Vilhelm Metyller
Vilhelm Metyller | |
|---|---|
 Metyller in 1964 | |
| Secretary of Justice | |
| In office 11 November 1962 – 22 December 1963 | |
| Premier | Konrad Neuheuser |
| Preceded by | Teable Baarda |
| Succeeded by | Rudolf Schachtschneider |
| Member of the Folkssenaat for Hamptonshire | |
| In office 25 April 1957 – 22 December 1963 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Vilhelm Mạrvig Metyller 22 August 1915 Leofham, Kirenia |
| Died | 9 January 2003 (aged 87) Spalgleann, Caldia |
| Nationality | Caldish (1970-2003) Alslandic (1919-1970) Kirenian (1915-1919) |
| Political party | National Bloc (1957-1963) |
| Spouse(s) | Brunhild Holtiġe (m. 1936; divorce 1963) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Yndyk University |
Vilhelm Metyller (22 August 1915 – 9 January 2003) was an Alslandic politician and journalist. He served as Secretary of Justice from 1962 until 1963 when he was dismissed after news of his affair with civil servant Björn Knirsch was revealed.
Metyller was elected to the Folkssenaat in 1957 and became Secretary of Justice under Konrad Neuheuser in 1962. As Secretary of Justice he pushed through tougher measures for criminals and tougher sentences for same-sex activity. In 1963 his affair with a civil servant Björn Knirsch led to his removal from the cabinet, Folkssenaat and Bloc. He and Knirsch were both arrested and sentenced to jail for 6 months each. Upon their release both claimed political asylum in Caldia and remained as partners until Knirsch's death in 1996.
The Metyller scandal led to the collapse of the Neuheuser government and the eventual decriminalisation of homosexuality in Alsland. The scandal also led to several other high profile resignations after it became known that several other Cabinet Secretaries were aware of the affair for months. In 2012 Metyller was posthumously pardoned by the Folkssenaat and the bill to legalise same-sex marriage in Alsland was nicknamed the Metyller law.
Early life and career
Vilhelm Metyller was born in Leofham in 1915 as the son of a Sotirian Minister. Following school Metyller studied theology at the University of Yndyk and became involved with a pro-functionalist student group on campus during the Great War. Before the liberation of Alsland he sided with the Alslandic Resistance. Due to his involvement with the Functionalist student group he was barred from holding any elected office or practicing law in Alsland, the ban was overturned in 1953. In the 1950s Metyller became active within Conservative circles and was drawn towards the emerging right-wing faction of the Alslandic Bloc.
Metyller joined the National Bloc in 1957 and was successfully elected to the Folkssenaat the same year representing Hamptonshire. He rapidly rose through the National Bloc's ranks due to his ability to negotiate backroom deals and for his public speeches. As a Senator he was on the right wing of the National Bloc and was against the legalisation of contraception in 1959.
In 1962 Metyller and other right-wing Senators were able to force the resignation of Premier Eric Feigenspan after he pushed for the National Bloc to become a centrist political group. For his involvement in the resignation of Feigenspan, Metyller was appointed as the Secretary of Justice in 1962.
Politics
As Secretary of Justice Metyller was against decriminalising Homosexuality which was criminalised in 1921. It was during this period when Metyller first met civil servant Björn Knirsch and began his affair with him. Metyller in 1963 unsuccessfully tried gathering support to oust Premier Konrad Neuheuser over policy disputes regarding the Euclean Community although Metyller was seen as the most likely successor to Neuheuser.
Metyller scandal
After becoming Secretary of Justice, Metyller met Björn Knirsch and the pair quickly developed a close relationship. In January 1963 Knirsch transferred to the Department of Social Affairs although he was transferred back to the Department of Justice upon the request of Metyller. Later a news story appeared in Hjoed that reported the affair although the identity of Metyller and Knirsch wasn't revealed it led to the Cabinet turning against each other.
Knirsch briefly ended the affair in April 1963 after becoming concerned about Metyller's growing paranoia and obsession with their relationship. Metyller allegedly ordered Knirsch's home to be searched after the affair. In Metyller's memoirs he denies this although he confirms that a member of the intelligence service made clear that the intelligence community was aware of the affair and he claimed that the intelligence service leaked the story of the affair to the press. In June 1963 Metyller and Knirsch both went to Werania for a period of five weeks, Metyller claimed he was ill and kept the reason of the trip a secret from the government and his family. News of the trip however leaked and prompted an internal investigation within the government.
In the early hours of 22 December 1963 Metyller was summoned to an emergency meeting of several members of the Cabinet including Konrad Neuheuser. During this meeting Metyller was dismissed and the remaining members of the cabinet pressured him into revealing the affair in a television interview. After the interview Metyller resigned from the Folkssenaat and had his membership of the National Bloc revoked. A police investigation was launched under pressure from Neuheuser.
Arrest and imprisonment
On 31 December 1963 Metyller and Knirsch were arrested for violating Alsland's sodomy laws. Both claimed they were assaulted whilst in police custody although this was denied by Yndyk's police chief in an interview. Metyller's trial became a media focus point, newspapers and the Alslandic public broadcaster covered the trial extensively and scrutinised the government which was on the verge of collapse over the trial. On 14 July 1964 Metyller and Kirsch were both sentenced to 6 months in prison for sodomy, they were both the last people to be charged for Sodomy in Alsland and the first to receive a prison sentence since 1942. The outcome of the trial was the result of the Neuheuser government applying pressure to the Judge to deliver the harsh sentence to make an example out of the pair. This was leaked to the press and led to liberals within the National Bloc ousting Neuheuser and replacing him with Marshall Harvey.
Metyller and Knirsch were both placed in solitary confinement for long periods of time during their respective prison sentences and upon their release both left Alsland.
Later life
Asylum in Caldia
After leaving Alsland, Metyller and Knirsch stayed in Aalmsted for several weeks before travelling to Caldia and claiming political asylum. Metyller renounced his Alslandic citizenship in 1970 after gaining Caldish citizenship. Throughout Metyller's time in Caldia he was visited by journalists from Alsland seeking interviews, these were usually denied and Metyller preferred a private life in Spalgleann with Knirsch. In 1980 Metyller wrote his memoirs which directly implicated the Alslandic government in spying on himself, other senators, opposition parties whilst also hinting at the existence of Project Omega and Alslandic complicity in the project.
Human rights campaigns
In 1967 Metyller founded the Campaign for Equality to promote LGBT rights in Alsland and east Euclea. The group called for an equalised age of consent for same-sex relationships which was achieved in 1982. The campaign was also influential in pressuring the Alslandic government under Adalbrecht Brötzmann to allow for civil-unions for same-sex couples in 1996.
Death
Metyller's health began declining after the death of Björn Knirsch in 1996. In 2003 Metyller had a stroke and was hospitalised in Spalgleann, his condition detiriorated rapidly and he passed away on 9 January 2003 after falling into a coma. In response to his death Bonne Zijlstra paid his respects to Metyller and apologised for his treatment in prison.
Posthumous pardoning and legacy
On 22 April 2006 the Folkssenaat voted to pardon everyone who had been convicted under Alslandic sodomy laws and agreed to pay settlements to some victims families. During the debate Progressive Alliance and National Bloc senators paid their respects to Metyller. Following the 2007 Alslandic Same-Sex Marriage referendum, the Folkssenaat passed the 'Metyller Law' which legalised Same-Sex marriage in Alsland.