Impfgegner demonstrieren in Potsdam

In the end, Lisa-Maria Kellermayr could no longer bear the months of threats on Facebook and Twitter, these announcements that she would be “executed” or “pulled before a people’s tribunal”, that her employees would be “slaughtered”, that their throats would be “cut”. Written by radical opponents of vaccination and corona deniers.

Doctor Kellermayr was found dead in her practice in Seewalchen am Attersee in Upper Austria on Friday. According to the responsible public prosecutor’s office in Wels, she had committed suicide and farewell letters had been found.

The family doctor had become a hate figure for corona deniers and opponents of vaccination because she had taken care of people who were suspected of having a corona infection. Above all, however, she had publicly advocated the introduction of compulsory vaccination. In November 2021, she criticized opponents of vaccination because they had blocked an emergency exit in front of a hospital.

One of the reactions to their engagement: Psychoterror. Kellermayr closed her practice at the end of June because she could no longer guarantee a safe workflow there. In addition, she was financially drained because she had spent more than 100,000 euros on security measures – in addition to the police protection she had received for a long time.

Despite police protection, she complained that she had received too little support from the authorities. The police deny the allegations. In any case, the public prosecutor’s office in Wels had discontinued preliminary proceedings against a German suspect. Reason: The German authorities are responsible for this.

According to the “Spiegel”, a suspicion about the authors of the threats led to the right-wing extremist scene in Germany. A suspect is already known to the Berlin authorities. At the request of the Tagesspiegel, the Berlin police said they could not provide any information. There was also no information from the public prosecutor’s office in Wels.

Of course, Kellermayr sometimes lacked support in her specialist area. After announcing the closure of her practice, the President of the Upper Austrian Medical Association said: “I see that you have to fight back, but it’s another question whether you have to speak excessively about every topic on Twitter.” Sometimes it is better to withdraw.

In Austria, the dismay is great. Federal President Alexander van der Bellen declared: “Hate and intolerance have no place in our Austria.” Health Minister Johannes Rauch said: “Death threats against you and your employees were brutal reality. Hatred of people is inexcusable.” Ironically, Kellermayr recently called for Rauch’s resignation. A commemorative event is planned for Monday evening at Stephansplatz in Vienna.