Bavarian Deputy Premier Hubert Aiwanger Found Dead in Berlin Hotel

Hubert Aiwanger, Bavaria’s deputy premier and economy minister, was found dead Wednesday evening in his hotel room in Berlin’s Mitte district, Berlin police and prosecutors said in a joint statement. He was 55.

Berlin death investigation

The Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office and a homicide unit of the Berlin state criminal police have opened a death investigation, the statement said. Its stated purpose is to establish the exact cause and circumstances of death and to rule out any involvement by another person. Authorities gave no further details, and the cause of death had not been made public as of Thursday, according to DW and The Guardian. The Associated Press also reported the death.

Aiwanger had traveled to Berlin for the opening of an office for his party but skipped the event after feeling unwell, The Guardian and DW reported, citing the Bild newspaper and the German news agency dpa. Bild reported his body was found at a hotel on Friedrichstrasse, DW said.

Leader of the Free Voters

Aiwanger led the populist Free Voters party, which has governed Bavaria since 2018 as junior partner to the Christian Social Union. The party never won enough votes to enter the national parliament in Berlin. In 2023 he faced a national controversy over an antisemitic leaflet from his school years; he denied writing it and apologized, but refused to step down, The Guardian reported.

Bavarian Premier Markus Soeder called the death an “absolute tragedy” and said his thoughts were with Aiwanger’s family and children. Aiwanger is survived by two children and his partner, DW reported.

Developing: Police and prosecutors have not released a cause of death, and the investigation is ongoing.

Sources: Berlin Police and Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office, DW, The Guardian, Associated Press.