Rotter kidnapping

, Alfred Rotter and his wife Gertrud, in July 1931 in front of the spa hotel in Bad Ragaz, near Liechtenstein. Fritz and Alfred Rotter worked as writers and composers and owned multiple successful theatres in Berlin during the era of the Weimar Republic. However, by 1933 due to the two men's Jewish backgrounds, they were the target of pressure contemporaneous with the rise of Nazism in Germany, and in January 1933, they were forced to declare bankruptcy and emigrate to Liechtenstein. They had previously succeeded in being naturalized in the country in 1931 as a result of a wider initiative by the Liechtenstein government. Prime Minister Josef Hoop attempted to use private contacts and offering informal support to the German government, where he considered appealing to Otto Meissner in order for the press attacks to end. However, due to this, Liechtenstein became the target of attacks by German press outlets. In particular, the Rotters became the target of attacks from the press, which falsely accused them of faking their bankruptcy and transferring their money abroad. As a result, it was publicly demanded that the two men be extradited back to Nazi Germany to face trial. == Kidnapping ==

On 5 April 1933, Fritz and Alfred Rotter, along with Alfred's wife, Gertrud Rotter, and Fritz's domestic partner, Julie Wolff, were convinced by Schädler to stay at a health resort in Gaflei on one of the Alps, which he managed. Shortly afterwards, Alfred and Gertrud fell into a nearby ravine to their deaths while fleeing the kidnappers. Around the same time, Fritz was tricked by one of the kidnappers into getting into his car under the false pretext of aiding him to safety, though once he realized his mistake, he managed to overpower the driver and jump out of the car, breaking his shoulder in the process. Following this, he was able to re-unite with Julie Wolff, who was also injured, and managed to reach safety and inform the Liechtenstein government. == Trials and aftermath ==

Following the kidnapping attempt, three of the men involved were arrested in Liechtenstein, while the rest were caught while attempting to flee through Götzis in Austria and then extradited back to Liechtenstein. In June 1933, the men went on trial for the kidnapping. Notably, however, both the deaths of Alfred and Gertrud and the political motivation behind the kidnapping were deliberately downplayed in order to avoid further German press attacks. Fritz Rotter's lawyer, Wladimir Rosenbaum, was prevented from reading his plea where he directly criticized the Nazis' use of violence. In addition, approximately 700 signatures were gathered demanding the German men involved be pardoned. Four of the German men involved were separately sentenced to three months in a court in Konstanz. In October of the same year, it was agreed that in order for German press attacks against Liechtenstein to come to an end, Schädler and Rheinbeger would be released from prison early. Fritz Rotter and his wife shortly after left Liechtenstein, and with assistance from Wladimir Rosenbaum, lived in exile in France until Fritz's death in 1939. == References ==