Almost 30 years after one of most spectacular crimes of German postwar history, Gladbeck hostage taker Dieter Degowski is free again. According to Law Enforcement Chamber of Arnsberg District Court, 61-year-old was allowed to leave prison in Westphalian Werl. He was given a new identity to enable him to live an anonymous life after his detention. Degowski is still under probation.

Degowski and his one year younger accomplice, Hans-Jürgen Rösner, had fled in August 1988 after a failed bank robbery in Gladbeck with hostages across Germany. At that time, three people were killed. During flight, hostage-taker gave interviews. There was a lot of criticism about behavior of media later. In criminal process, Degowski and Rösner were sentenced to life imprisonment. At Degowski special severity of guilt was noted.

Rösner, for which security custody was also arranged, continues to sit in prison. He also aspires to an early release and initially wanted to go into open execution, his lawyer said. Rösner has done a rapy, detention center considers this a first step. He regretted his deeds, said lawyer.

No objections

Degowski had also completed a rapy before his release. According to law of North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Justice, decision of enforcement Chamber was based on a favorable prognosis and impeccable behaviour Degowskis in execution.

According to opinion, 61-year-old is "matured, mentally stable" and without alcohol-and or addiction problems, as NRW-Justice Minister Peter Biesenbach (CDU) had said in November. Degowski had completed all loosenings of judiciary correctional Werl without complaint – a total of 38 unaccompanied and twelve long-term outputs. The public Prosecutor's Office had no objections eir.

Date Of Update: 17 February 2018, 12:03