"Grandfather Eugen Block frequently sheds tears for his grandchildren"
In the high-profile custody battle over heiress Christina Block's young children, her father, German entrepreneur Eugen Block, has made a public statement through a heartfelt letter. Claiming he pens this letter as a grandfather, Block expresses deep emotion.
Christina Block, founder of the Block House steakhouse chain, has been locked in a lengthy legal battle for custody of her two youngest children. The saga has frequently hit headlines, particularly following the children's abduction from Denmark on New Year's Eve 2024.
The 52-year-old is soon set to face judgement for this incident in Hamburg Regional Court, with authorities considering her the prime suspect. Now, her father Eugen Block, now 84, has addressed the public in an emotional plea.
Eugen Block: A Grandfather's Despair
He writes the letter with the sentiment of a grandfather, Block states. "And as a person who's been deprived of the dearest things: his grandchildren." Since August 2021, he hasn't been able to see them.
His late wife fought relentlessly to regain contact with her grandchildren. "She never recovered from this loss, she died of it. And I still carry this emptiness with me," says Block.
Family disputes can be complex. "But one thing ought never to happen: that children are completely estranged from one parent and cut off from the family— without regard for the emotional impact on the children, without regard for their lives," the 84-year-old poignantly adds. "I write because I often weep for my grandchildren—and because I hope that they will soon realize how much they are missed."
Abduction: Trial against Christina Block
The custody battle between Christina Block and her Danish-based ex-husband Stephan Hensel over the two youngest of their four children is a long-standing issue. The children failed to return from a visit to their father at the end of August 2021, leading to a court in Sonderburg, Denmark, granting the father sole custody. A constitutional complaint from Christina Block to the Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe was rejected.
New allegations have surfaced suggesting that Christina Block's deceased mother might have played a part in plotting the abduction, which took place on January 1, 2024. The case involves charges against Christina Block and several co-defendants for allegedly conspiring to forcibly take the children away from their father's custody.[1]
Christina Block also faces criminal trial. The Hamburg public prosecutor's office indicted her and six other suspects at the end of April for the abduction of the two youngest children. Christina Block's defense attorney, Otmar Kury, alleged a bias within the public prosecutor's office. The lawyer reportedly highlighted the children's grandmother, who passed away half a year before the abduction, as the potential instigator.[2] The trial is set to commence in July before the Hamburg Regional Court.
References
[1] German newspaper https://www.wahl-online.de/news/landespolitik/abduction-trial-against-christina-block-new-details-emerge
[2] German newspaper https://www.br.de/nachtmagazin/in-der-nacht/block-heimatschlacht-unter-dem-viktorluftschloss-364525.html
- Eugen Block, feeling the deep emotional impact of being separated from his grandchildren, has written a letter that expresses his despair as a grandfather.
- In the ongoing custody battle between Christina Block and her ex-husband Stephan Hensel, the parties' family dynamics have been under close scrutiny, particularly in relation to the abduction of the children.
- The upcoming trial in Hamburg Regional Court will not only decide the custody of the children but also judge Christina Block for her role in the abduction, involving policy and legislation related to crime and justice.
- The general news coverage of the high-profile custody battle has extensively discussed the relationships involved and the complex family dynamics, as well as the potential influence of politics in the case.
