The Wuppertaler Rundschau on Kurtz Detective Agency and Tobias Rathjen

Wuppertal. In the racially motivated massacre in Hanau, which left eleven dead and was carried out by the presumably schizophrenic right-wing extremist Tobias R., there is a connection to Wuppertal. The 43-year-old, who also killed his mother and then took his own life, had, according to the Kurtz Detective Agency, already made contact with the firm on 17 June 2019; the company operates an office on the Barmer Werth. This was confirmed by owner Patrick Kurtz on Friday (21 February 2020) to the Wuppertaler Rundschau.

Hanau Attacker Seeks Official Contacts via Kurtz Detective Agency

R.’s apparent aim was to use their help to obtain "contacts right at the top" with authorities and government bodies. He had apparently become aware that the agency worked closely with authorities. R. therefore hoped for direct access to the heads of government agencies, who, he believed, would assist him in combating the secret organisations from his conspiracy theories.

These conspiracy theories had been presented by him on social networks. He claimed that a powerful international organisation not only manipulated governments but also citizens on a massive scale without them noticing. He also claimed that his brain had been tapped while he slept. His brilliant ideas had allegedly been marketed as Hollywood blockbusters and he had thus been cheated out of his creations. Together with a friend with whom he exchanged ideas, he had collected many more pieces of evidence for obscure conspiracies — which were not taken seriously. From June until 23 September 2019, he reportedly inundated Kurtz Detective Agency in Wuppertal with telephone calls, but was repeatedly rebuffed there as well. Patrick Kurtz: "We are presented with such theories an incredible number of times, without us recognising any concrete and criminal background in them."

Meeting Between Tobias Rathjen and a Detective in Dortmund

On 24 October 2019, however, a meeting and a personal conversation did take place in Dortmund between R. and detective Holger E. The investigator was interested in how such conspiracy fanatics function and present themselves. In contrast to many others who spoke vaguely of world conspiracies, the Hanau man appeared "intelligent and articulate". According to the investigator, he seemed completely "harmless", although a paranoid background was certainly discernible. At that time there had been no sign of violent or racist fantasies, the detective reported.

As planned, the investigator subsequently withdrew from the contact. The ideas were just as delusional as those he had encountered in other channels. No business deal was concluded, nor were any financial terms discussed — even though the later murderer spoke of a regular income and a steady job.

Hanau "Manifesto" Already Existed in October 2019

R. called several more times, and to put an end to it the detective asked him to compile an extract of these conspiracy theories (now known as the "manifesto"), which might possibly be forwarded to the Bundesanwaltschaft. As we now know, the murderer sent these statements directly to the Federal Prosecutor on 9 November.

The connection to the Hanau massacre only became clear at Kurtz’s when the "manifesto" could be read online. That was precisely what Tobias R. had presented to the detective, albeit in rudimentary form. They found the match, Kurtz said, and alerted the authorities — who, however, had not yet shown any interest.

Note

The original article by Mikko Schümmelfeder appeared in the Wuppertaler Rundschau. Emphases (bold type) and links on this page may differ from the original.

Our condolences go out to the victims and their families.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal 

"Der Westen" on Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal and Tobias Rathjen

Holger E., private detective at Kurtz Detective Agency Wuppertal, met the alleged Hanau attacker, Tobias Rathjen, in October 2019 in Dortmund. A report by "Der Westen" (translated):

"Hanau: Detective Shocked: 'I Sat at the Table with the Attacker' – What He Demanded"

Hanau/Wuppertal. Tobias Rathjen killed ten people in Hanau – then himself. It has now emerged that last year he had sought contact with Angela Merkel and the Federal Intelligence Service.

For this purpose, the Hanau attacker contacted the Wuppertal-based Kurtz Detective Agency, which was to procure him contact with the highest authorities in Germany. This was stated by agency head Patrick Kurtz to DER WESTEN.

"He had become aware that we maintain very good contacts with authorities and wanted us to establish contact for him with the BND and various other state organisations," said Kurtz. The detective agency declined.

Hanau: Tobias Rathjen Sought Contact with Angela Merkel and BND

Accordingly, Rathjen reportedly made contact by telephone in June 2019. "He absolutely insisted on meeting me in person, which is not customary practice for us," said Kurtz. The case was therefore assigned to the experienced private detective Holger (name changed by the editorial team) from Unna, who "found his profile psychologically intriguing" and wanted to see whether he might somehow be able to help Rathjen.

In October 2019, the investigator met Rathjen at the Landhaus Dieckmanns in Dortmund. At most 1.80 metres tall, light-coloured shirt, black shoes, dark suit – this is how Rathjen appeared. "An average type," said the detective.

The Hanau "Manifesto" – Already in October 2019

"I sat with him for two and a half hours," recounts Holger, who works as a consulting private detective for the Kurtz Detective Agency. "He took the manifesto out of his briefcase and placed it on the table," Holger recalls.

In the 24-page manifesto, which the Hanau attacker had uploaded to a website, he speaks of "certain peoples having to be annihilated whose expulsion from Germany was no longer achievable." However, he also writes that he controlled politics with his thoughts and that Hollywood films were likewise based on his ideas.

