A Revenger in Devil's Mask and an Important Political Message - East Frisian Crime Returns with a Chilling Tale of Vengeance and Justice
The 14th instalment of East Frisian Crime returned to screens in April 2025, this time tackling the grim realities of domestic violence and femicide. The film, now replaying on ZDF, follows a chilling new antagonist—a masked killer with a literary streak and a hidden identity.
The story begins with a masked burglar, dressed as the devil, attacking a drunken Johann Ricklef while quoting Kafka. Ricklef, a violent husband and father, has repeatedly abused his wife Susanne and son Frithjof. Despite anonymous reports, no action was taken—until Frithjof is beaten into a coma. This time, Ricklef ends up dead, his killer none other than Dr. Bernhard Sommerfeldt, a respected physician secretly orchestrating the murders.
Ricklef's self-admission to hospital with a severed thumb draws Chief Inspector Ann Kathrin Klaasen and her husband Frank Weller into the case. Meanwhile, Inspector Rupert escorts Ann Kathrin to see Sommerfeldt, who casually quotes Mephistopheles from *Faust* while diagnosing her gastritis. The doctor's true nature remains hidden—until he is exposed as the first murderer in the film, having already killed Beate's ex-boyfriend Michael Pelz, a dark web predator who drugged and filmed young women. The police devise a plan to flush out the killer, unaware that Sommerfeldt's crimes are driven by a twisted sense of justice. A harrowing hospital scene underscores the film's central theme: the urgent need to confront domestic violence and systemic failures that allow it to persist.
This instalment of East Frisian Crime stands out for its literate, mask-wearing villain and its unflinching focus on real-world violence against women. The film's return to ZDF ensures its themes reach a wider audience, though its impact on broader discussions—or broadcaster policies—remains to be seen.
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