Where is Birgit Hamer Now? We discuss the 2023 Netflix true crime series The King Who Never Was. Spoilers ahead.
A tragic story is at the center of the 2023 Netflix documentary series The King Who Never Was.
The Death of Dirk Hamer is a twisted tale that features the self-proclaimed King of Italy, an innocent party at sea, and a random gunshot wound, all together in this bizarre tale.
The limited series might look like a true crime story, but the characters’ complexities elevate this show to something more than the average true crime fare.
One of the main drives of the narrative is the shooting of Dirk Hamer and the fallout afterward when a powerful man is intrinsically linked to the shooting. The family of Dirk has spent over forty years in a legal battle, fighting for justice for the tragic death, and none have been more dogmatic than his sister Birgit.
After decades of campaigning and fighting, this article will answer the question: where is Birgit Hamer?
Who is Birgit Hamer?
Birgit is the sister of Dirk Hamer, who was shot on a boat in 1976 off the coast of Corsica. The brother and sister enjoyed a sea break with friends on the fateful night. Birgit was a model working in Germany and also won the title of Miss Germany in 1976.
She had also expressed an interest in acting, and in 1979 appeared briefly in a film called Together? that starred Jacqueline Bisset.
The tragic events of the night in 1978 that saw her brother shot would shape her life, leading to a lifelong quest to find justice for her brother’s death.
Where is Birgit Hamer Now?
At the time of writing, Birgit is in her sixties and is living in Spain. She has two daughters, and although she continues to fight for justice for her brother, she has come to terms with what happened and has allowed herself some closure on his death.
Who was Birgit Hamer’s Father?
In the mix of the already complex case, we also have Brigit’s father, Ryke Geerd Hamer. Ryke was a doctor in oncology but had been involved in pursuing controversial alternative medicines in Germany, with some reports saying that the experimental drugs were causing more problems for patients with cancer.
After the death of Dirk, Ryke Hamer developed cancer, and he blamed this on the stress of losing his son. He claimed that conventional treatment would not cure this cancer, as he believed its root was in psychological trauma and could therefore be treated with herbal medicines.
Ryke Hamer lost his medical license in 1986 but would open numerous alternative clinics for cancer patients. He would be imprisoned in various European cities for his medical beliefs and die at 82 in 2017 from a stroke.
Muddying the waters further, the wife of Vittorio Emanuele di Savoia would claim that Dirk’s family had accepted financial help from the Savoia family. The claim would be disputed, and the family reported that the money they requested was for Dirk’s medical bills.
Birgit made it clear that taking money from that family was a mistake and personally refused any interactions with them.
Did Birgit Hamer get justice for her brother’s murder?
No. Despite numerous attempts to bring Vittorio Emanuele to justice, including an incident in 1991 when new evidence was provided, Dirk’s killer has never faced justice. Missing evidence and new claims of a second shooter complicated things further, and the case was again dismissed.
Despite further evidence, including a videotaped confession, the case has never been reopened, but Birgit has at least found a platform for her story with the Netflix documentary.
