Honour killing story: Margarete M. (2007)

Margarete M.
born 1975
shot dead: 29 April 2007
Residence: Schweinfurt/Mettmann
Origin: Victim: Germany; Perpetrator: Macedonia or Albania
Children: 5 (3-15 years old at the time of the crime)
Perpetrator: Ilja M., her divorced husband (39 years old)

At about 1992 Margarete and Ilya got married. He has no profession, she is trained as a saleswoman in retail, but later takes care of the 5 children they have together. Sometimes the family lives in Belgium.

At the end of 2006 Margarete and Ilya separate after 14 years of marriage: he stays in Mettmann, she moves with the children to her family in Schweinfurt.

On April 29, 2007, Margarete is on her way to the flea market in the morning when Ilya ambushes her. In the presence of the three older children, he shoots his wife in the street and then commits suicide. He may have targeted one of the sons in advance.

Later it is said that the wife had already requested an anonymous apartment from the authorities. The police were also aware of the threatening situation. The suicide is unusual for an honor killing.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.