Large Fierce Mammal

While Mrs. LFM and I have enjoyed their products, Canadian winery Sola-Nero for a time had a subtly unfortunate slogan emblazoned on their label – “GOES WELL WITH PEOPLE”.

German cannibal Armin Meiwes is currently serving a 15 year sentence for manslaughter after having killed, butchered, and eaten more than 20 kilograms worth of, engineer Bernd Brandes. (Thomas Lohnes/AFP/Getty Images)

On this thirteenth day of dark sentiments we’re going to delve into one of the darkest of all – cannibalism. Most particularly, we’ll eschew the subject as it has been documented to have been  practiced as a spiritual rite, possession by a malevolent spirit as in the legend of the Wendigo, or out of grim necessity, and concentrate instead on the shadow world of those people who live among us while harbouring a hunger for human flesh, or who are equally driven to be the one devoured.

The case of Armin Meiwes and Bernd Brandes first came to public attention in December 2002 after Meiwes killed and butchered Brandes, an engineer in his early 40’s, filming the entire process, and in subsequent months until he was discovered, consumed more than 20 kilograms of his flesh prepared in assorted ways.

Meiwes didn’t stalk Brandes by stealth or guile, nor did he employ subterfuge of any kind against him.  Everything that he intended to do was stated with crystal clarity, and occurred with the victim’s complete cooperation and consent, demented and misguided though it may have been, and it all happened the 21st century way – using the internet.

According to Harpers’s, Meiwes regularly placed personal ads on websites that cater to people with exotic tastes saying that he was looking for, “Well-built men, 18-30, who would like to be eaten by me.” He frequented chatrooms where he very specifically stated he was seeking, “… men for slaughter …”. After what are reported to have been hundreds of no-shows, Meiwes caught the eye of Brandes who had a perverse sexual fascination with being killed and eaten. The two met for the first and last time on 9 March 2001.

Paving the way to the night’s consummation, Brandes voluntarily consumed a combination of pain killers and schnapps after which he submitted to having his penis sliced off, and joined Meiwes in its consumption after he flambéed it. As he weakened from blood loss, Brandes was transferred by Meiwes to a bathtub where he ultimately lost consciousness, and died when Meiwes cut his throat.

In the research for his book Interview With a Cannibal, Austrian journalist Günter Stampf visited Armin Meiwes  in prison where he conducted 30 court approved interviews. In one of these, Meiwes disclosed, “I sauteed the steak of Bernd, with salt, pepper, garlic and nutmeg. I had it with princess croquettes, Brussels sprouts and a green pepper sauce,” and described his flavour experience as tasting, “… like pork, a little bit more bitter, stronger. It tastes quite good.”

According to an article published on 16 October 2007 in Spiegel Online International, “Police estimate that around 10,000 people in Germany alone share Meiwes’ fascination with cannibalism – either eating human flesh or being eaten.” I don’t have stats for other countries but I will say this – my two firm recommendations for taking a resolute stance in favour of killing something are these:

1. You intend to eat it; or
2. It intends to eat you or something/someone you value.

Accept no compromise.

I’ll invite you now to watch the 60 Minutes segment on this sordidly bizarre tale that aired in March 2008. Titled The Cannibal. It will fill in what remains of the details.