German authorities reopen two major cold case investigations

German authorities are reopening two significant cold case investigations involving violent crimes from decades ago.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, police in Mönchengladbach are seeking new witnesses regarding an attempted murder from August 12, 1990. An 18-year-old woman, Ewa M., was attacked and stabbed multiple times near Vorst. Although she survived the life-threatening assault, the perpetrator was never identified. Investigators hope that modern forensic technology and new perspectives can provide breakthroughs in the case.

Separately, the unsolved triple murder of Manfred Meisel, the founder of the ‘Bierkönig’ in Mallorca, is being featured on the ZDF crime program ‘Aktenzeichen XY… International’. In November 1997, Meisel, his eight-year-old son Patrick, and a staff member were shot dead at their estate in S’Aranjassa. While the statute of limitations has expired in Spain, the Frankfurt public prosecutor's office continues to investigate the case in Germany. Potential motives include professional rivalries involving Meisel’s valuable bird breeding business or links to organized crime.