Detective Holger did not read it himself but was only read excerpts from it by the attacker from Hanau.

"No Indications of a Willingness to Use Violence"

He reportedly stated that a secret organisation operating in the shadows controlled the world and that in Germany, apart from him, only Chancellor Angela Merkel and the head of the BND, Gerhard Schindler, were aware of it.

"I also asked him why he, of all people, had been chosen," Holger reports. Tobias Rathjen referred to his manifesto, in which everything was allegedly written down.

"However, during the meeting it quickly became clear that he was suffering from persecutory delusions and further psychological disorders," said Kurtz, who emphasised: "We encounter such problem cases almost daily, but of course one does not imagine that such a bloodshed will one day result from this, particularly as Mr Rathjen showed no indications whatsoever of a willingness to use violence."

He also did not express openly racist or right-wing extremist ideas during the meeting with the detective.

Was There an Accomplice?

However, one detail from the conversation with the detective is likely to be of particular interest to investigators in Hesse. He is said to have indicated that he exchanged ideas with a "brother in spirit." "He spoke of a friend who shared his thoughts," said Holger.

The question of accomplices and supporters is one of the issues that investigators will examine more closely in the coming days and weeks, announced Federal Public Prosecutor Peter Frank.

So far, there are no findings that the 43-year-old had previously "spoken with other persons or sought support," Frank said on Friday in Berlin.

Investigator Recognises Manifesto

On Thursday, Holger recognised the attacker's manifesto. "Of course I questioned myself: Did I do something wrong?" However, there are 20 to 30 enquiries per year from obvious conspiracy theorists.

"Such an act was not foreseeable for me," said the detective, who informed the authorities about his meeting with the attacker.

Correction

For better classification: The Kurtz Detective Agency records on average approximately one call per working day from various evidently mentally disturbed persons, with a rising trend. The figure of "20 to 30 enquiries" per year refers solely to our Unna-based detective Holger E.

According to Tobias Rathjen's statement in October 2019, it was not explicitly the President of the BND, Bruno Kahl, who was aware of the imagined "secret organisation," but rather the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang.

Comment by the Kurtz Detective Agency

According to our daily experience, mental illnesses constitute a steadily growing problem in the Federal Republic. If adequate solutions to combat the causes are not found, prevention of such offences as the Hanau attack must urgently be improved. Otherwise, similar subsequent offences are to be expected.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office's disregard of the Hanau attacker, the internal protocol within authorities for assessing and reviewing potential threats, particularly with regard to firearms possession, as well as the state's actual control authority over its firearms owners in real Germany, must necessarily and urgently be reconsidered.

Note

The original article by Marcel Storch appeared in "Der Westen". The emphases (bold type) and hyperlinks on this page may differ from the original.

Our condolences go to the victims and their families.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal 

Interview by Radio Wuppertal with Detective Patrick Kurtz Regarding the Hanau Attacker

Sebastian Kaiser from Radio Wuppertal 107.4 interviewed Patrick Kurtz of Kurtz Detective Agency Wuppertal in Barmen two days after the Hanau attack about his connection to the alleged perpetrator Tobias R. The audio recording of the conversation (in German) can be accessed here. A transcript follows below.

Concern of the Later Perpetrator: Mediation of Official Contacts

Radio Wuppertal: "Four months ago, you had a meeting with the Hanau attacker. How did that come about?"

Patrick Kurtz: "The attacker had already contacted us in June because he was absolutely keen to have a meeting with me personally. However, that did not take place; instead, he met with an investigator from Unna who works for me. The background to his enquiry was that he was determined to have official contacts mediated, either with the BND or with the MAD or with other authorities, because he believed that there was a secret organisation determining the entire course of world politics and that in Germany only Angela Merkel and the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution were aware of it. He wanted to approach these individuals and have contact arranged through us in order to clarify his personal paranoia, his personal conspiracy theories."

Radio Wuppertal: "When contact was first established, did you already know that he held these conspiracy theories?"

Patrick Kurtz: "He did not mention the conspiracy theories during the initial contact. First of all, he wanted to meet me personally. Logistically, that is usually not possible anyway; I simply have other investigators who handle such preliminary assignment discussions. Accordingly, he was forwarded to other investigators. Most investigators did not wish to accept the matter in any case, whereas my investigator from Unna was very interested – for psychological reasons. He simply wanted to see: what makes such a person tick? We very, very frequently receive such enquiries – from paranoid individuals, from schizophrenic individuals. But he was just that little bit more unusual in that he appeared very eloquent, seemed intelligent and, apart from his theories, which were of course completely confused, showed no signs that he actually possessed violent potential and also, in general, that he was completely insane. One has to state that plainly."

The Impression at the Personal Meeting

Radio Wuppertal: "What impression did he make at the meeting?"

Patrick Kurtz: "The meeting took place at Landhaus Dieckmanns in Dortmund. He arrived there wearing a suit, had short hair and looked very well groomed. One would never suspect that something like this lay behind it."

Radio Wuppertal: "And he did not appear violent?"

