On March 6, 1981, Marianne Bachmeier entered a courtroom in Lübeck, Germany, with determination evident in her every step. In a shocking turn of events, she pulled a loaded pistol from her handbag and opened fire on Klaus Grabowski, a 35-year-old sex offender.
Grabowski had been charged with the kidnapping, sexual abuse, and murder of Marianne’s 7-year-old daughter, Anna Bachmeier.
Within moments, he succumbed to his injuries, struck by seven bullets fired by Marianne, and collapsed on the courtroom floor. The grieving mother was promptly taken into custody, displaying no signs of remorse. Four decades later, the figure of the “revenge mom” remains etched in public memory, and her sentencing continues to polarize the nation.
