With many tears and a moving memorial service, relatives and friends of the killed Luise from Freudenberg have said goodbye to the twelve-year-old girl. "We all are now unspeakably heavy to the heart," said parish priest Thomas Ijewski on Wednesday evening in the small Protestant church of the city. "For twelve years she had a beautiful life. Often your Liese was filled with unbridled joy, loud and funky you will remember her."

Only the family and close companions had come together in the small Protestant church, outside the police shielded the area widely. Classmates met simultaneously in the auditorium of their school and in the schoolyard. An audio transmission of the divine service could be heard there. About 1000 people had come in total.

The violent death of the twelve-year-old on March 11 shocked many people in the city of Freudenberg near Siegen. Two 12 and 13-year-old girls have confessed to killing Luise with numerous knife wounds. According to the investigating authorities, the three knew each other. In the service, the alleged perpetrators were not mentioned.

"All this is over now"

Ijewski recalled the crime a week and a half ago, when Luise was initially considered missing and forces searched for her with a large contingent. "A pitch-black night, illuminated only by the flickering blue lights and the cones of light of the search teams. Hours of hope, hours of full commitment of so many, hours where countless prayers were sent to heaven. But in the end, it's all for nothing." In a remote forest in Rhineland-Palatinate on the border with North Rhine-Westphalia, the police found the body of the twelve-year-old the next morning.

This changed everything for Luise's family and friends. "How we would have liked to accompany her into the future, would have been curious about school trips, about her first boyfriend, about choosing a career and maybe starting a family. All of that is over before it has begun."

The Protestant church in Freudenberg was decorated with delicate pink flowers. In front stood the white coffin. "It was in this church that we baptized Luise. Have they recommended them to God. Here we also say goodbye to her," said Ijewski.

At the request of the family, it was a rather simple service. Only parish pastor Ijewski spoke to the congregation. Instead of organ music, modern songs sounded from the loudspeakers: "Airplane made of paper" by Sarah Connor and "Dancing in the Sky" by the Flemish "The Voice Kids" participant Zita.

It was difficult for him to give the family and friends of Luise comforting words, said the parish priest. Almost timidly, he asked: "May I put this hope in your hearts that the risen, living Jesus has long since embraced Louise?"

Motives of the perpetrators unclear

The public may never know anything about the motives of the two 12- and 13-year-olds who confessed to the crime. The investigators keep themselves extremely covered with information on the background of the case, because the alleged perpetrators themselves are still children and therefore not guilty. The two girls are in the care of the Youth Welfare Office.

The spot in the forest where Luise was killed a few kilometers from Freudenberg is increasingly becoming a magnet for grieving people. Countless flowers lie there, candles burn, angels, hearts and painted stones remind of the twelve-year-old girl.

In the schoolyard of Luise's school, people paused in silence for quite some time after the service. Then balloons rose into the sky – Luise's name and big hearts were painted on it.