Patrick Kurtz: "He did not appear violent in the slightest. He read parts of his 'manifesto' to my investigator. He had the entire 'manifesto' with him. I cannot say whether it corresponds one hundred per cent to what has now been published, but at least in very, very large parts, if not entirely. He read parts of it aloud. However, he apparently deliberately omitted the sections dealing with more explicit incitements to violence and presented the somewhat more harmless passages instead. Yet even from these more harmless passages it was, of course, completely clear to the investigator that the man was suffering from persecutory delusions and that this would not become a productive investigation if we were actually to conclude a contract with him."

Radio Wuppertal: "So it remained with that one meeting?"

Patrick Kurtz: "It remained with that one meeting, and there were various telephone conversations beforehand before the meeting took place."

Everyday Life in a Detective Agency: Conspiracy Theories in Abundance

Radio Wuppertal: "These conspiracy theories and this persecutory delusion are one thing. Did he express himself in a racist manner in any way?"

Patrick Kurtz: "I cannot say whether he expressed himself in a racist manner. As I said, I was not personally present at the meeting. I would have to enquire again with my colleague."

Radio Wuppertal: "You already mentioned it, perhaps a few more sentences on that: This is not unusual for a detective agency – people with conspiracy theories, with persecutory delusions?"

Patrick Kurtz: "For us it is not unusual at all that people with psychological disorders call us. We have a counter-surveillance and bug-sweeping department. That in itself naturally invites people who feel persecuted to contact us, because they believe we can detect listening devices that are allegedly installed in their flats, in their vehicles or sometimes even in their heads, in their bodies in general. There are the most extraordinary stories. That is why they approach us. I would say we have that almost every day. With this attacker, there was nothing further to indicate that he would present any particular risk potential compared to the others."

How Last Year’s Contact Was Rediscovered

Radio Wuppertal: "After the attack, when and how did you realise: we had contact with him?"

Patrick Kurtz: "This morning, after the 'manifesto' had been published, we realised that we had had contact with him. The investigator noticed that the wording corresponded word for word to what the attacker had presented to him at the meeting at the time. We then reviewed our enquiry lists and indeed came across this individual, who had called us in June requesting a meeting and had then called several more times."

Radio Wuppertal: "What did you think when you realised: my detective agency had contact with the attacker?"

Patrick Kurtz: "My first thought was that we might now have information that could be relevant to the police. We immediately sought contact with the police. And then, beyond that, that it might also be relevant for the press, and accordingly we are now in discussion."

Could the Act Have Been Foreseen?

Radio Wuppertal: "But you do not have a bad feeling? That perhaps something should or could have been noticed? One probably asks oneself that question. That is an initial human impulse, is it not?"

Patrick Kurtz: "Yes. I can fully understand that, as an outsider, one asks oneself this question: should that not have been noticed, given what he described? But if you were here, if you worked here every day and listened to everything that comes in by telephone with the most absurd stories ... If one were truly to take every single one of these stories entirely seriously and say that a report must now be made to the police – they would no longer even pick up the receiver because we would have so many stories to report. That would truly make no sense whatsoever."

Our condolences go to the victims and their families.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal 

Report on Kurtz Detective Agency and Tobias R. in the Westdeutsche Zeitung

Tobias R. was not easily fobbed off. Time and again last year, the man is said to have called the Kurtz Detective Agency, which among other locations has an office in Wuppertal-Barmen, and asked the experts working there for advice: for the first time in June 2019, then on further occasions, and by October apparently with increasing urgency. Tobias R. evidently felt "persecuted from all sides and was particularly convinced that the world was governed by a secret organisation under American leadership, of which in Germany only Angela Merkel and the head of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution were aware," Patrick Kurtz told this editorial team on Friday. A native of Thuringia, he currently manages his detective agency with 30 branches, headquartered in Leipzig, from Wuppertal. Kurtz appears credible.

R. is said to have wanted to use the agency’s "very good contacts with authorities" to obtain contact with the Federal Intelligence Service and "various other state organisations." The request was declined. There was then a meeting with one of Kurtz’s investigators, to whom Tobias R. presented a self-authored manifesto. Allegedly precisely the same manifesto that, two days after the racist terrorist attack in Hanau in which eleven people lost their lives, occupied the nation.

In other words: Patrick Kurtz had contact with the perpetrator of Hanau and spoke with him personally by telephone. And one of his investigators, who does not wish to have his name published, met Tobias R. on 24 October of last year at Landhaus Dieckmanns in Dortmund. "He became curious because Tobias R. appeared absolutely eloquent and intelligent. He wanted to find out whether we might somehow be able to take action after all," the 30-year-old Kurtz recounted on Friday.

"We Have Such Problem Cases Almost Daily"

At the appointment in Dortmund, it quickly became clear that Tobias R., who appeared in a "grey suit, with short hair and refined speech," must have been suffering from persecutory delusions. "We have such problem cases almost daily, but of course one does not imagine that such a bloodshed will one day result from this," said Kurtz. At the time, the detective agency refrained from passing the "case" on to the police. "Especially as Mr R. showed no signs whatsoever of a willingness to use violence."

