Kiesewetter murder case: Thriller sheds light on secret structures of the NSU!

Kiesewetter murder case: Thriller sheds light on secret structures of the NSU!

In April 2007, two shots were fired in the city of Heilbronn, shaking up the country and still raising questions today. These shots marked the murder of police chief Michèle Kiesewetter, which is considered part of the cruel mosaic of the NSU (National Socialist Underground). But the reason for this attack remains a mystery to this day. While the Federal Criminal Police Office sees no evidence of a prior relationship between Kiesewetter and the suspected terrorists, Kiesewetter and her injured colleague are viewed by the Federal Prosecutor's Office as "accidental victims", which makes it particularly difficult to investigate the entire complex. This is reported by Radio Gütersloh.

In order to shed light on the events surrounding the murder and the associated right-wing extremist structures, the SWR thriller “The Policeman's Niece” will be broadcast on Erste on October 8, 2025. The film is based on true events and offers both an exciting thriller and scope for speculation about right-wing extremist tendencies in the police. The fictional character Rebecca Henselmann, a 23-year-old police trainee, comes into focus and is confronted with a network of right-wing structures. Her uncle Warner Barth warns her about the influence of these elements.This approach sheds an emotional light on a tragic crime that still raises unanswered questions today.

The NSU complex and the powerlessness of the authorities

The NSU left a trail of horror and suffering as it carried out a total of ten murders between 2000 and 2007, almost exclusively targeting migrants. The role of the investigative authorities remained obscure for a long time. Murders were not recognized as acts of neo-Nazis, which plunged those affected and their families into deep despair. These deficiencies in intelligence also led to a devastating loss of trust in the security authorities, who for a long time underestimated the threat posed by the NSU. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, even relatives of the murder victims were often suspected and stigmatized.

A particularly tragic example is the murder of Michèle Kiesewetter. Although the majority of the NSU's victims came from the migrant community, the investigative work was inadequate and the background of those affected was not sufficiently investigated. The murders were not only an expression of racist hatred, but also an indication that the dangers of right-wing terrorism had been ignored for a long time. A workshop in Nuremberg is now taking on this topic and dealing with the chronicle of the NSU complex in a way that gives the victims and their relatives a voice. Not only is the role of the authorities considered here, but the continuity of right-wing extremism up to the present day is also discussed.

It remains to be seen whether the NSU was ultimately able to change the country's society with its brutal actions. Because the discourse about right-wing extremist structures is more topical than ever. The murder of Michèle Kiesewetter represents a turning point that forces many to think. Director Dustin Loose not only calls for clarification about such acts, but also for society to actively shape the discourse itself. As a society, we have a duty not only to remember these dark chapters of history, but also to discuss them openly. This is the only way we can ensure that history does not repeat itself.This is one of the lessons we must learn from the NSU complex.