A photo of a skeleton of a person beheaded in Hesse, between 1256 and 1388. From the near perfect condition of teeth in the skull it is safe to assume that this was a young person. The skeleton is displayed in the Museum of Sepulchral Culture in Kessel, Germany.
http://c7.alamy.com/comp/D6ED16/a-woman ... D6ED16.jpg
Beheadings in the Third Reich
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
Too bad the Wolfenbuettel authorities rejected this competition proposal for the memorial. This version was never built.
The computer-drawings show that the proposed memorial would have retained some of the historical accuracy and
detail of the original chamber. My guess it that it was too expensive and too accurate for the authorities.
The authorities chose a rather bland presentation that erased much of the rooms historical accuracy.
A comparison of the Goodkind photograph showing the fallbeil in situ, probably taken in 1945, with a photo of how the
same room, converted to a memorial, shows how it was changed. I understand the authorities also decided to hide the fallbeil
but I also have heard it was dismantled and scrapped.
The computer-drawings show that the proposed memorial would have retained some of the historical accuracy and
detail of the original chamber. My guess it that it was too expensive and too accurate for the authorities.
The authorities chose a rather bland presentation that erased much of the rooms historical accuracy.
A comparison of the Goodkind photograph showing the fallbeil in situ, probably taken in 1945, with a photo of how the
same room, converted to a memorial, shows how it was changed. I understand the authorities also decided to hide the fallbeil
but I also have heard it was dismantled and scrapped.
Re: The blade from Wroclaw fallbeil
http://forum.axishistory.com/download/f ... &id=396281
Here is another photo of Wroclaw guillotine blade:
http://www.schondorf.pl/wp-content/uplo ... C_5885.jpg
Another photo of the blade is on page 89 of the linked document below. The description below the photo is: "The blade of the guillotine from the collection of Wroclaw Arsenal"
http://www.gilotyna.we.wroclawiu.pl/Pol ... 5B1%5D.pdf
Bruno Tesch
Bruno Tesch was beheaded with an axe by Carl Groepler in the yard of Altona prison behind the Altona District Court on 1 August 1933. He was 20 years old.
http://www.gdw-berlin.de/typo3temp/_pro ... 65d1a2.jpg
Last edited by Pete26 on 03 Mar 2017, 06:04, edited 2 times in total.
Three others beheaded with Bruno Tesch
Three other men were beheaded with an axe on the same day (1 August 1933) by Carl Groepler:
August Lütgens (age 35)
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/bil ... t_redu.JPG
Walter Möller (age 28)
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/bil ... l_redu.JPG
Karl Wolff (age 23)
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/bil ... r_redu.JPG
Altona Amtsgericht (District Court) building behind which stood the prison in whose courtyard these executions took place on 1 August 1933:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ericht.jpg
August Lütgens (age 35)
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/bil ... t_redu.JPG
Walter Möller (age 28)
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/bil ... l_redu.JPG
Karl Wolff (age 23)
http://www.stolpersteine-hamburg.de/bil ... r_redu.JPG
Altona Amtsgericht (District Court) building behind which stood the prison in whose courtyard these executions took place on 1 August 1933:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... ericht.jpg
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
Excellent discovery. Have not seen the others than Tesch.
Wish we had more on Groppler. Photo? We know he was arrested by
the Soviets and died in prison. Blazek seems to have run into a dead end (no pun).
In the context of the time, it is surprising Herr Groppler was not photographed.
Wish we had more on Groppler. Photo? We know he was arrested by
the Soviets and died in prison. Blazek seems to have run into a dead end (no pun).
In the context of the time, it is surprising Herr Groppler was not photographed.
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
If Blazek could not find (or was not able to publish) a photo of Groeppler's, what are the chances one of us will? It is hard to understand why such secrecy 71 years after his death. None of his immediate family members are alive at this time, and very few people who actually met him and could recognize him from a photograph are. Whether a photo of him is published or not, he cannot be erased from history. Perhaps his family later generations do not want his photo to be published.fredric wrote:Excellent discovery. Have not seen the others than Tesch.
Wish we had more on Groppler. Photo? We know he was arrested by
the Soviets and died in prison. Blazek seems to have run into a dead end (no pun).
In the context of the time, it is surprising Herr Groppler was not photographed.
