Editing Prostitution in Germany (section)

== Crime ==
The 1957 murder of the high-class prostitute [[Rosemarie Nitribitt]] in [[Frankfurt, Germany|Frankfurt]] drew great media attention in postwar Germany. The circumstances of her death remain obscure. Police investigations turned up no substantial leads other than a prime suspect who was later acquitted due to [[Legal burden of proof|reasonable doubt]]. Several high-profile, respectable citizens turned out to have been among her customers, a fact on which the media based insinuations that higher social circles might be covering up and obstructing the search for the real murderer. The scandal inspired two movies.

[[Werner Pinzner]] was a contract murderer active in the brothel scene of Hamburg in the 1980s. Captured in 1986, he confessed to eight murders of people involved in prostitution businesses. His long-time female lawyer and his wife conspired to smuggle a gun into the Hamburg police headquarters on 29 July 1986, and Pinzner proceeded to kill the attending prosecutor, his wife and himself. The lawyer was sentenced to six years in prison for aiding in murder.<ref>Danuta Harrich-Zandberg: Der St. Pauli-Killer. In: Helfried Spitra (Hrsg.): ''Die großen Kriminalfälle. Der St. Pauli-Killer, der Ausbrecherkönig und neun weitere berühmte Verbrechen.'' Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2004, {{ISBN|3-593-37438-2}}, p. 11-34. {{in lang|de}}</ref>

Six persons were murdered in a brothel in [[Frankfurt am Main]] in 1994. The Hungarian couple managing the place as well as four Russian prostitutes were strangled with electric cables. The case was resolved soon after: it was a robbery gone bad, carried out by the husband of a woman who had worked there.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-8870669.html?name=N%26auml%3Bgel+im+Fleisch|title=Nägel im Fleisch|journal=Der Spiegel|issue=4|date=22 January 1996}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Kohlrouladen und Champagner|url=http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-8907032.html?name=Kohlrouladen+und+Champagner|author=Gisela Friedrichsen|date=1 April 1996|journal=Der Spiegel|issue = 14|language=de}}</ref>

In 2012 it was reported that police were investigating the owners of a number of high-class brothels in [[Düsseldorf]]. Allegedly, numerous customers had been incapacitated with [[date rape drug]]s or other drugs in order to charge exorbitant amounts to their credit cards; those who complained were blackmailed with video footage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/9415399/German-brothel-blackmailed-rich-and-famous-clients.html|date=20 July 2012|newspaper=The Telegraph|title=German brothel blackmailed rich and famous clients}}</ref>

===Organized crime===
According to Klaus Bayerl, head of the Kriminalpolizei Augsburg, the large brothels created since 2002 are facilities in which official directors are irreproachable persons, while the background, the brothels are run by [[pimps]] or [[Organized crime|criminal gangs]] and almost always have close ties to [[organised crime]].<ref>Bayerl, Vortrag in Donezk, 2008, zitiert nach Rahel Gugel: Das Spannungsverhältnis zwischen Prostitutionsgesetz und Art. 3 II Grundgesetz – eine rechtspolitische Untersuchung. Dissertation. Bremen 2008.</ref>

Competing for supremacy in the red-light districts include several [[Outlaw motorcycle club|motorcycle gangs]]. Again and again there were massive clashes between the [[Bandidos Motorcycle Club|Bandidos]] and the [[Hells Angels]]. Both associations are known [[Arms trafficking|arms]] and [[Drug trafficking|drug traffickers]] and promoters of prostitution.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.derwesten.de/staedte/duisburg/bandidos-unterstuetzer-und-hell-s-angels-sind-im-duisburger-westen-nachbarn-id6514755.html |title= Bandidos-Unterstützer und Hell's Angels sind im Duisburger Westen Nachbarn |last= Blazejewski |first= Ingo |date= 30 March 2012 |website= Der Westen |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/rockerkrieg-im-ruhrgebiet-haltet-euch-da-raus-a-658720.html |title= Haltet euch da raus! |last= Diehl |first= Jörg |date= 2 November 2009  |newspaper= Spiegel Online |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rp-online.de/nrw/panorama/der-grosse-nrw-rotlicht-report-aid-1.3169337 |title= Der große NRW-Rotlicht-Report |last= Schwerdtfeger |first= Christian |date= 5 February 2013 |website= RP Online |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref>

