Overview
- A local court in Freiburg handed the 63-year-old former municipal funeral director two years and six months in prison and gave his 41-year-old wife a two-year sentence on probation, with the decision reported Wednesday.
- Prosecutors say the man removed dental gold, crowns and jewellery from at least 250 bodies from 2013 until October 2024 and that the couple sold more than eight kilograms of dental gold and about 360 grams of jewellery for roughly €250,000.
- Court records and prosecutors describe forcible extractions, opening sealed coffins and the taking of personal effects, and they say the man photographed a female murder victim and sent the images to others; the victim’s siblings joined the case as co-plaintiffs.
- Both defendants largely admitted the charges during the trial, and officials say the case came to light after the wife reported the conduct to police; she is accused of converting the gold and jewellery to cash for the couple.
- The case has prompted questions about oversight at the municipal cemetery authority, could lead to reviews of handling and monitoring of remains, and has deepened distress among bereaved families who expected dignified care.