Bernhard Maier
 Bernhard Maier  (diplomat, Iran-Contra/Premature death?) | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1936 |
| Died | 1989 (Age 52) |
Cause of death | "suicide" |
| Nationality | Austrian |
| Interests | Uwe Barschel |
Ship designer and Austrian Honorary Consul in Geneva, Switzerland. He died in what was ruled a suicide, although he had contacts with arms deals and was a close friend Uwe Barschel, who also died under mysterious circumstances. | |
Bernhard Maier was a ship designer and Austrian Honorary Consul in Geneva, Switzerland. He died in what was ruled a suicide, although he had contacts with arms deals and was a close friend Uwe Barschel, who also died under mysterious circumstances.
Death
The chubby Austrian Honorary Consul General Bernhard Maier happily amused himself at a diplomatic party in Geneva. Shortly before midnight, the Austrian said goodbye, saying that he had to fly to Bremen at seven o'clock the next morning. The consul then got into his car and did not drive home, but in the opposite direction, to Lausanne. He parked his Rover near town, turned off the engine, left the headlights on, opened all four doors, and continued on foot. Within three hours, the man managed 35 kilometers to a bridge. From the same he threw himself forty meters down - and died.[1]
The first version of the event from the authorities said that the car had been found on the bridge, and not 35 kilometers away. But Swiss authorities leave no doubt about their verdict: Consul Maier committed "suicide" on October 22, 1988 or died in an "accident". "External fault is ruled out," stated examining magistrate Jacques Antenen.[1]
The report by the Geneva cantonal police leaves open when and where Bernhard Maier - by no means known as a top athlete during his lifetime - suffered the heart attack, which the coroner could not rule out.
Maier's family said "We rule out suicide one hundred percent". The former arms dealer Hermann Moll "whose circle of acquaintances demonstrably included leading criminal minds from Austria, Italy and Switzerland", allegedly said one of Meier's relatives: "This business is too hot for me," and that Maier was "on the trail of a big thing”. – this statement shortly before Maier's death nourished the family's suspicion that this was a kidnapping had failed.[1]
Uwe Barschel
Moll also said that Barschel was involved in the delivery of submarines to South Africa, and the ship designer Maier may have acted as a consultant. [1]
Uwe Barschel died in the Geneva hotel 'Beau Rivage', not far from the posh office rented by Maier. According to unconfirmed reports, the two knew each other for years, partly from transactions between Iran and the Kiel shipyard HDW. Maier owned a company in Geneva which, together with two branches in Bremen and Trieste, was involved in shipbuilding construction (Maierform GmbH). Maier's relatives insist that the consul and Barschel met on the Canary Islands shortly before Barschel's death, in a villa owned by the extremely wealthy arms dealer Adnan Kashoggi.[1]
