Courtroom with a wink: Böhmermann versus Heinzig
In the courtroom in Dresden, where the stern face of Justitia usually reigns, a touch of satire wafted through the air today. Jan Böhmermann, who failed to appear in court, made the courtroom smile with his absence, as did the judge with her remark that his program was "made funny". Böhmermann was represented by his lawyer Dr. Torben Düsing, a specialist in intellectual property law. Rico Heinzig, on the other hand, listened to what the judge had to say. He seemed introverted.
It was a hearing in which not only honey but also words flowed. Heinzig, who claims to have only sold 8 jars of his #beewashing honey on the day of the promotion, was confronted with legal arguments that weighed more heavily than the sweet product itself. The judge, well prepared by ZDF broadcasts and newspaper articles, felt that Heinzig's advertising campaign itself was "wittily done", but pointed out that it could be legally difficult if the impression was created that Böhmermann was recommending the honey - something that could well tip the legal scales to the presenter's side. The plaintiff side added that Heinzig could have defended himself journalistically against Böhmermann instead of violating Jan Böhmermann's personal rights with the advertisement.
Heinzig's lawyer, Dr. Hoffmann, argued that Böhmermann's program was not real journalism, but "investigative satire", an art form that Jan Böhmermann embodied and against which one could not compete journalistically. He also questioned whether an image transfer had really taken place. Böhmermann's lawyer, on the other hand, tried to portray Heinzig's picture as a product endorsement, which clearly violated Böhmermann's personal rights. However, Hoffmann pointed out that the image used showed Jan Böhmermann in his role as a TV presenter and not as a private person.
The proceedings also brought some humorous moments: Hoffmann remarked that Böhmermann seemed to have a very "narrow understanding of humor" and wished the satirist had been there in person. Ironically, he pointed out that Böhmermann himself also advertises on Spotify using the names of well-known personalities - a fact that underlined the humorous element of the case. Hoffmann brought up other court decisions that could lead the judge to dismiss Böhmermann's lawsuit. It remains exciting.
In the end, the conciliation hearing failed, as Hoffmann wanted to have fundamental issues decided for his client, as the advertising defendant was affected himself and "the celebrity", Jan Böhmermann, had brought about this concern himself. This is "the new thing about this case" and as there has not yet been a ruling by the BGH, the settlement was rejected. The judge will now announce the verdict on February 8, 2024 at 11:15 a.m.
Mysterious disappearance after court hearing
When the court hearing ended, the press representatives were eagerly awaiting a statement from Rico Heinzig. But unexpectedly, the expectation turned into confusion: Heinzig had disappeared without a trace. A collective murmur and words such as "sh...ße" (shit) among the waiting journalists testified to the general confusion as to where Heinzig was.
Funny side event. In front of the courthouse, employees of the apiary were handing out free beewashing honey. However, none of them knew where Heinzig had disappeared to. Had the media hype become too much for the beekeeper? An air of mystery surrounds the end of this curious day in court.
