Appeal against incest is taken to Germany's highest court

[AB Asks]

The disturbing love story of Patrick Stuebing and Susan Karolewski has hit the press this week. The two in question are in fact brother and sister. The pair met in 2000 after Stuebing tracked down his birth mother. The pair have been lovers for seven years and have a total of four children together, two of which can barely walk or talk. Despite having been imprisoned for incest Stuebing refuses to give up his relationship with his sister and plans to take their case to Germany's highest legal body, the Constitutional Court in a bid to legalise their union. What do you think? Should this kind of relationship be legalised? Is this really a story of true love?

[Champagne]

I don't care whether it's true love or not. It's just wrong, man! And their offspring is a clear example of why.

[coco pops]

There is a reason why brothers and sisters should not have sex together and the health of the resulting offspring is a reason.

[IggyB]

well of course this sort of relationship shouldn't be legalised - no one in their right mind would advocate that it should, not only because of the potential offspring but also for the mental health of the family members involved - they need our help not our sympathy

[ollyjolly]

Typical Germans completely messed up, and people want a political union with idiots like this. Quite Clear "don't touch your sister, you sick ********"

[kwicky]

Animals often in-breed. If you believe in the bible in-breeding must have taken place in the early stages.

The problem is genetics, any faults in the coding will almost condemn the offspring to the same condition.

Incest is a criminal offence and should always be so.

[jump79]

Although its tragic and very complex (the birth mother should really have kept track of her children) ... their union definitely should not be legalised. Even if the 2 were not aware of their real relationship at the time, it doesn't change the facts as they stand. Its immoral and plain wrong.

[Lonnie]

The downfall of Sparta was caused mainly through inbreeding,
The Pharoahs of ancient Egypt used to inbreed, with catastrophic consequences.

Their appeal should be thrown out, and, as they new what they were doing, they should be arrested.

A bit harsh, but thats my view.

[niall1000]

i dont think either can be fairly imprisoned...yes of course its wrong but maybe both are neither mentally stable to understand the consequence of their actions at the time and still possibly dont.

perhaps the courts should impose a sentence of medical threatment therefore the couple cant have a baby again?

[jno]

it's risky to have children, and I gather he's now been sterilised. As for marriage, good luck to them. It sounds sick because you think of your own siblings; but these two have grown up apart and simply don't feel the same 'taboo' most of us would towards sisters or brothers. I believe such feelings are not uncommon between siblings who've grown up apart and meet later in life. After all, genes mean they're very close, and their upbringing hasn't 'immunised' them to each other as usual. I'm not sure the state should take any interest in this; nobody else is going to be hurt.

[Le Chat]

They were strangers when they met, so like jno says, that feeling of 'physical repulsion' towards one's sibling was missing. There are many people who do not give up 'the one they love', even after the most henious crimes have been committed, so it obviously seems ridiculous to this couple that they should part, when all they have done is love each other.
Their relationship is completely different from a brother and sister who have been brought up together and then choose to have a relationship ... and should be treated so. It is however, a great shame about the two children .. they should have chosen not to have children to prevent this kind of genetic problem occurring.

[jenstar]

Of course it should be legal. You can't (well, you can, but you shouldn't) prohibit something just because you think it's a bit "icky". Do you all think disabled people shouldn't be allowed to breed either? After all, the genetic risks are even higher there.

[netibiza]

Totally agree with jno there, says it all.

[trakcab]

They weren't strangers when they met, they met when he found his natural mother. She was about 16 at the time and the mother let them spend time alone in her bedroom, he knew she was his sister all along. Thier reasoning go's back to the Nazi's breeding program

[trakcab]

the full story:-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/a rticle.html?in_article_id=439288&in_page_id=18 79

[shaneystar2]

It's very sad ...they have both obviously had little or no love in their lives from their respectives families .You can't really deny them their happiness if this is what they choose to do but I agree that children should not have been brought into the equation.
As for sweeping statements about the "Germans" especially ollyjolly's remark I find that very biased.It goes on in all walks of life and in all countries.

[Dom Tuk]

spot on jno and shaneystar.

[skyhi9921]

im sorry but this is wrong it is illegal even if it is true love although it is possible they could have had children with disabilities anyway the chance is more likely and i cant believe they would put there childrens lives at risk by doing this she also is only 22 if they have been seeing each other 4 7 yrs it would be considered child abuse sister or not

[skyhi9921]

in reply 2 jenstar in most disability cases it is not genetic not all i admit but i would say the same 2 them as i do 2 this couple if there is only a tiny chance fair enough but when u know something is genetic it is wrong 2 take lives in yr own hands like that

[mycats]

First thing I thought here was "sick sick sick" but reading the full story, isnt it just a sad sad story?
These people are obviously damaged, how could their lives have gotten to this point with out the authorities intervening.
Very sad, but no they shouldnt be allowed to continue their relationship.
I was very interested to read "France's incest laws were abolished in 1810 by Napoleon. It is also not illegal in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal or Turkey.
I never knew that, that is scary

[Aquagility]

Is it not true that, in Britain, the law permits homosexual brothers to have a sexual relationship?
So, however strong our revulsion, now that the man has undergone vasectomy, is it not a mite hypoctitical to force them apart. Whose interests would be served?