In a landmark trial set to begin on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, a former money transporter driver is seeking compensation for pain and suffering resulting from a traumatic armed robbery nearly a decade ago. The driver, whose identity has not been disclosed, was assaulted during the bold daylight heist in Stuhr, located in Lower Saxony, which was allegedly orchestrated by three former operatives of the Red Army Faction (RAF), a notorious German terrorist group.
The incident occurred on June 6, 2015, when the victim, a driver for a money transport service, was transporting approximately one million euros. According to his lawyer, Steffen Hörning, the aftermath of the robbery weighed heavily on the driver. "The time immediately after was a terrible time for him. He was unable to work for months, spent time in a clinic, and went through rehabilitation due to the psychological stress resulting from this traumatic event."
During the robbery, three masked men armed with rapid-fire weapons and a Panzerfaust ambushed the money transporter at a supermarket parking lot. One of the perpetrators shot at the vehicle, hitting the tire and penetrating the passenger cabin. The gang, comprised of Daniela Klette (66), Ernst-Volker Wilhelm Staub (70), and Burkhard Garweg (56), ultimately fled without stealing any money.
Despite their failure to rob the transporter, the authorities classified the assault as attempted murder. The public prosecutor's office accuses the trio of more than a dozen other robberies across several states, including Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Schleswig-Holstein. This unchecked criminal behavior, prosecutors assert, was financially motivated, as the three sought funds for their hidden lives after the dissolution of the RAF in 1998.
The trial's location holds significant implications for safety protocol, as it will unfold in a specially protected state protection hall of the Celle Higher Regional Court. This extraordinary security measure is reflective of the sensitive nature of the case and the history surrounding the defendants. Following the 2015 assault, investigative efforts ultimately led to the identification of DNA traces linking the trio back to the crime scene.
Hörning, representing the main plaintiff, highlights the psychological impact of the robbery on his client, who experienced life-threatening fear during the attack. "He had pure fear of death during the robbery. Now, for him, the process is a way to seek some closure, although he fears that the memories will be relived through his testimony. He doesn't want to be the centerpiece of this trial, but he must stand as a witness to what happened that day," said Hörning.
The proceedings will also hear from the former money transporter driver, who, after nearly ten years since the harrowing event, is expected to testify. As he takes the witness stand, he carries with him the weight of the ordeal, which is compounded by the lingering fear that his attackers—Garweg and Staub—remain at large.
Garweg and Staub have continued to evade capture, while Klette has been in custody since her arrest in Berlin in February 2024. She will face charges not only for the robbery in Stuhr but also for 12 previous armed robberies carried out with her accomplices. In 2016, the trio managed to steal nearly 1.4 million euros during one of their last heists, further complicating their criminal legacy.
Despite the critical circumstances, the defendants have maintained their innocence regarding the alleged attempted murder, with Garweg asserting that harming someone would have only complicated their efforts to rob the money transporter. "Any trauma inflicted on employees of cash offices or money transporters is regrettable. We would never have killed someone to extract money from them," he noted in a prior statement. However, this assertion stands in stark contrast to the prosecution's claim that their actions—the shooting, in particular—reflect an utter disregard for human life.
The coming months will reveal whether the court aligns with the prosecution's argument that Klette and her accomplices acted with malicious intent or if they will instead support the defense's view of their motivations. In a case steeped in historical significance, both sides will engage in a laborious dialogue around the fine line between terror and desperation.
The trial against Daniela Klette and her co-defendants is all set to begin, projections suggesting it will not only focus on the stopover incidents of 2015 but also delve deep into the criminals' bid to sustain themselves during their tenure in hiding. With over 700 pages of allegations documented, one can be sure of frantic courtroom proceedings filled with detail, history, and a quest for justice not only for the money but for the lives forever altered by fear and violence.
