20,000 Documents Expose Justice Scandal in Peggy Case
Investigative journalist Marc Thiel analyzes police files to prove innocent man wrongly convicted
Quick Facts
A Justice Scandal Documented Word for Word
Twelve-year-old Peggy Knobloch disappeared on July 7, 1996, from Birkenfeld, Germany. Nearly five years later, her remains were discovered in a forest, and shortly after, Ulvi Kulac was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison. But 2023 brought the truth to light: Kulac was innocent.
Journalist Marc Thiel spent decades investigating this case. In his new book "Böse Spiele"—based on 20,000 pages of police files—he systematically documents how an innocent man was convicted. The book was published in 2024 and presented on German television in a program comparable to the American "Unsolved Mysteries." German prosecutors confirmed to ZDF that Thiel's book is based on authentic documents and contributes to clarifying the case.
Why does this work matter internationally? Because it reveals wrongful convictions and investigative errors that can happen anywhere—including in your own country.
Systematic Failures in the Investigation
When Peggy was found, police wasted no time. In 2004, Ulvi Kulac was convicted based on so-called "overwhelming evidence." Even Germany's Federal Court of Justice upheld the sentence.
