The town of Herdecke is located in North Rhine-Westphalia and has 22,000 inhabitants. The fifty-seven-year-old lawyer Stalzerová was elected mayor at the end of September. Already on October 7, the news that someone had attacked a municipal politician attracted a lot of attention in Germany and beyond. The attack was immediately condemned by a number of politicians, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz. However, it soon became clear that it was not a political act, but a conflict in the family.
According to the investigators, Stalzer was stabbed by her 17-year-old adopted daughter, who, according to German media, had tortured her mother for a long time in the basement. Doctors found 13 stab wounds and a number of head injuries on Stalzer’s body.
The public prosecutor’s office has so far qualified the case as dangerous bodily harm. The motive remains unclear. The police are still investigating whether Stalzer’s 15-year-old adopted son was also involved in the crime.
A day of failure and vulnerability
The new mayor said at the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday that October 7 was “a day of failure and vulnerability” for her. Despite this, she is sure that she can perform her new function well. According to the DPA agency, no external injuries were visible on the mayor.
