Rolf Bossi

Rolf Bossi (10 September 1923, Karlsruhe – 22 December 2015, Düsseldorf) He was known for defending prominent actors such as Ingrid van Bergen and Romy Schneider, as well as criminals such as Jürgen Bartsch, Dieter Zlof, and Dieter Degowski. He defended four former East German border guards who were accused of having killed Chris Gueffroy, who was trying to escape over the Berlin Wall. He was considered to be one of Germany's best-known defense lawyers. He wrote an autobiography, appeared in talk shows and even had two film roles.

Career

After his father was executed by the Nazi regime, Bossi decided to pursue a career in law. He began his legal career in Munich in 1952, where he lived and worked for many years. One of his earliest cases involved the defence of a postal worker who had embezzled registered mail in order to pay for the care of his disabled child.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Bossi established a reputation as Germany’s most prominent so-called Starverteidiger (celebrity defence lawyer). Contemporary commentators noted his emphasis on forensic rhetoric, psychological arguments, and the use of psychiatric expertise in criminal trials.

In 2002, Bossi married his partner, who was also widowed. He lived for a time in the Munich district of Bogenhausen and, after retiring, moved his primary residence to Gevelsberg, his wife’s hometown. From December 2014, the couple lived in Düsseldorf.

Death

Bossi died on 22 December 2015 at the age of 92 after a serious illness.