Karl Denke

Karl Denke
Only known photograph of Karl Denke, after his suicide
Born August 12, 1860
Oberkunzendorf, Münsterberg, Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia (now Ziębice, Poland)
Died December 22, 1924 (aged 64)
Münsterberg, Weimar Germany
Cause of death Suicide by hanging
Other names Father Denke
Papa Denke
The Cannibal of Ziebice
The Forgotten Cannibal
Motive Unknown (presumably Cannibalism)
Details
Victims 30-42+
Span of crimes
 February 21, 1903–December 20, 1924
Country German Empire/Weimar Republic
Date apprehended
 December 20, 1924

Karl Denke (February 12, 1860-February 22, 1924) was a Prussian serial killer and cannibal who killed and cannibalized dozens of homeless vagrants and travelers from 1903-1924. He is often regarded as "The Forgotten Cannibal", or "The Cannibal of Ziebice".

Early Life

Childhood

Denke was born on August 12, 1860, in Münsterberg, Silesia in the Kingdom of Prussia (now Ziębice, Poland), to a family of farmers.[1] Little is known of Denke's childhood, but it is known that he was often described as a quiet and soft-spoken child that was difficult to raise. At the age of 12, Denke ran away from home.

Later Years

After graduating from Elementary school, Denke became the apprentice of a gardener, and made a life for himself at the age of 25. Denke's father died and his older brother inherited their childhood home, while Denke received a portion of money, which he used to buy a piece of land. Denke tried farming, but this failed and Denke sold it as a result. Denke purchased a house on what is now Stawowa Street, but inflation forced him to sell it. Denke still refused to move out and lived in a small apartment to the right of the house's ground floor. He also ran a nearby shop where he sold meat (which most speculate to have contained human remains). Denke also worked as an organ player at the local church, and was well-liked in his community, often affectionately referred to as "Papa" by the community. Denke quit his membership in the church in 1906.

Murders

Karl Denke, for unknown reasons, began murdering homeless vagrants and poor travelers. His first known victim was Ida Launer, in 1903. Six years later, in 1909, he killed 25-year-old Emma Sander (another slaughterhouse worker, Eduard Trautmann, was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to 12 years, but was released after the truth was discovered). His last known victim was Rochus Pawlick.[2][3] Denke also kept a ledger recording his murders. He is also believed to have sold the flesh of his victims as meat to unsuspecting customers.[4]

Arrest, Suicide, and Aftermath

On December 20, 1924, a homeless man named Vincenz Olivier escaped Denke after he attempted to kill him with an axe, slashing his scalp with it. He was found by a coachman named Gabriel and the authorities were alerted. Denke was arrested and questioned. He was placed in a holding cell, where he hanged himself just two days later with an unspecified ligature (the exact of which varies from account to account). Denke's home was searched and police found the gruesome truth of his murders and cannibalism. While the exact number of his victims is unknown, Denke's ledger had 31 names recorded (including Olivier, the attempted victim), confirming at least 30 victims. But due to the large amount of body parts found in the home, Denke's body count was estimated to be as high as 42 or even higher.

A detailed report includes:

  • sixteen femurs of which one pair of remarkably strong ones, two pairs of very thin ones, six pairs and two left femurs
  • fifteen medium-sized pieces of long bones
  • four pairs of elbow bones;
  • seven heads of radii;
  • nine lower parts of radii;
  • eight lower parts of the elbow;
  • a pair of upper shinbone;
  • a pair of lower elbows and radii, of which extremities still remain well connected;
  • a pair of upper arms and a pair of upper arm heads;
  • a pair of collar bones;
  • two shoulder blades;
  • eight heels and ankle bones;
  • 120 toes and phalanx;
  • 65 feet and metacarpal bones;
  • five first ribs and 150 pieces of ribs.

Decades later, the case of the Ziebic Cannibal remains mostly forgotten. Still much about Denke's life, motives, methods, and even the exact number of victims remains unknown. Even the only known photograph of him (the picture above) was taken after his death.

See also

  • Karl Denke bears an interesting resemblance to at least three other serial killers active around the same time:
    • Béla Kiss - Both were serial killers who killed dozens of victims and pickled their flesh
    • Carl Großmann - Both were German serial killers who killed (presumably in Großmann's) dozens of victims, sold their flesh to customers, and hanged themselves in their cells before they could be properly convicted of their murders.
    • Fritz Haarmann - Both were German serial killers who killed dozens of victims, had a similar victim-type (high-risk travelers and runaways), dismembered their victims, and are rumored to have sold their victim's flesh as meat to customers.

References

  1. ↑ "Centipede: Nice enough to eat; Cannibals of the 20th century". The Guardian. May 20, 1993. p. 12.
  2. ↑ Corke, Jonathan (December 7, 2003). "Cannibal's victim in cold packs; Exclusive pleased to meat you". Daily Star. p. 21.
  3. ↑ "Cannibalism: Hard act to swallow; What drives some people to eat others? We examine the body of evidence". The Straits Times. Singapore. December 14, 2003.
  4. ↑ Robbins, Martin (September 8, 2010). "What does human meat taste like?". Guardian Unlimited.

Further reading

  • Blazek, Matthias (2009). "Karl Denke". Carl Großmann und Friedrich Schumann – Zwei Serienmörder in den zwanziger Jahren. Stuttgart. pp. 133–34. ISBN 978-3-8382-0027-9.
  • Martingale, Moira (1993). Cannibal Killers: The Impossible Monsters. London: Robert Hale. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0-7090-5034-8.


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