Involved in the fight for control of the red-light districts are the [[Black Jackets]]. In 2013, the Lustpark brothel in [[Neu-Ulm]] was being used as a weapons warehouse by the Black Jackets.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.swp.de/ulm/lokales/ulm_neu_ulm/ermittlungen-im-rockermilieu_-bordell-betrieb-soll-ueberprueft-werden-7616212.html |title= Ermittlungen im Rockermilieu: Bordell-Betrieb soll überprüft werden |last= Mayer |first= Hans-Uli |date= 23 March 2013 |website= Sudwest Presse |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.swp.de/ulm/lokales/polizeibericht/ulmer-polizei-findet-waffenlager-im-bordell-in-blaubeurer-strasse-7524744.html |title= Ulmer Polizei findet Waffenlager im Bordell in Blaubeurer Straße |date= 18 March 2013 |website= Sudwest Presse |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref> It became known in 2012 that the Dutch gang [[Satudarah|Satudarah MC]] were active in Germany.<ref name="r63">{{cite web |url= http://www.bild.de/news/inland/motorradclub/rockerkrieg-satudarah-hells-angels-bandidos-29375164.bild.html |title= Rockerkrieg: Wer kämpft warum gegen wen? |date= 5 March 2013  |website= Bild |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref> Satudarah is deeply involved in prostitution, drug trafficking and violent crime.<ref name="r63" />

Likewise, the [[Bouncer (doorman)|bouncer Gang]] ''United Tribuns'' are involved in the power struggle.<ref name="r63" /><ref name="r64">{{cite web |url= http://www.badische-zeitung.de/villingen-schwenningen/aerger-mit-den-united-tribuns--69547956.html |title= Ärger mit den United Tribuns |website= Badische Zeitung |date= 27 February 2013 |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref> The bouncer scene is considered a key position also in recruiting new prostitutes.<ref name="r66">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdnG2ADpCWg|title=Brennpunkt 2012 - - Reportage - Zuhälter, Hells Angels und Bordelle|last=wetten dass|date=29 October 2012|via=YouTube}}</ref> Other organisations involved in prostitution and trafficking include the [[Gremium Motorcycle Club|Gremium MC]], [[Outlaws Motorcycle Club|Outlaws MC]],<ref name="r64" /> the Red Legion,<ref name="r67">{{cite news |url= http://www.zeit.de/gesellschaft/zeitgeschehen/2013-12/ulm-rockerkrieg-organisierte-kriminalitaet |title= Krieg der Rocker |last= Bäßler |first= Rüdiger |date= 26 December 2013 |newspaper= Die Zeit |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref> and the [[Rock Machine|Rock Machine MC]], whose members are involved in the dispute with the brothel Murat C. in [[Neu-Ulm]] in December 2012 when someone was shot.<ref name="r67" />

One of the leading figures in the scene is the German-Turkish [[Necati Arabaci]]. He is involved, inter alia, in the brothels Babylon in [[Elsdorf]] near [[Cologne]] and Wiago in [[Leverkusen]], and also in brothels in [[Augsburg]] and [[Mallorca]] among others.<ref name="r66" /> In 2013 the Augsburg prosecutor established suspicion of money laundering against a person connected to the Hells Angels in the large Colosseum brothel in Augsburg.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.augsburger-allgemeine.de/augsburg/Ex-Colosseum-Chef-auf-Mallorca-verhaftet-Mitglied-der-Hells-Angels-id27932037.html |title= Ex-Colosseum-Chef auf Mallorca verhaftet: Mitglied der Hells Angels? |last= Heinzle |first= Jörg |website= Augsburger Allgemeine |date= 30 November 2013 |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref>

The Hanoverian Frank Hanebuth was arrested in July 2013 in [[Mallorca]], Spain, along with 20 other Hells Angels members.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ndr.de/regional/niedersachsen/hannover/hellsangels489.html |title=Hanebuth soll Haftrichter vorgeführt werden |date=25 July 2013 |access-date=14 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725073207/http://www.ndr.de/regional/niedersachsen/hannover/hellsangels489.html |archive-date=25 July 2013 |language= de}}</ref> As head of the Hells Angels Spanish chapter, he is accused of forming a criminal organisation, promoting illegal prostitution, drug trafficking and money laundering.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.spiegel.de/panorama/justiz/hells-angels-auf-mallorca-hanebuth-bleibt-im-gefaengnis-a-913149.html |title= Rockerboss in Handschellen |last1= Meyer-Heuer |first1= Claas |last2= Diehl |first2= Jörg |date= 25 July 2013 |newspaper= Spiegel Online |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.haz.de/Hannover/Themen/Die-Hells-Angels-in-Hannover/Frank-Hanebuth-drohen-23-Jahre-Gefaengnis |title= Frank Hanebuth drohen 23 Jahre Gefängnis |last= Morchner |first= Tobias |date= 7 August 2013  |website= Hannoverfche Allgemeine |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref> Hanebuth had acquired several Spanish brothels and is also involved in the mistreatment of prostitutes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.focus.de/panorama/welt/hells-angels-hoelle-auf-mallorca-so-funktionierte-das-prostituierten-system-der-rocker_aid_1151040.html |title= So funktionierte das Prostitutions-Geschäft der Hells Angels |date= 7 November 2013 |website= Focus Online |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref>

