Ludwig A. Minelli was a pioneer in the field of assisted dying, leading efforts to decriminalize it in Germany in 2020.
Minnelli died on November 29, 2025, shortly before his 93rd birthday.
He founded the organization “Dignitas – To Live With Dignity – To Die With Dignity” in 1998 and faced several legal challenges. He made several successful appeals to the Swiss Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Minnelli began his career as a journalist with a Swiss newspaper in 1956 and was the first correspondent of the German news magazine der spiegel In Switzerland between 1964 and 1974.
He later studied law and had a lasting influence on Swiss law. Dignitas took note of the 2011 ECHR judgment which recognized the right of a person capable of taking decisions to decide the manner and timing of the end of his or her life.
The organization described Minnelli as a “tenacious and steadfast warrior” when it came to protecting the autonomy of people to make fundamental decisions about their lives.
What to know about assisted dying in Germany
Dignitas said Minnelli’s work was important for decriminalizing assisted suicide services In Germany.
In 2020, the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany ruled that individuals have a constitutional right to a self-determined death.
In a recent interview with german outlet Center Online, Dr. Martin Gossmann, head of the medical team of the German Assisted Dying Association, said third parties can offer assistance such as medical or legal advice, but the patient must take the life-ending medication.
Euthanasia, where another person actively helps someone to die at their request, is punishable by law in Germany.
What to know about assisted death services in the world
Dignitas said it currently has about 10,000 members and provides assisted death or suicide services to people around the world.
According to the campaign group Dignity in Dying, assisted death is fully or conditionally available in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands.
Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Ecuador also provide services for people experiencing unbearable suffering, the group said.
In the US, assisted dying is legal for the terminally ill in 10 states.
If you are suffering from severe emotional stress or suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information about where to get such help, no matter where you live in the world, on this website: https://www.befrienders.org/.
Materials from AFP were used in the article.
Edited by: Louis Olofse
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