With the reading of the indictment and the first testimony of witnesses, the trial of a series of parcel bombs with four injured at several food companies in southern Germany began on Wednesday in front of the Heidelberg Regional Court.

A 66-year-old from the Ulm area is accused of causing an explosive explosion, dangerous bodily harm and attempted serious bodily harm.

Klaus S. rejected the allegations at the beginning of the trial.

S. is said to have dispatched three self-made explosive devices on February 15.

One went to the head office of the discounter Lidl in Neckarsulm, another to the beverage manufacturer Wild in Eppelheim.

A third parcel bomb sent to the baby food manufacturer Hipp was intercepted in a parcel distribution center and rendered harmless.

According to the public prosecutor's office, S. wanted to blackmail the company.

The first explosive device exploded on February 16 at around 11 a.m. at the beverage manufacturer.

According to the public prosecutor Lars-Jörgen Bornig, the explosive power was only low.

One employee suffered minor skin burns and an impact trauma.

Some of the symptoms are still there

The victim testified in court on Wednesday that she had been on sick leave until May because of headache and neck pain, as well as vomiting and dizziness.

Some of his symptoms are still there, but have improved.

According to his own statements, the man has meanwhile returned to his old job.

The second explosive device detonated on February 17th in a Lidl administration building.

There were three injured, one of whom was seriously injured.

Around a hundred employees were brought out of the house to safety.

An employee opened the package in the afternoon at the post office.

According to prosecutors, he suffered injuries to his left eye, both hands and legs from the explosion.

He also suffered a pop trauma and severe tinnitus.

Two other employees also suffered a bang.

"A third package to the baby food manufacturer Hipp could be defused by the investigation before delivery," said Birthig.

The special commission employed around a hundred officials at times.

13 center fire cartridges and two center fire cartridges

According to the indictment, S. is said to have at least approved that employees could suffer permanent damage if they were opened.

Above all, he is said to have expected that fingers or facial organs would be permanently impaired and injured by the explosions.

The 66-year-old is said to have used a "mass obtained from scraping match heads" as an explosive.

The explosives were designed in such a way that they ignited and exploded when the packages were opened.

A few days after the third package bomb was found, the 66-year-old was arrested by special forces.

Since then he has been in custody.

During a search, 13 center fire cartridges of different calibres and two center fire cartridges were found as evidence.

According to the indictment, S. did not have permission to own it.

In court on Wednesday, the defendant rejected the allegations in a statement he read.

He is not the man who can be seen in the images from the surveillance camera from a post office.

"I am not the person you are looking for," said the 66-year-old.

He was at home at the time of the crime.

The injured from Lidl headquarters are co-plaintiffs in the process.

They didn't show up on Wednesday.

Eleven more trial dates are scheduled until mid-November.