The fact that it is a crime (if it is, indeed, a fact), only makes it even more fucked up.

It is indeed illegal to insult someone in Germany (Beleidigung). Actually, it’s illegal in quite a number of countries. Such a concept feels very archaic in the Anglosphere, like a remnant of honor culture, duels, etc. which we lost our taste for in the nineteenth century; and doubly so for the USA with its strong freedom of speech protections.