André Schulz, head of the German Criminal Investigation Association warned in July 2016 of "an escalation of turf wars between enemy biker gangs in Germany".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/revierkaempfe-der-gruppen-kriminalbeamte-warnen-rockerkriege-drohen-ausser-kontrolle-zu-geraten_id_5691740.html |title= "Lage droht außer Kontrolle zu geraten": Rockerkämpfe in Deutschland eskalieren |date= 3 July 2016 |website= Focus Online |access-date= 14 November 2017 |language= de }}</ref>

=== Sex trafficking ===
{{see also|Human trafficking in Germany}}
Illegal human trafficking is a major focus of police work in Germany, yet it remains prevalent. In 2007, Germany was listed by the [[United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime]] as a top destination for victims of human trafficking.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6497799.stm UN highlights human trafficking], BBC, 26 March 2007</ref>

In 2009, 710 victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation were discovered, an increase of 5% in comparison with 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:IZ7xukuPZhkJ:www.cbss.org/component/option,com_attachments/id,803/lang,en/task,download/+%222009,+710+victims%22&hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESj_La81p7lrKbiij12j6H-jeWqu9565mWKk2FslYNtm2OZJCgIkLWr00Ctp_YvNNNaGpazB0MbmwAq9ag32vaTQdZX2lw0QiKkBS-lYqEn7MBHPqC31rajWtBZ-Zza4CxGPeS_z&sig=AHIEtbS3NKxujalMn_JAbN0ZEsm9rQlGbg |title=Law Enforcement Strategies to Combat Human Trafficking|publisher=Bundeskriminalamt|access-date=5 May 2011}}</ref>

In 2008, authorities identified 676 sex-trafficking victims.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eur/136033.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100315151402/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/eur/136033.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 March 2010 |title=2009 Human Rights Report: Germany |publisher=State.gov |date=11 March 2010 |access-date=5 May 2011}}</ref>

In 2007, law enforcement authorities recorded 689 victims trafficked for sexual exploitation. Most victims (419) were between the ages of 18 and 24; 184 were nationals of the country. Approximately 12 percent were under the age of 18, including 39 citizens. One percent (seven) were under 14 years of age.<ref>{{citation|url=https://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119081.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226175725/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/eur/119081.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 February 2009|title=2008 Human Rights Report: Germany|author=U.S. Department of State}}</ref>

The trafficking in women from Eastern Europe is often organized by perpetrators from that same region. The German Federal Police Office [[Federal Criminal Police Office (Germany)|BKA]] reported in 2006 a total of 357 completed investigations of human trafficking, with 775 victims. Thirty-five percent of the suspects were Germans born in Germany and 8% were German citizens born outside of Germany.<ref name="bka"/>

According to the report, in 2006 about 35% of the victims of human trafficking reported that they had agreed from the beginning to work in prostitution; often they did not know about the working conditions and debts incurred. Some others hoped for a job as [[waitress]], [[maid]] or [[au pair]]; some were simply abducted. Once in Germany, their [[passport]]s are sometimes taken away and they are informed that they now have to work off the cost of the trip. Sometimes they are brokered to pimps or brothel operators, who then make them work off the purchase price. They work in brothels, bars, apartments; as streetwalkers or as escorts and have to hand over the better part of their earnings. Some women reconcile themselves with this situation as they still make much more money than they could at home; others rebel and are threatened or abused. They are, reportedly, sometimes told that the police have been paid off and will not help them, which is false. They are, reportedly, also threatened with harm to their families at home.

The report states that victims are often unwilling to testify against their oppressors: the only incentive they have to do so is the permission to remain in the country until the end of the trial (with the hope of finding a husband during that time), rather than being deported immediately. Prostitutes from EU countries are not prohibited from traveling to and working in Germany. There is a large influx from Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, and Romania, for instance. Actually, the income prospects for them are not larger than at home, but they prefer to work in the better and safer German environment, as long as they can avoid pimps exploiting and controlling them. German law enforcement aggressively tries to eradicate pimping. In one raid in 2013 near Bonn, 24 males were arrested for exploiting prostitutes, one of them just 15 years old.