German man found after 7 years dead in bed

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

BERLIN (Reuters) - The decomposed corpse of a German man was found alone in his bed after nearly seven years, police in the western city of Essen said Thursday.

The police said in a statement the man was 59 and unemployed at the time of his death. He most likely died of natural causes on November 30, 2000, the date he received a letter from the Welfare Office found in the apartment, police said.

Next to the dead man's bed police found cigarettes, an open television guide and Deutschemark coins, which came out of circulation after the euro was introduced in 2002.

The man's apartment was in a building with offices and apartments, many of which are now empty.

"No one missed him. No missing person report was ever filed," the police said.

link

[Niels Bohr 72]

They have welfare (government money) in the Germany?

Edited May 11, 2007 by consolemaster

[almaty 19]

damn, that poor ####### must have looked a mess...

[Anna C. 4]

They have welfare (government money) in the Germany?

Da for everyone! It's the same all over Europe.

Oh that is so sad, that happens if you don't have a family. It's so sad. Nobody came to look for him. Awful!!!!

[eau_xplain 2]

Wow, 7 years!!! It's sad to be so alone that nobody even notices when you die.

[MaydayDas 1]

wow that's sad nobody to notice you disappeared

[Alex+R 0]

BERLIN (Reuters) - The decomposed corpse of a German man was found alone in his bed after nearly seven years, police in the western city of Essen said Thursday.

The police said in a statement the man was 59 and unemployed at the time of his death. He most likely died of natural causes on November 30, 2000, the date he received a letter from the Welfare Office found in the apartment, police said.

Next to the dead man's bed police found cigarettes, an open television guide and Deutschemark coins, which came out of circulation after the euro was introduced in 2002.

The man's apartment was in a building with offices and apartments, many of which are now empty.

"No one missed him. No missing person report was ever filed," the police said.

link

This is a difficult story to read.

[PaulineA 1]

I can't believe it was 7 years before they found him. What about rent on his apartment or paying the mortgage, you would think someone would have wanted to find out what was happening as far as him paying his bills. He didn't have any family or friends? Wouldn't someone have smelled his decaying body after a while? Weird!

[metta 0]

Sad but happens to many and I shudder to think of landing in that kind of a situation.

Once upon a time in my past, I was with my girlfriend in St. Louis and the elderly man living right below her apartment was found dead many weeks after he died.

[Miss_USA 0]

That is so sad, I can't even imagine nobody was missing him...Very tough and heartbreaking story...

[JODO 2]

That is so sad. Bless his heart.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

I can't believe it was 7 years before they found him. What about rent on his apartment or paying the mortgage, you would think someone would have wanted to find out what was happening as far as him paying his bills. He didn't have any family or friends? Wouldn't someone have smelled his decaying body after a while? Weird!

From what I understand, he would have continued to get unemployment money after his death paid directly into his account. Since most of your bills are done through automatic account deduction, then no one would really know. He was old enough to be written off for ever getting a job ever again. The Sozialamt/Arbeitsamt probably did not look too carefully into his case and just kept paying away. Leases are generally not for a set amount of time in Germany, so he would not have to renew. The owner of the building probably lived in another country (speculation based on the building's condition).

My landlord in Germany did have to deal with a case of an old woman who had died three or so weeks before anyone had found out in her apartment. It is certainally not unheard of. When you never really had (a) family or friends (or they are all dead), it is hard for them to care.

Edited May 11, 2007 by Wacken

[PaulineA 1]

I can't believe it was 7 years before they found him. What about rent on his apartment or paying the mortgage, you would think someone would have wanted to find out what was happening as far as him paying his bills. He didn't have any family or friends? Wouldn't someone have smelled his decaying body after a while? Weird!

From what I understand, he would have continued to get unemployment money after his death paid directly into his account. Since most of your bills are done through automatic account deduction, then no one would really know. He was old enough to be written off for ever getting a job ever again. The Sozialamt/Arbeitsamt probably did not look too carefully into his case and just kept paying away. Leases are generally not for a set amount of time in Germany, so he would not have to renew. The owner of the building probably lived in another country (speculation based on the building's condition).

My landlord in Germany did have to deal with a case of an old woman who had died three or so weeks before anyone had found out in her apartment. It is certainally not unheard of. When you never really had (a) family or friends (or they are all dead), it is hard for them to care.

Ah yes, that makes sense. It's just so hard to believe that he was there dead for 7 years. I know it's true, but I can't imagine being such a recluss that nobody is wondering where you are. It's a very sad story indeed.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Sad. The story doesn't make sense. I mean can you imagine what his mailbox must have looked like after not being emptied for 7 freaking years? It's not like they weren't any signs that something was wrong (even the gov't agencies that paid him seeing all the changes that the system went through over the past few years must have noticed) it's just that nobody gives a #######. This guy must have been the very definition of loneliness.