1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Assisted suicide in Germany

August 16, 2015

Is it possible to accompany one’s wife if she wishes to take her own life despite rejecting assisted suicide? Former chairman of Germany's Protestant Church Council Nikolaus Schneider talks about assisted suicide.

Nikolaus Schneider,
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Assisted suicide in Germany

12:07

This browser does not support the video element.

What if you don't want to carry on with life? What is known as assisted dying – killing somebody in accordance with his or her wishes – is illegal in Germany. Meanwhile, both suicide and assisted suicide are permitted by law. The German parliament is currently looking into new legislation on these complex matters. So what could a revised law look like? Should assisted dying be allowed?

Nikolaus Schneider, who was for four years the chairman of Germany's influential Protestant Church Council, found himself personally battling with these questions when his wife was diagnosed with cancer. Wanting to die or having to live – who has the right to make a decision over life and death? On this week’s DW Interview, Nikolaus Schneider has some answers.

Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW