Fritz Haarmann
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| Fritz Haarmann | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 25, 1879 Hanover, Germany |
| Died | April 15, 1925 (aged 45) Hanover, Germany |
| Penalty | Capital punishment |
| Status | Executed |
Friedrich "Fritz" Haarmann (October 25, 1879 – April 15, 1925) was a notorious serial killer born in Hanover, Germany.
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[edit] Crimes
From 1919 to 1924, Haarmann committed at least 24 murders. Haarmann's victims were young male vagrants and male prostitutes who hung around railway stations, whom Haarmann would lure back to his apartment and then kill by biting through their throats while sodomizing them. Rumours had it that Haarmann would then peddle meat from the bodies of his victims as black market pork, but there was no evidence. His accomplice and live-in partner, Hans Grans, sold the clothing of his victims, and Haarmann claimed Grans urged him to kill handsome boys, but was otherwise not involved in the murders.
Haarmann was eventually apprehended when numerous skeletal remains, which he had dumped into the river Leine, washed up. His trial was very spectacular; it was one of the first major media events in Germany. There were no concepts or expressions for his crimes; he was called a "werewolf", a "vampire", and a "sexual psychopath" at the same time. But apart from the cruelty of what Haarmann had admittedly done, even more scandalous — shaking German society at the very core — was the involvement of the police in the case: Haarmann informed on thieves and dealers. He had also been used as an informant by the police who failed to identify Haarmann as the murderer.
Haarmann was found guilty and beheaded. Grans was initially found guilty of inticement to murder in a single case of 24 deaths concerned and also sentenced to death. The discovery of a letter from Haarmann declaring Grans's innocence later led to a second trial and the sentence of 12 years of prison. After serving this sentence, Grans continued to live in Hanover until his death around the year 1980.
The case stirred much discussion in Germany about the death penalty, the correct approach towards mentally ill offenders, police investigation methods, and last but not least about homosexuality.[1]
[edit] In popular culture
Haarmann became known as "The Butcher of Hanover." A film titled The Tenderness of the Wolves (Die Zärtlichkeit der Wölfe) was released in Germany in 1973 dramatizing Haarmann's crimes. It starred Kurt Raab as the killer and featured Rainer Werner Fassbinder in a minor role. Another film based on the murder spree, Der Totmacher (The Deadmaker; 1995), starred Götz George as Haarmann. It was based on the records of the psychiatric examinations of Haarmann by Erich Schultze, one of the main psychiatric experts in the trial. The film's plot centers around the last days of Haarmann's life, as he is being interviewed by a court psychiatrist.
The classic film M, directed by Fritz Lang and starring Peter Lorre, was inspired by Haarmann's crimes, as well as those of Düsseldorf child killer Peter Kürten (Haarmann is mentioned by name in the film, along with another well-known German serial killer, Karl Grossmann).
The American death metal band Macabre have made two songs about him: "Fritz Haarmann, the Butcher" on Gloom and "Fritz Haarmann, Der Metzger" on Murder Metal.
In 2007, the Hanover Tourism Board (Hannover Tourismus) caused controversy by including Haarmann in its cartoon-style advertising calendar, along with other well-known people from the city.[2] The calendar became a best-seller, and the initial print run of 20,000 calendars was expected to run out in November 2007, rather than lasting through Christmas as planned. Allegedly, Haarmaan also featured in the 2006 issue, but the inclusion drew no attention at the time. According to Hans Nolte, head of Hannover Tourismus, Haarmaan will not be included in 2008.
[edit] Notes
- ^ Gilbert, Alexander, “Fritz Haarmann: The Butcher of Hannover”, Crime Library, <http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/history/haarman/index_1.html>. Retrieved on 2007-11-04
- ^ "Hannover-Tourismus wirbt mit Massenmörder Haarmann", Bild Online, 2007-11-01. Retrieved on 2007-11-05. (German)
[edit] References
- Tartar, Maria [1995]. Lustmord. Sexual Murder in Weimar Germany. Princeton UP.
- Thomas Kailer: Werewölfe, Triebtäter, minderwertige Psychopathen. Bedingungen von Wissensgenerierung. Der Fall Haarmann. In: Carsten Kretschmann (Hg.): Wissenspopularisierung. Berlin 2003, S. 323-359.
- The World's Most Infamous Crimes and Criminals. New York: Gallery Books, 1987. ISBN 0-8317-9677-4
