The Rotenburg Cannibal

Armin Meiwes (born 1961 in Germany) is a cannibalistic internet user known as "Der Metzgermeister" or "Rotenburg Cannibal" (The Master Butcher).

Meiwes advertised on the Internet in search of a willing victim. Bernd Jürgen Armando Brandes, known for his mutilation ideas in his home city's homosexual prostitution scene and who was employed by Siemens AG in a managerial capacity until his death, responded to his posting, and they agreed to meet so Meiwes could kill and eat him.

According to a videotape the two made when they met in Meiwes' home in March 2001, Meiwes amputated Brandes' penis and the two ate the penis together before Brandes was killed. Brandes had insisted that Meiwes bite his penis off, but this did not work, so Meiwes used a knife that was too blunt at first, and then finally a sharper knife to slice the penis off. Brandes apparently tried to eat his share of his own penis rare but was unable to do so because it was too tough and "chewy," as he put it. Meiwes then sautéed the penis with salt, pepper, and garlic in a pan.

According to journalists who saw the video (which has yet to be made public), Brandes may have been too weak from blood loss to eat his share of the penis. Meiwes allegedly gave him large amounts of alcohol and pain relievers before killing him in a room he had set up in his house for this purpose. Over the next few months, he ate the body, storing parts in his deep freezer.

Meiwes was arrested in December 2002, after allegedly posting new victim advertisements on the Internet. Investigators searched his home and discovered body parts as well as the videotaped murder. Many of those who saw the video reportedly sought psychological counseling as a result of its disturbing content.

Meiwes was later found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 8.5 years in prison. The case drew a lot of attention in the media, and there was some debate about whether Meiwes could be convicted at all, given that Brandes had voluntarily and knowingly participated in the act.

After prosecutors appealed his sentence, a German court ordered a retrial in April 2005. They believed he should have been convicted of murder rather than manslaughter and sentenced to life in prison. Among the questions answered by the courts was whether Brandes agreed to his killing and whether he was legally capable of doing so at the time of the killing, given his apparent mental problems as well as his significant alcohol and drug use. Other aspects of the retrial determined whether Meiwes killed to satisfy his own desires (particularly sexual desires), rather than because he was asked to, a claim Meiwes has repeatedly denied during testimony.

A psychologist testified at his retrial that Meiwes still "had fantasies about devouring the flesh of young people." Meiwes was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison by a Frankfurt court on May 9, 2006.

During his two trials in 2004 and 2006, Meiwes stated that he had always wanted a younger brother – "someone to be a part of me" – and had become fascinated with cannibalism as a means of fulfilling that desire.

His desires were fueled by the Internet, where he communicated with approximately 400 men who were interested in cannibalism.

Brandes, who was obsessed with being eaten, was a perfect match for him. "The first bite was of course a peculiar, indefinable feeling at first because I had yearned for that for 30 years, that this inner connection would be perfect through this flesh," Meiwes said in an interview.

"The flesh tastes like pork,  a little bit more bitter and stronger. It tastes quite good, "He stated.

He recalled his mother reading him the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel," about a witch who traps two children and prepares to eat the boy when he was a child. "The part where Hansel is supposed to be eaten was intriguing. You'd be surprised at how many Hansels are floating around the Internet."

According to police, approximately 10,000 people in Germany alone share Meiwes' fascination with cannibalism – either eating or being eaten.

Meiwes, who is currently serving his sentence in a prison in Kassel, central Germany, may be eligible for parole after serving the mandatory 15-year sentence. A psychiatric examination performed prior to his trials determined that he is not insane but has a "severely disturbed soul."

"I want to undergo therapy, I know I need that and I hope it will be done at some point," said Meiwes.