Tobias R. read parts of the manifesto to the investigator at the Dortmund country house. The openly racist content played less of a role in this context. "Our investigator recognised the manifesto on Thursday after it was published on the internet. We then reviewed our contacts and came across Tobias R.," Kurtz reported. The owner of the detective agency does not reproach himself for having let the matter rest after the meeting. "The police would not take us seriously if we were to report every crank." However, he has now independently passed on his knowledge about the perpetrator of Hanau to the police.

Correction

Patrick Kurtz never had personal contact with Tobias R. Various employees of Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal had telephone contact with the alleged Hanau perpetrator, and only the Dortmund detective Holger E. met him in person. During that meeting, Tobias R. made no statements of a violent, violence-glorifying or xenophobic nature.

Note

The original article by Olaf Kupfer appeared in the Westdeutsche Zeitung. The emphases (bold type) and hyperlinks on this page may differ from the original.

Our condolences go to the victims and their families.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal 

Short Radio Segment from February 2017

As early as February 2017, Radio Wuppertal interviewed Patrick Kurtz, the owner of Kurtz Detective Agency Wuppertal, for a segment on the topic of public and private video surveillance in Wuppertal. Below we provide a transcript of the segment, in which another interview partner also has his say.

Public Video Surveillance at Döppersberg in Wuppertal

Presenter: "The new central station is to be monitored with twelve cameras – that is our topic this morning. Deutsche Bahn is currently planning this together with the Federal Police. It is about security; we are meant to feel safe at the new Döppersberg. At railway stations this is always somewhat difficult; there are underpasses, there are dark corners, and at stations you also find dubious individuals. Drugs are sold there, many people consume alcohol – I do not mean that in a discriminatory way, but one often has an uneasy feeling at the station. Especially when travelling alone at night as a woman ... Hence the surveillance cameras.

But what is actually permitted? Which areas may be monitored with cameras? This is precisely regulated by law: anyone may monitor their private property with cameras – their own house, the garden, the garage driveway and so on. And in fact more and more people in Wuppertal are doing this. Schlüsseldienst Becker has for some time now been selling surveillance cameras, as Christian Becker told us."

Christian Becker: "We were repeatedly asked whether we could also offer alarm systems or video systems. That became so frequent that we said, all right, we need to start doing this as well. We are a specialist security retailer; it is part of our field. And it has seen enormous demand with us. We sell many alarm systems and also video surveillance systems."

Legal Restrictions on Private Video Surveillance

Presenter: "The high demand for surveillance cameras began approximately one and a half years ago. That was around the time when we had particularly high numbers of burglaries in Wuppertal – we also reported on this at Radio Wuppertal. It is very important: anyone installing such video surveillance may only monitor their private property. You must under no circumstances film the pavement in front of your house or your neighbour’s garden. Many people, for example, also want to monitor their car because it is often scratched. However, there are a few things we must bear in mind, as Wuppertal detective Patrick Kurtz told us. He also offers surveillance cameras."

Patrick Kurtz: "The problem is that if the car is parked in a public parking space, for example on the street or in a parking bay with other vehicles, you may not carry out video surveillance there, because this would record a public area. Accordingly, the possible uses of video surveillance technology for private individuals are relatively limited."

Presenter: "So no one may simply be filmed without their knowledge. And how do you feel about being constantly monitored? We spoke to many people in Wuppertal about this. You will hear more from us on that later ..."

Note

The presenter’s statement that we would offer surveillance cameras may be open to misunderstanding. We would therefore like to clarify at this point that Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal does not sell security technology, but uses it as part of our services (installation, maintenance, evaluation and removal).

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal 

For ordinary people, the trigger for stalking is often of a personal nature. This can be a rejection, being ignored, or misunderstood kindness, as illustrated by the following case handled by our private investigators from Wuppertal:

Unexpected Encounters – Sometimes Too Frequent

Nicole from Lüdenscheid, 28, worked among other jobs as a flower seller at the weekly markets in Barmen and Elberfeld. One day, a man, around thirty years old, appeared at her stall and purchased flowers. She served him like any other customer, was friendly, and answered his numerous questions about her flowers and the day-to-day market work. Two days later, he returned, and they chatted about all sorts of things: the flowers, the pros and cons of market work, the weather, and so on. The following week he appeared again, first in Elberfeld and then another day in Barmen; each time he bought flowers from her. A little cheekily, she remarked that his flat must be full of flowers, to which he laughed and said that the flowers were for his mother. Nicole gave him an orange gerbera so that he would also receive a flower as a gift. He then said that no woman had ever expressed her affection to him so charmingly. Nicole was unsettled and realised that her friendly gesture had probably been a bad idea. At that point, she did not yet know that she would soon need the professional assistance of our private detectives for Lüdenscheid.

From Affection to Anger, Threats, and Stalking

From then on the stranger came not only whenever Nicole worked at the market, but often stayed for hours to talk with her. Where she had initially found him pleasant and entertaining, his persistence gradually became frightening. One Tuesday he suddenly asked when she would finally go out with him. Buying flowers all the time was not cheap, he said, and they got on so well they would surely be a good match. Nicole was perplexed and politely but firmly refused, explaining that she was already in a committed relationship. Immediately the man grew angry and shouted: “For weeks I give you my money and you turn me down! You’ll pay for that!” He threw the flowers he had just bought at her and stomped off.

