Death: Bavaria mourns Hubert Aiwanger

Munich. In a moving act of mourning, Bavaria said goodbye to the long-time economics minister and deputy prime minister Hubert Aiwanger in Munich's Frauenkirche. Well over 1,100 mourners - many of them in traditional costumes - paid their last respects ten days after his sudden death, hundreds more guests were no longer allowed into the church and watched the mass on the church square.

In the cathedral, next to a large portrait of the former Free Voters leader, there was his coffin, wrapped in the Bavarian colors of white and blue.

In the front row among the guests present were Aiwanger's partner Tanja Schweiger, his sons and his family. In addition to a large number of guests from politics and society, ordinary citizens also had access to the Frauenkirche.

Prime Minister Markus Söder praised Aiwanger's political life's work in his speech. "His death affects us all across party lines, across social boundaries. The whole of Bavaria is mourning," said the visibly moved CSU leader. A real statesman is leaving today. “Dear Hubert, we will never forget you.”

"It's still a terrible shock. The news has by no means sunk in," said State Parliament President Ilse Aigner (CSU). She still can't believe Aiwanger's sudden death. Aiwanger was the author and driving force behind the success story of the Free Voters; without his tireless efforts, the party's rise would not have been possible.

Aiwanger decided to “stay true to himself, not mince his words and go into the debates robustly, sometimes provocatively.” She admires him for his ingenuity and also his instinct. Addressing Aiwanger directly, she emphasized: "The fact that we lost you hurts a lot and leaves a huge gap. We are, I am, terribly sad."

The head of the Free Voters parliamentary group, Florian Streibl, said that Aiwanger's death had made time stand still. He also bows on behalf of the party and the parliamentary group “from a companion and loyal friend”. Aiwanger was “in the purest sense a servant of the people, a loyal servant of the people”, sometimes edgy, but always genuine. Hubert Aiwanger was simply Hubert Aiwanger.” Streibl announced that the Free Voters would continue Aiwanger's political legacy in his spirit for Bavaria.

The pontifical requiem before the state ceremony took place under the direction of Cardinal Reinhard Marx. Aiwanger's death came as a shock across all party lines, said Marx. He also called Aiwanger a “real Bavarian man” who still wanted to achieve a lot. In his political work, Aiwanger also caused offense and suffered injuries himself.