Germany had no law against what he did. That gap is the reason his first sentence was only eight and a half years.
Armin Meiwes killed and cannibalized Bernd-Jürgen Brandes in Rotenburg, Germany, in 2001, after the two met online and Brandes agreed in writing to the act. The case became a landmark in German law over whether consent can excuse a killing.
An Online Advertisement
Meiwes, a computer technician, had harbored cannibalistic fantasies since childhood and posted an online ad seeking a "well-built male" willing to be killed and eaten. Brandes, a Berlin engineer, responded and the two exchanged messages before agreeing to meet. Brandes traveled to Meiwes's home in March 2001, having sold his belongings and taken leave from his job beforehand, and signed a written statement consenting to what would happen.
What Happened
The two men recorded much of the encounter on video, which later became central evidence at trial. Given the extreme and disturbing nature of what the recording documented, we won't detail it further here beyond confirming that Brandes died from the encounter, and that Meiwes later told investigators he had eaten portions of his remains over the following months.
Discovery
After failing to find another willing participant, Meiwes began discussing the killing on internet forums dedicated to cannibalism fantasies. A university student who'd contacted him, disturbed by his admissions, reported him to authorities in late 2002. Police arrested him in December of that year.
A Legal Gap
Germany had no law at the time specifically addressing cannibalism or a killing carried out with the victim's full, documented consent. Meiwes's defense argued the act should be classified as a form of mercy killing carrying a much lighter maximum sentence, since Brandes had actively sought and consented to his own death. In January 2004, a court agreed the killing lacked "base motives" required for a murder conviction, and Meiwes was convicted only of manslaughter, receiving eight and a half years — a sentence that sparked significant public outrage in Germany.
A Retrial and Life Sentence
Prosecutors appealed, and Germany's Federal Court of Justice overturned the verdict, ruling that consent could not excuse a killing that was sexually motivated and involved extreme brutality. At a 2006 retrial, Meiwes was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, a sentence he remains serving.
A Law Changed
The case's most lasting impact came afterward: German lawmakers moved to close the legal gap the case had exposed, and cannibalism was explicitly criminalized under German law in the years that followed, removing the ambiguity that had allowed Meiwes's initial lenient sentence. The case has continued to surface in German courts since — in 2021, a Berlin teacher was convicted and sentenced to life in a separate cannibalism-motivated killing that echoed several elements of the Meiwes case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Armin Meiwes still in prison?
Yes. He's serving a life sentence following his 2006 murder conviction.
Why was his first sentence so short?
German law at the time had no specific provision addressing consensual killing or cannibalism, allowing his defense to argue for a lesser manslaughter charge. A retrial later overturned this.
Did this case change German law?
Yes. It contributed directly to Germany explicitly criminalizing cannibalism in the years following the case.