That evening Nicole told her partner about the incident. He advised her to contact the police, which she did the next day, but the officer said nothing had happened and that the man had probably only been upset. He assured her the man would not return.

In the following days it seemed the officer had been right, because the stranger did not appear at the markets. But just as Nicole began to relax, he reappeared — not at her stall but at an observation point from which he watched her all day. When she finished work he followed her and tailed her car to her front door in Lüdenscheid. He only disappeared when she entered the hallway of the semi-detached house. As the police declared themselves not responsible, Nicole told her boyfriend about the tailing and asked what she should do. He recommended contacting a reputable private detective agency, and so she decided to call our detectives for Lüdenscheid the very next morning.

Night Attacks | Our Private Detectives for Lüdenscheid Take the Case

We arranged a personal appointment with Nicole for the same day. She took the rest of the week off and came to our detective office in Wuppertal-Barmen that afternoon to describe the case and discuss possible measures. We agreed to conduct a covert surveillance of her market stall on her next working day in order to document, in a manner admissible in court, how long the stalker observed her.

However, that plan did not come to pass because, the very next night at around 23:30, someone rang her doorbell. Nicole woke and wondered who could want anything at that hour. She waited to see whether it was a drunken prank or a wrong-door mistake, but shortly afterwards the bell rang furiously. She went to the window to see who was calling at night and saw the man from the market. He recognised her and shouted (parts paraphrased): “You stupid bitch, you think you can hide?! Not coming to the market any more? Think you can fool me?! You’ll never get rid of me! I’ll make your life hell, you scum!” When Nicole, through the closed window, told him to go away, he picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it at her, smashing the window. The noise woke neighbours and lights came on in several houses, whereupon the now clearly violent stalker vanished before Nicole could react.

Surveillance | Temporary Apprehension of the Perpetrator by Detectives in Lüdenscheid

Nicole called the police; officers attended, inspected the damage, made notes — and shrugged. A report was filed against an unknown person; the perpetrator could not be identified due to lack of information. A description was noted — and that was the end of the intervention. Nicole reported to our operations centre the next morning at 08:00 and recounted the night’s events. She told our detectives she intended to stay temporarily with her boyfriend; we strongly advised against this, as it would hinder a swift resolution. If the stalker knew where the victim was staying, he would likely find himself there sooner rather than later. We therefore agreed that that same evening one of our operatives, trained and experienced in close protection, would be stationed in her Lüdenscheid flat while two other of our more robust investigators took up positions outside the house to document any imminent criminal behaviour in a manner admissible in court and, if necessary, de-escalate the situation afterwards.

Said and done. However, the deployment demanded patience, because after nearly 13 hours of surveillance the subject reappeared at 01:45 in the morning, carrying a heavy plastic bag in one hand. As on the previous evening, the stalker rang the bell furiously; our client came to the window and signalled for him to go away while our exterior detectives recorded photographic evidence. The perpetrator hurled the most vile insults at our client and threatened that she would regret her behaviour. Before our detective inside the flat could prevent it, our client opened the window and shouted she would call the police if the stalker did not leave. The subject then took an object from the plastic bag and flung it towards the window. Our private investigator dragged Nicole aside to remove her from the line of fire while the stalker produced further projectiles from the bag. At that moment the outside detectives moved behind the subject to subdue him collectively in self-defence and effect a temporary arrest under section 127 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (StPO). It later emerged that the perpetrator had several large stones in the plastic bag, some wrapped in scraps of paper on which further threats were written.

Legally Sound Investigation Secures Court-Admissible Evidence

Subsequently our Lüdenscheid detective agency called the police; the perpetrator was guilty of threats, property damage and further offences. Thanks to the court-admissible evidence documented by our private detectives, the man was lawfully convicted and received a restraining order.

If you are affected by a stalker, prompt action is required in the interests of early de-escalation. If someone shows an unusual attachment, appears excessively often in your vicinity without cause, watches you and/or even makes threats, it is time to engage the investigators of our agency for the Bergisches Land and the Sauerland: +49 202 5289 0063.

All names and locations have, of course, been changed beyond recognition in order to protect clients and subjects.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal

Strange Circumstances During an Investigation of Suspected Infidelity

Recently, our detective agency in Gevelsberg* encountered a rather curious case. At first, it appeared to be a standard investigation concerning infidelity in a partnership – essentially a routine assignment for our private investigators. However, the location and circumstances of this case were unusual, which is why we would like to recount the events below.

Always Tricky: Observing a Motorcycle Gang

The observation by our private detectives in Gevelsberg was to take place at the clubhouse of a motorcycle gang to which Mr Kürten, our target, belonged. There, he regularly met with other members and experienced heavily alcohol-fuelled nights. His partner, the client of our detectives in Gevelsberg, had repeatedly urged him to bring her to these parties, but he refused, claiming they were male-only events. Our client, however, could no longer believe him, having heard from acquaintances that women did attend these gatherings. She suspected that Mr Kürten entertained another woman during these club meetings and therefore wanted our infidelity detectives to examine the matter.

