart Regional Court, three siblings testified in court for the first time on Monday about their grandfather's sexual abuse. According to swr.de, the grandchildren were between 22 and 30 years old at the time of their testimony and are appearing as co-plaintiffs in the proceedings. The defendant, an 84-year-old man, had already made a comprehensive confession.
The emotional distress of the witnesses became immediately apparent during their testimony. One of the children reported that at the age of four they had attempted to tell their mother about the abuse – with the words: "Mum, grandpa touched me." The witnesses broke down several times during their testimony. One grandchild described the feeling of isolation: "I felt rejected. I wondered why I wasn't believed and what was wrong with me."
The siblings revealed that whilst they were mutually aware of their experiences and had even sometimes witnessed abuse of one another, they did not speak to each other about it for years. Feelings of shame were a recurring theme. One grandchild explained: "It feels normal when you grow up like that." The children, who were minors at the time, had not understood what was happening.
A turning point came in 2017 when a relative broached the subject of an incident with the parents. The parents then questioned their children, who reported the years of abuse for the first time. Contact with their grandfather was subsequently severed.
In 2026, one of the grandchildren discovered a newspaper article about an 83-year-old man who allegedly attempted to sexually accost a girl at the Cannstatt indoor swimming pool. Suspicion quickly fell on their grandfather – a suspicion that proved correct. The siblings realised that the abuse was not limited to the family. They decided jointly to file a report in order to protect other children and to gain closure themselves. Within three weeks, all three of them and their parents had gone to the criminal police.
The defendant fully admitted to his actions on the first day of the trial and stated that he had done wrong and deeply regretted this – a statement he reiterated in the courtroom. According to the investigation, the 84-year-old allegedly sexually abused his grandchildren in more than 450 cases. The attempt to sexually accost another girl ultimately led to the charges being brought. The defendant faces several years in prison.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)