Austrian doctor Lisa-Maria Kellermayr committed suicide in 2022 after receiving numerous hate messages for supporting COVID-19 vaccinations. A German man is now facing charges related to her death.
Dr. Lisa-Maria Kellermayr, an Austrian family doctor, took her life nearly two years ago. She had been a vocal advocate for COVID-19 vaccinations, which led to her receiving hate messages and threats. The case caused a national outcry, with candlelight vigils held at her practice near Lake Attersee and a large memorial event at St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. Recently, it was announced that a 61-year-old German man has been charged in connection with her death by the public prosecutor’s office in Wels, Upper Austria.
Online threats and their consequences
Kellermayr faced months of abuse both on social media and via direct emails. Her public support for vaccinations and criticism of anti-vaccination demonstrations made her a target. The German man now accused was one of the individuals who sent particularly harsh messages to and about her. According to the prosecutors, his actions contributed to her suicide and meet the criteria for dangerous threats, which could result in a prison sentence of one to ten years.
Although the man admits to sending the messages, he denies any intent to cause harm. He claims that the exchanges were merely part of a “mutual verbal conflict” rather than intended as serious threats.
Specific allegations and Kellermayr’s struggles
The accused is charged with sending four emails and three tweets between February and July, in which he threatened to strip the doctor of her freedom, honor, or financial security. He reportedly warned her of a “people’s tribunal” and promised she would “end up on the bench and definitely in prison.”
Throughout this time, Kellermayr had shared her experiences in the media and on X (formerly Twitter). She revealed that she had to spend around €100,000 on private security due to the numerous threats, not only against herself but also her patients. In June 2022, she announced that she would close her practice at Attersee, and by the end of July, she was found dead. The autopsy confirmed that she had taken her own life.
A heated political climate
The doctor’s death occurred during a time of intense debate in Austria regarding government measures against the COVID-19 pandemic. This was especially heated after the parliament passed, but did not enforce, a vaccination mandate at the end of 2021. The region of Upper Austria, where Kellermayr lived, was a hub for COVID-19 deniers and anti-vaccination activists. A political party opposing pandemic restrictions, MFG, even managed to secure over 6% of the vote in the 2021 state elections in Upper Austria.
Kellermayr had publicly criticized an anti-vaccination demonstration that allegedly blocked ambulance access at a clinic in Wels. The police responded by labeling her tweet as “false information,” triggering an avalanche of abuse and threats against her. In November 2021, she requested that the police delete the post, explaining that it was fueling the attacks on her. However, the police did not comply, and their handling of the situation later drew sharp criticism, particularly after a police spokesperson implied on public radio that the doctor had sought attention through the media and exaggerated her situation.
Cross-border investigation and potential further charges
There was initially confusion over whether Austrian authorities had jurisdiction to prosecute the threats Kellermayr received, as many of the messages originated from abroad, including from Berlin and Munich. After her suicide, however, a cross-border investigative team was formed. The Wels prosecutor’s office confirmed that the doctor’s death in Austria established jurisdiction over the German suspect’s actions.
The German man charged in the case has a criminal record in Germany. According to a forensic-psychiatric report, the threats he sent were a contributing factor in Kellermayr’s suicide. The expert stated that the man should have been aware that his threats could lead to psychological instability, fear, and ultimately, suicide.
Prosecutors have hinted that further charges may follow as investigations continue into other threats sent to Kellermayr.