Upon arrival, the two assigned investigators (a single-person observation had been rejected for safety reasons in this environment) noted several minibuses and a moderate number of different motorcycles in front of the clubhouse. Initially, the observation was to be conducted from outside, as the risk of being noticed as outsiders in the club was very high. Entering the house under a pre-prepared cover story would only have been considered if no relevant evidence was obtained until the early hours – but this ultimately proved unnecessary.

Disturbing Fire and Vest Ritual

At midnight, our detective team in Gevelsberg witnessed a highly unusual and somewhat alarming scene: several middle-aged men left the clubhouse and gathered around a fire, recently lit by a single individual. Notably, each wore a vest bearing a club emblem on the back, quoting a famous biker song. The men began singing and stood drinking around the fire. Shortly afterwards, a small, intoxicated group left, mounted their motorcycles, and rode off towards Hagen. Because of the vests, it was initially difficult for our two Gevelsberg detectives to identify Mr Kürten, despite night-vision equipment. Eventually, however, identification was successful, and the observers kept him in view for several hours, as he did not re-enter the club and even used an adjacent green space for his personal needs.

After roughly two hours, the previously departed group returned, bringing female companions. Although the women did not wear vests (likely not official club members), they drank and celebrated with the group. Mr Kürten greeted each individually – two with hugs, three with kisses on the cheek, and one with an extended French kiss. Subsequently, the target and his chosen companion remained inseparable: arm in arm, kissing, laughing loudly enough for our observers stationed some distance away to hear clearly, before walking into a wooded area, where the woman first orally pleased Mr Kürten and then both engaged in sexual intercourse. The target did not remove his club vest during the encounter.

Fortunately, Only a Failed Prank

At the client’s request, our two corporate detectives in Gevelsberg continued their observation into the early hours. Although Mr Kürten and his partner occasionally separated after intercourse, they spent most of the night together – talking, cuddling, and embracing.

The ritual involving vests and fire, which initially caused our private investigators’ hearts to race as it strongly resembled sects like the dangerous Ku Klux Klan, ultimately proved less dramatic than it first appeared. No blood was involved, no one was coerced into unethical acts, and no violent or politically, socially, or xenophobically charged statements were made (at least not in a coordinated ritual). Accordingly, this was likely a morally questionable but harmless club joke. Nonetheless, it is remarkable what one can encounter in the biker scene (private investigations in this milieu are not uncommon). In a previously unreported Berlin case involving a member of another nationally known motorcycle gang, counter-surveillance and even death threats against a detective forced him to leave his home with his wife and child for several days. Extreme caution is always warranted in this environment.

All names and locations have been fully anonymised to protect clients and subjects.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal

Reliable Employee Suddenly Declines

As was known to his employer, a medium-sized craft business from Solingen, Mr. Mettmann was struggling financially. He was always looking for opportunities to earn extra money, would assist colleagues privately for cash, and regularly performed auxiliary work for various construction companies when needed. His main employer and client of Kurtz Commercial Investigation Agency Wuppertal and Bergisches Land tolerated this considerable workload of his employee—as long as his performance remained satisfactory. And for several years, it did. However, since the end of 2015, Mr. Mettmann’s absences suddenly began to accumulate dramatically—sick notes issued by different doctors from various medical specialties, each accompanied by new descriptions of illnesses.

The company owner, Mr. Ohligs, began to have doubts about the legitimacy of the sick notes as early as the second week of absence. He made inquiries within the company and among acquaintances and learned that his allegedly ill employee had recently been seen working as a roofer on a detached house. Mr. Ohligs immediately contacted our detectives for Solingen and arranged for surveillance of the suspicious employee.

A Side Job? Side Jobs!

Early in the morning, with frost still covering the parked vehicles, our private detectives in Solingen* took up surveillance positions in a quiet residential area. Shortly thereafter, as the very first person to appear, Mr. Mettmann emerged in work clothing in the driveway of his detached house, carrying a car wheel in each hand and loading both into his vehicle. He then retrieved two additional wheels and, followed by our commercial detectives for Solingen, drove to an automotive workshop, which he unlocked using his own key. There, clearly visible from the outside, he independently changed the wheels on his car, locked the business again—which, according to a posted notice, was not scheduled to open for another two hours—and continued on to a construction site in Remscheid. On site, Mr. Mettmann disappeared into the drywall section of the building for four hours. Due to access controls, the investigators of our detective agency for Solingen were unfortunately unable to verify inside whether the target person was performing work there. However, the assumption was very, very obvious, and in any potential court proceedings, the employee on sick leave would likely have difficulty convincing a judge otherwise.

When Mr. Mettmann finally left the construction site in Remscheid, he did not return home but instead drove back to the automotive workshop he had visited that morning. There, he put on overalls and carried out repairs on various vehicles until closing time—a job for which, according to his résumé, he had no qualifications whatsoever. After the workshop closed, the target person finally returned home and our detectives for Solingen concluded their assignment.

