On 27 December 1973 Thomas Niedermayer, the manager of the Grundig Factory in West Belfast and Germany's Honorary Consul to Northern Ireland, was kidnapped from his home in Belfast.
Two men had knocked on his door, claiming to have car trouble. Little did he know, they were members of the IRA.
The abduction and killing of Niedermayer was the beginning of a family tragedy that went on to span three generations.
The plan for the kidnap was reportedly a hope to exchange his release for the transfer of Republican prisoners Dolours and Marian Price from a jail in England to one in Northern Ireland. But within days of his kidnap Thomas Niedermayer was killed.
His wife Ingeborg and his daughters Renate and Gabriele, spent the seven years after his abduction not knowing if he was alive or dead.
The documentary follows the painful journey of discovery Thomas and Ingeborg’s only granddaughters, Tanya and Rachel have faced. The women were told none of this story when they were growing up - only finding out the facts after the death of both their parents. The impact of the kidnapping 50 years ago would go on to have a devastating impact on the family through multi-generational trauma and suicide.
Face Down: The Killing Of Thomas Niedermayer is a BBC Northern Ireland and RTÉ co-production by Strident Media and Blueprint Pictures. It airs Wednesday 27 December at 10.40pm on BBC One NI and BBC iPlayer.
Publicity contact: MM2
