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Society
Photo: DPA

Neo-Nazi Zschäpe breaks silence in jail

Published: 26 Nov 12 13:22 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20121126-46395.html

Alleged neo-Nazi terrorist, Beate Zschäpe broke her lengthy silence to speak with officials about wanting to testify, life in prison and how she disliked her lawyers, it emerged on Monday.

The 37-year-old has said very little since she was put into investigative custody at the end of 2011. She is thought to have played a crucial part in 10 murders, mostly of men with an immigrant background, carried out by the so-called National Socialist Underground (NSU) gang between 2000 and 2007.

But on Monday, the Bild newspaper published parts of a conversation between Zschäpe and staff from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) from June 25, which took place when she was being escorted to a prison in the central state of Thuringia to meet her mother and grandmother.

It was on the journey that she broke her silence, telling the BKA escorts that her grandmother suffering a fall had made her want to testify. It would be, Zschäpe said, a way of apologizing.

She said that her statement would have been, according to the BKA notes, exhaustive. But whether she was referring to the suspected NSU attacks, or just the fact that she had vanished – cutting herself off from her family – was unclear. Either way, her lawyers dissuaded her from talking.

These were the same attorneys that Zschäpe told the escorts she was unhappy with. They described her relationship with her legal team as deeply damaged and said she was thinking about trying to change them. She had apparently asked her mother to look for an alternative.

During the eight-hour journey, Zschäpe also spoke about her daily life in prison. She said how she would wile away time by writing letters, reading and watching television. She had been unable to find a job behind bars which suited her.

Her parents gave her, Bild reported, €43 per month - €10 of which she would spend on haircuts, as she told the BKA staff that her looks were important to her. She has also reportedly received several letters from would-be suitors while in custody.

She also said that when she got out of the Cologne prison she was being held in, she would like to visit the city's famous cathedral, visit a beer garden and celebrate carnival.

Zschäpe, who's name has become well-known in Germany, also said she would like to have it changed to something less conspicuous like Schmidt or Müller.

The Local/jcw

What do you think? Leave your comment below.


Your comments about this article:

14:59 November 26, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
'€10 of which she would spend on haircuts, as she told the BKA staff that her looks were important to her. '

She will need a lot more than €10 spent on haircuts.

'She has also reportedly received several letters from would-be suitors while in custody. '

The far right gene pool must be getting very small. Either that or they are all blind as well as stupid.
15:21 November 26, 2012 by raandy
Her grandmother suffering a fall made her want to testify. Thats one for the record books.She has quite a bucket list.

..Berlin fur alle ,she looks better in this picture than the last one. I sure would like to see the pictures of her would be suitors.You know that looks are only skin deep, OK ugliness is clean through :-)
16:04 November 26, 2012 by Leo Strauss
@ Berlin fuer alles and raandy

You should you know that it is a crime to insult a civil servant in Germany? ;)

Don`t be surprised when TL deletes your comments again.
18:35 November 26, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
Yeah, that would be a thing that could happen in Germany. I will swear by the bible that I really do believe she to be one ugly MF.
19:58 November 26, 2012 by Englishted
Don't do it chaps any insults directed at a person in prison for major crimes will get your comment removed quicker than you can say "wear a bag over your head".
23:44 November 26, 2012 by Berlin fuer alles
So I think she does not have a chance in the fashion industry. Either way she was not smiled upon by the charm god.
12:00 November 27, 2012 by raandy
I printed these comments out, especially the ugly ones, 9 8 7 65 .......gone
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