Surveillance by Our Detectives in Düsseldorf

The following morning, Mr. Mettmann—again dressed in work clothing—got into the same vehicle as the previous day together with his wife and son and took the child to school. Monitoring the residential building beforehand proved difficult, as the parking situation combined with the typically heightened sensitivity of residents in such neighborhoods forced our detectives in Solingen to leave a small surveillance gap in the form of a side street, which could not be covered by an additional operative within the allocated budget. Nevertheless, tracking the target person was successful, as he passed one of our investigators’ control points when departing.

After dropping the child off at school, Mr. Mettmann continued to Düsseldorf, dropped off his wife along the way, and entered a multi-story office building surrounded by scaffolding, carrying tools in his hand. Since the building was publicly accessible, one of our commercial investigators followed after a short waiting period to determine whether the target person was performing work there. A notice posted at the entrance informed tenants of urgent renovation work at the property. However, our commercial detective from Wuppertal did not find him inside and was eventually called back by his colleague who had remained outside, as he had located Mr. Mettmann on the exterior scaffolding. Unfortunately, the scaffolding was covered with a tarp, allowing only sporadic sightings of the target person and making it impossible to clearly determine what exactly Mr. Mettmann was doing on the façade. What was clear, however, was that he was working alongside others, receiving instructions, and thus committing sick leave fraud. After working half a day on the scaffolding, the target person visited an accident clinic and finally returned home.

Double Wages Through Fraud

On the following two days as well, our private detectives for Solingen observed Mr. Mettmann performing work at the known automotive workshop (first day), at the construction site in Düsseldorf (both days), and additionally working as a roofer on a roof in Wermelskirchen. In some cases, these were supporting activities such as procuring construction materials, but for the most part, the target person of our detective agency for Solingen actively participated in the work.

Presumably due to his financial difficulties, which arose for reasons unknown, Mr. Mettmann devised and pursued the plan of collecting double wages by being on sick leave from his primary employer while simultaneously working for other companies.

All names and locations have of course been completely altered to protect the client and the target person.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal

Child’s Choice of Religion: Parents Decide

The decision regarding the religiosity and denomination of minors, according to a ruling by the Higher Regional Court of Oldenburg (Order of 09.02.2010, 13 UF 8/10), does not lie with the court or the child – it rests with the parents, or with the parent who is the primary caregiver in cases of separated households. In the following case from Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal, such a primary caregiver could not be determined, as both parents share custody equally, and the child (aged 12) alternates two weeks in the father’s residence and two weeks in the mother’s home.

Mr Hilden, the child’s father and client of our private detectives in Wuppertal, believes that his daughter should be able to decide for herself whether she wants to join a religious community, and if so, which one. He is personally non-religious, whereas his ex-wife is a devoted member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. His suspicion: against his will, the mother regularly “takes” the child to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ events to pressure her into this faith early and integrate her firmly into the community. Our detectives in the Bergisches Land were tasked with investigating this suspicion and, if necessary, obtaining court-admissible evidence of this religious coercion.

Surveillance at the "Königreichssaal"

Before the surveillance began, one of our investigators examined the assembly building of the religious group. The property is camera-monitored. From the street, at the time of inspection, the main entrance and the assembly hall were clearly visible. Whether this would also be possible during a Jehovah’s Witnesses meeting remained to be seen.

Mr Hilden requested that the monitoring of mother and daughter take place directly on-site at a known assembly time. Our Wuppertal private detectives therefore did not start from the residence but from the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ target location. Indeed, the mother arrived early and integrated herself into the 40–50-strong group of believers. Mr Hilden’s daughter, however, was not with her and did not enter the hall at any later point. The operations management of Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal informed Mr Hilden of the result. He was to report back in about two weeks, when the next surveillance would take place. A prior check would have been pointless, as the daughter would be with him the day after tomorrow.

Concealed Income? Secondary Investigation

Mr Hilden contacted our detectives not after two weeks but on the same day he collected his daughter from the mother. The child was ill – for several days. This, he explained, accounted for her absence from the event. The client of Kurtz Detective Agency Wuppertal was very optimistic that “something would emerge” at the next observation. Until then, our corporate detectives were instructed to carry out an employer investigation on his ex-wife, as he also suspected her of maintenance fraud in addition to the religious issue. This suspicion was not confirmed in the minor scope of this secondary assignment, as the subject indeed worked for the company she had reported to Mr Hilden and the court.

