Ole's father remembers an encounter with Stephan S. It must have been on a birthday party of his mother Elisabeth. Stephan S. had traveled from Munich to his hometown Künzelsau, to his parents' house. "Well, that's a hostile takeover," joked Stephan S. Ole's father says he did not respond. Stephan S. says his saying was a joke, that's all.

Of course it was not a hostile takeover. Rather, the connection between Elisabeth S. and Ole's family was a constellation that brought an advantage to all those involved: Ole's parents had found in Elisabeth S. a trustworthy, reliable carer for her son; Ole even in Elisabeth S. a substitute for the grandmother who lives in the distance; Elisabeth S. in Ole, the replacement for the grandchild she longed for.

And Stephan S., the adult and childless son of Elisabeth S., living in far-off Munich, could be happy: After the death of his father, his mother had next to her brothers another family connection. "Ole was always present, he was like a family member," says Stephan S.

"She likes children"

The 47-year-old sits in the large criminal chamber of the district court Heilbronn. "It was great that there was Ole for my mother," he emphasizes. "She likes children." A sentence that sounds like a disaster in this process. His mother sits in the dock a few yards away: she allegedly strangled Ole when he slept with her on the night of April 28 this year. The 70-year-old is charged with manslaughter.

Prosecutor Harald Lustig is convinced that Elisabeth S. had a close relationship with Ole, but the long stages of separation no longer endured and therefore decided to kill the child. Elisabeth S. is silent.

What happened on the evening of April 27 at the pensioner's house?

Roland Kleinschroth, the presiding judge of the 1st Grand Criminal Court, and Jens Rabe, the lawyer of Ole's parents, have been trying to get an answer to this question since the beginning of the trial. They know how important it is for Ole's parents to get a chance to somehow continue their lives. Likewise Oles friends, his classmates and teachers.

Kleinschroth and Rabe also know that the truth is vital to Stephen S., son of the accused. And they know he may be the most important person in life for the accused.

"For the parents it must be bad, but for us it is a nightmare."

Elisabeth S. is visibly moved when Stephan S. announces in the afternoon that he will not exercise his right to refuse to give evidence that he will answer all questions. One can feel the hope of some process participants. Kleinschroth waits, feels, then asks directly: "Did you ask your mother what happened?" - "No." - "That's the obvious question, can you explain Ole's death?"

Stephan S. says he can not explain it at all. His mother is a "loving, gentle person". He visits her in prison as often as he can, every two weeks. Mostly she is crying. They talked about "completely banal", they ask a lot what happens in his life.

Elisabeth S., once so cheerful and communicative, now works on him "differently, oppressed". Judge Kleinschroth dares the second thrust: Perhaps the mother is also depressed because she can not cope with silence. Perhaps she finds it hard not to talk about what needs to be talked about urgently.

Attorney Rabe finally goes on the offensive: "How is it for you that your mother does not talk about it?" Stephan S. hesitates. He did not know if she just did not know what had happened or if she could not say it anymore. From a legal point of view, it is her right to remain silent. Then his voice breaks off. "For the parents it must be bad, but for us it is a nightmare." He cries. He too hopes that the truth will come to light. "It will be difficult for both sides otherwise."

The defendant wipes his eyes with a handkerchief

Kleinschroth will not let up. You notice that Stephan S. has a close relationship with his mother. If she told the truth about what happened that night, that night, "must she be afraid that she would lose her son?"

Stephan S. shakes his head. The luck of two families is completely destroyed, he says. But, "It's still my mother, she's a human being, we're brought up Christian, it's part of her being human, she does not have to worry about me turning away from her." Elisabeth S. looks at the table in front of her, wipes her eyes with a handkerchief.

Kleinschroth keeps looking at her. Especially for Ole's parents, it was important to find out why their son had to die, he emphasizes again at the end of the survey. "Everyone wants to know what happened," says Stephan S. It's his last sentence in court.