Movie Scene of Mother Avenging Her Daughter's Murder Mistaken for Real Incident
The Claim
A mother took revenge from her daughter's killer in court.
News posted on
Emerging story
Recently, social media users circulated a video clip purporting to feature Marianne Bachmeier, a West German woman, shooting Klaus Grabowski, a man on trial for the rape and murder of her daughter Anna.
The video was widely shared on social media in both English and German, supporting Marianne Bachmeier's act of revenge.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating footage and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a comprehensive reverse image search, Misbar's team found the video in question to be a scene from a movie inspired by a true story.
The Video Shows a Movie Scene, Not a Real Incident
Contrary to claim, the video does not feature an actual event; instead, it shows a scene from a movie that is inspired by a true story about a German mother who avenge her daughter’s killer by shooting the killer in the courtroom.
The scene was taken from a German drama movie called "No Time for Tears: The Bachmeier Case," produced in 1984 and based on a real case from 1981. It tells the story of a mother who fired seven shots at the rapist and murderer of her young daughter in a courtroom.
In the movie, the names of the characters were changed to fictional ones. The courtroom scene appears at the 1:19:26 mark.
Marianne Bachmeier's case inspired the German writer and producer, Hark Bohm, to create a movie that delves into the backstory of the crime.
Marianne Bachmeier’s Case
Marianne Bachmeier was born on June 3, 1950. Her upbringing occurred in Sarstedt, a small town near Hildesheim in Lower Saxony, West Germany. In November 1972, Bachmeier welcomed her daughter, Anna.
Tragically, on May 5, 1980, Klaus Grabowski abducted and brutally murdered the seven-year-old Anna Bachmeier. He held her captive for an extended period, sexually assaulted her, and ultimately strangled her. Subsequently, Grabowski's fiancée reported him to the authorities.
On March 6, 1981, during the third day of Klaus Grabowski's trial, Marianne secretly smuggled a Beretta 70 pistol into the courtroom of Lübeck District Court. She aimed the firearm at Grabowski's back and shot him seven times, resulting in his instant death. She then surrendered without any resistance.
The case generated extensive media coverage and ignited public debate. Consequently, Bachmeier was convicted of killing and unlawful possession of a firearm. She received a six-year sentence but was granted bail and released after completing three years of her sentence.
Read More
A Scene From Star Wars Falsely Shared as Russian Invasion of Ukraine
