Assassination of Martin Beiter
| Assassination of Martin Beiter | |
|---|---|
 Beiter while leaving the theatre a few seconds before the attack. This photo is considered to be the last photo of Martin Beiter before his death. | |
| Location | Melmingen, Maurenmark, Besmenia |
| Date | May 5, 1991 8:34 PM |
| Target | Martin Beiter |
Attack type | Sniper assassination |
| Deaths | Martin Beiter |
Non-fatal injuries | Leon Dänkmann |
| Perpetrators | Michael Lammer |
Martin Beiter, the 8th Premier of Besmenia, was assassinated on May 5, 1991, in Melmingia, Maurenmark, by the mentally ill Michael Lammer with revolver shots.
Assassination
At an election campaign event for the 1991 Maurenmark state election, Beiter gave a speech in support of the then incumbent Governor of Maurenmark Daniel Ulfborn in front of an audience of 232 people in a theatre. When Beiter left the theatre hall surrounded by numerous people. The perpetrator recognized Beiter in the crowd and, according to eyewitness reports, ran through the crowd to be very close to Martin Beiter. The attack took place around 8:34 p.m. The attacker aimed from the back and fired two shots at Beiter from 60 centimeters away with a revolver. Beiter was hit in the head. The bodyguard Leon Dänkmann was injured by a third shot in the hand while attempting to knock the gun out of the hand of the perpetrator. The attacker was overwhelmed and arrested.
After the assassination
After a short while, paramedics reached the theatre and lifted Beiter off the floor. After the gunshots, Beiter spoke only in a whisper and mostly incomprehensible before he lost consciousness in the ambulance to the Melmingia General Hospital. At the Melmingia General Hospital, the doctors arranged for an operation to remove the two cartridges from his skull. This operation did not take place, however, as Beiter was probably already brain dead when he arrived at the Melmingia General Hospital. At 9:43 p.m. Martin Beiter was officially declared dead.
Reactions after the assassination
Reactions in Besmenia
The death of Martin Beiter came as a shock to the Besmenian public. People cried in public everywhere. Concerts and events were canceled nationwide for the next days. On May 5, 1991 at 9:55 p.m., HiL news presenter Werner Sprunker announced Beiter's death nationwide in an extraordinary HiL broadcast. Sprunker was in tears when he announced Beiter's death.
After Beiter's death, Vice Prime Minister Doris Klammer temporarily took over the position of Prime Minister for a week. She ordered a 3 day state mourning. On May 15, the Federal Chamber elected Kurt Stöger as Prime Minister, who was since 1980 Federal Minister for Post and Communications and a closest confidant of Beiter. Stöger took office on the same day. Stöger was to hold office for the remaining 2 years before the next elections.
In August 1991, the Federal Chamber designated the 5th May as Martin Beiter Memorial Day.
Reactions in other countries
The death of the liberal Prime Minister was also a shock in other countries.