Status: 02/21/2022 1:37 p.m
Assisted suicide has been allowed since a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court in 2020. In 2021, German euthanasia organizations helped with almost 350 suicides. Efforts to regulate euthanasia anew, they gave a rejection.
In 2021, euthanasia organizations active in Germany accompanied suicides or arranged suicide assistance in almost 350 cases. The “German Society for Human Dying”, “Dignitas Germany” and “euthanasia Germany” presented corresponding figures in Berlin. According to its own information, the “German Society for Human Sting” placed 120 people willing to die in 2021 with euthanasia assistants. “Sterbehilfe Deutschland” did this in 129 cases, “Dignitas” in 97.
According to the information, the reasons for the wish to die of those affected were serious illnesses, but also so-called satiety. All three organizations also provided help to couples who wished to die together.
The organizations are controversial. In 2015, the Bundestag passed a law criminalizing repeated suicide assistance. This law was overturned by a judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court in February 2020. Since then, organizations have been allowed to help with suicide again.
More cases after the Karlsruhe judgment of 2020
The association “euthanasia Germany”, which was founded by the former Hamburg Senator for Justice Roger Kusch, also announced that it had helped a total of 470 members commit suicide in twelve years. The number of assisted suicides rose sharply after the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court in 2020.
In addition, the association has significantly more members than before the Karlsruhe judge’s decision. From 613 members in 2014, the number initially declined. In 2020 it grew to 664, and last year it nearly doubled to 1201 members.
In the case of suicide assistance, a deadly drug is usually given to a person who is willing to die – either via euthanasia assistants or indirectly via relatives. Since the person willing to die takes these drugs themselves or at least starts an infusion themselves, it is legally a suicide. Aid to this is not punishable as such in Germany. In contrast, killing on demand is still a punishable offense.
Criticism of new proposals to regulate euthanasia
The Bundestag had not introduced a new law to regulate suicide assistance during the past legislative period. The newly elected parliament has now made new proposals on how euthanasia should be regulated in the future.
However, euthanasia associations and humanist organizations spoke out against renewed legal regulation. The three bills presented so far by various groups of members of the Bundestag continue to violate the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court, several clubs have now criticized. In the event of an implementation, they announced that they would go to Karlsruhe again.
Patient advocates: Suicide offers not for a fee
The German Foundation for Patient Protection, on the other hand, called on the legislature to “take a criminal look at those who assisted in the killing”. They must be made legally responsible for guaranteeing the free self-determination of those who want to commit suicide at all times, demanded board member Eugen Brysch. Likewise, organized suicide offers should not be made for a fee. “Where money flows, autonomy is in danger.”
Like the euthanasia associations, Brysch rejects legally prescribed counseling regulations: “Because it is impossible to determine self-determination using medical or legal criteria.”
Note on Suicide Reporting
Usually reported tagesschau.de not about suicide. We are guided by the Press Code: According to this, reporting on suicides requires restraint: “This applies in particular to the naming of names and the description of the accompanying circumstances. An exception can be justified, for example, if it is an incident of contemporary history of public interest .”
Another reason for our reluctance is the increased copycat rate after reporting on suicides.
If you are having suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately. With the anonymous telephone counseling service you will find contact persons around the clock.
Telephone numbers of the telephone counseling service: 0800/111 0 111 and 0800/111 0 222 www.telefonseelsorge.de