Trial opens in Kassel over Wilke sausage scandal that left 11 dead from listeria

The charges

The defendants are the former managing director, his deputy, and the former production manager, aged 55 to 58. The prosecution accuses them of negligent homicide in 11 cases and negligent bodily harm in 7 cases, along with fraud and placing health-endangering food on the market. From 2015 to 2019, they are alleged to have produced germ-contaminated sausage under what the prosecution called

“catastrophic hygienic conditions”

, knowing the products were harmful yet failing to alert authorities or issue a recall.

The indictment also alleges that spoiled goods were reprocessed and expired products relabelled with false best-before dates to protect revenue. The prosecution stated the defendants

“knowingly accepted health damage to consumers”

.

The outbreak

After the plant was shut down in October 2019, health authorities linked 37 listeriosis cases to Wilke products. Eleven of those infected died, with the infection at least a contributing cause; seven others developed serious symptoms. The deceased were aged 47 to 86 and came from eight German states, including North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Berlin, and Saarland. Many had been residents of care homes or hospitals supplied by Wilke.

The trial begins

The proceedings opened at the Kassel Regional Court on Monday morning. One defendant entered wearing a ski mask and goggles to shield her identity. The court has scheduled further hearings through mid-August. The case is among the most severe food-safety scandals in Germany in recent years.