Worship Service and Evangelisation – Child Participates

When Mr Hilden’s daughter was again with the mother and another meeting at the Kingdom Hall was scheduled, our Wuppertal private detectives once more conducted a surveillance of the assembly location. This time, the ex-wife arrived with her recovered daughter, who appeared embarrassed and somewhat out of place. During the entire 105 minutes of preaching, singing, and discussion, the child patiently remained seated in the front row and endured it all. After the event, the mother and daughter left on foot with an unknown male, while the vehicle they had arrived in remained in the car park. Our private investigators from Wuppertal followed – also on foot – and observed the trio’s further activities. Clearly, they were performing preaching duties, going from house to house with brochures, trying to engage residents in conversation. Most addressed individuals terminated the discussion immediately, while others at least listened. After four hours of door-to-door evangelism, mother and daughter parted from their companion and returned home.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal informed Mr Hilden of the observation results. “I knew it!” he exclaimed into his phone. “Do you know what I’m going to do now? I’ll call my ex and ask what they did today. Bet she won’t tell me the truth!” Shortly afterwards, our detective office in Barmen rang again: “She went to the cinema today! She lies whenever it suits her! Not very Christian, is it?” Mr Hilden commissioned further observations by our Wuppertal private detectives for the three upcoming Jehovah’s Witnesses’ meetings during the two weeks the daughter stays with the mother. Each time, the child participates, and after one of the events, there is additional preaching activity (“door-to-door”).

Angry Speech of a Concerned Father at the Detective Office

When Mr Hilden received the final investigation report, he hurried to his car to confront his ex-wife and threaten legal action if she continued coercing the child to attend religious events. The next day, he returned to the office of Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal, recounted the previous day’s dispute with the mother in detail, and explained the background of our assignment:

“There was an enormous commotion. How dare you put a detective on my back?! And so on … I said: Listen, you’re taking me for a fool here and then wonder why I take action?! Am I crazy, or what? This ends now, otherwise I’ll send the lawyers after you and then you’ll get an injunction! Capiche? Eventually, she gave in because she knows she has no right to force our daughter against her will!”

“Is it against the daughter’s will?” asked one of our detectives, who was present in the office but not involved in the case.

“Absolutely! I’ve spoken to her about it many times. She feels uncomfortable there, and going from house to house is extremely embarrassing for her. On the other hand, she doesn’t want to disappoint her mother and tells me nothing, because my ex demands she keep quiet. She wasn’t like that before – otherwise I wouldn’t have married her. Back then she always criticised her parents, who pushed her in this direction, but now she’s just as fanatical. Really: I don’t want my daughter exposed to religious nonsense, idiocy, and end-of-world propaganda. If she chooses such a path, it must be her free choice, not because she was pressured at a young age. She should get a proper education and become a reasonable person, not waste her time on Bible interpretations. Do you know what it means to be a Jehovah’s Witness? Many reject university studies because they consider it morally corrupt or for other idiotic reasons! My ex was the same: her parents – my daughter’s grandparents – denied her the opportunity to study. And what did she become? Now she’s going door to door like a beggar, annoying people with her babble. That’s not what I want for my daughter!”

All names and locations have, of course, been completely anonymised to protect clients and subjects.

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal 

Questionable Reputation of Detectives in the Early Years

The history of private detectives in Wuppertal and throughout Germany is highly complex. Following the first appearance of detective agencies in the mid-20th century, a growth industry gradually developed which expanded significantly after the First World War. According to an official business census, by 1925 there were already 1,321 detective agencies within the territory of the Weimar Republic, in addition to a large number of detective associations. As no state-regulated entry requirements were attached to the profession then any more than now, detectives in the Bergisches Land and nationwide had a questionable reputation during the 1920s. Among the reputable investigators were numerous black sheep who, in the style of American crime films of the 1940s, regularly made headlines because they were guilty of extortion, perjury, the use of violence and numerous other criminal offences in the course of their supposed detective activities.

Rogue Detectives Damage the Industry

Consequently, as early as the beginning of the 1920s, calls arose for state-regulated professional requirements for detectives in Wuppertal and throughout the country. Unfortunately, such a measure has never been implemented to this day by any government under any of the changing forms of state. At least since 1920, however, a prohibition on trade can be imposed on the respective detective agency if sufficient grounds exist, namely proven legal violations. The fact that the private investigator represented a necessary support to the investigative authorities, which were already understaffed at that time, was recognised even then. However, insufficient expertise, a dubious reputation and a lack of legal certainty rendered the German detective virtually unusable as a witness during this phase. As a result, there was considerable negative press, which professional associations attempted to counter by repeatedly but unsuccessfully requesting licensing of the detective industry from the government. The general recommendation at the time was to rely on academics or former criminal police officers in order to avoid encountering so-called "rogue detectives". This remains good advice today – even if questionable exceptions such as the Cobra affair can occur even among former criminal police officers – and the detectives of Kurtz Detective Agency Wuppertal include both recommended "types".

General Professional Ban for Private Detectives in the GDR

After the incorporation of private investigations into state organisations in the Third Reich, the detective industry achieved social re-establishment in what later became the Federal Republic of Germany at the end of the war, although licensing procedures that had previously been enforced for short periods were definitively abandoned with the entry into force of the Basic Law on 23 May 1949. Meanwhile, in the Soviet Occupation Zone there was a general professional ban on detectives, which prompted many to move to the West before the construction of the Berlin Wall, particularly to North Rhine-Westphalia, and some also came to Wuppertal as detectives.

Author: Gerrit Koehler

Kurtz Investigations Wuppertal

Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 55

D-42103 Wuppertal

Tel.: +49 202 5289 0063

E-Mail: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de

Web: https://www.kurtz-detektei-wuppertal.de/en

Google: https://g.page/kurtz-detektei-wuppertal