Frieda Felger was 97-years-old when she committed suicide. She is one of a growing number of elderly Germans that are choosing to end their own lives.

Felger’s case, and others like it, are currently provoking a contentious debate in Germany over whether people should be helped with the decision to die.

Felger, who killed herself on Nov. 28, 2008, is one of five people who received help from Roger Kusch, a former Hamburg justice minister turned euthanasia advocate.

Kusch does not directly assist in the suicides, as this is illegal under German law.

But he advertises his services as a "suicide counselor," providing advice and support for those seeking to die.

He films his discussions with potential suicides, and has shown journalists a video of his first "client" killing herself by taking a lethal cocktail of drugs in order to prove he was not on the premises at the time.

Kusch, whom critics denounced as a populist and provocateur when he was still in office in Hamburg, now charges 8,000 euros (10,110 dollars) per case for his help.

"I provide a service,” Kusch said. “It's of value, and in our society such things do not come free."

Felger was the fifth suicide he assisted this year.

She would have preferred to die in her own home, but was forced to kill herself in a hotel room in the western town of Muelheim as the police had become aware of her case and might have sought to stop her, Kusch explained on his website. The day before, the police had searched Kusch's home and computer.

Questioning the point of living

In Germany, as in many other European countries, the number of suicides has been declining -- except for those of older people, especially men over 75 -- according to official statistics.

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