But then he is not unique in this respect. Finding a genuine photograph of some other German executioners is just as difficult. Russian archives would be in my opinion the best source for Groeppler's photographs. Some prison photos after his arrest in 1946 must exist.
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
Agree that prison archives might contain photo of Groppler. I do have a copy of a print showing a scharfrichter who probably is him.
The drawing is by the famous artist George Grosz and is called "The Lord's Prayer"... it is accessible on line. The face and dress are correct
and fit verbal descriptions of Groppler. The location looks like Moabit. It is possible Grosz had seen a photo of Groppler to get such detail.
A photo of Rottger would also be interesting. A possibililty is that he was photographed when arrested by the occupying U.S. Army in Hannover. The announcement of his capture was publicized but no photo. Later, he was interviewed while in hospital in Hannover and an article about him appeared in a Hannover newspaper. He died while in the hospital. At the recommendation of the German Resistance
Memorial Center, I did contract the Bundesarchiv Berlin and got a reply they had nothing on Rottger. They did, however, send he a copy
of Reichhart's NSDAP identity card. We all are familiar with his ID photo of course.
The "rules" for executioners (Reich Ministry of Justice) stresses that they are expected to be of a sober, steady temperment and remain anonymous. This is surprising because we have so many photos of Johann Reichhart. But he was a rather flamboyant character.
I do not know the location or even the existence of Reich Ministry of Justice files. I would guess they exist and that Blazek has researched
them. It would seem that an identity card and file for each official executioner would be on file. If anyone has an idea where to locate
the RMJ archives, that could be a wealth of new information including photos.
Groppler did have a relative living (a pharmacist) who Blazek met. The gentleman did not know much about the famous executioner but
did recall an Aunt "Ella" Groppler who once ran a laundry. That would be Groppler's laundry. The location was destroyed in the War.
The drawing is by the famous artist George Grosz and is called "The Lord's Prayer"... it is accessible on line. The face and dress are correct
and fit verbal descriptions of Groppler. The location looks like Moabit. It is possible Grosz had seen a photo of Groppler to get such detail.
A photo of Rottger would also be interesting. A possibililty is that he was photographed when arrested by the occupying U.S. Army in Hannover. The announcement of his capture was publicized but no photo. Later, he was interviewed while in hospital in Hannover and an article about him appeared in a Hannover newspaper. He died while in the hospital. At the recommendation of the German Resistance
Memorial Center, I did contract the Bundesarchiv Berlin and got a reply they had nothing on Rottger. They did, however, send he a copy
of Reichhart's NSDAP identity card. We all are familiar with his ID photo of course.
The "rules" for executioners (Reich Ministry of Justice) stresses that they are expected to be of a sober, steady temperment and remain anonymous. This is surprising because we have so many photos of Johann Reichhart. But he was a rather flamboyant character.
I do not know the location or even the existence of Reich Ministry of Justice files. I would guess they exist and that Blazek has researched
them. It would seem that an identity card and file for each official executioner would be on file. If anyone has an idea where to locate
the RMJ archives, that could be a wealth of new information including photos.
Groppler did have a relative living (a pharmacist) who Blazek met. The gentleman did not know much about the famous executioner but
did recall an Aunt "Ella" Groppler who once ran a laundry. That would be Groppler's laundry. The location was destroyed in the War.
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
Ja. Das iss. Grosz must have had a refernt for this print. Symbology clear. The "Twins" (Zwilling) on the axe.
The block is wrong. The legal (left) and clergy (right) represent the message. The people in the background
represent the public at large. The setting is probably his depiction of Moabit. But the most important is that
Grosz shows a formally dressed butcher about to behead a praying "delinquenten"
Quite an image. Would not have been allowed during Nazi era.
The block is wrong. The legal (left) and clergy (right) represent the message. The people in the background
represent the public at large. The setting is probably his depiction of Moabit. But the most important is that
Grosz shows a formally dressed butcher about to behead a praying "delinquenten"
Quite an image. Would not have been allowed during Nazi era.
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
At least it has a proper chin cutout unlike the ridiculous tree stump they used in the movie about Benita von Falkenhayn.fredric wrote: The block is wrong.
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... n#p1938651
Re: Beheadings in the Third Reich
Scharfrichters such as Krautz, Reindel and others faced a problem transporting their bulky equipment, especially the block.
Reports say that this is why Gropler made his block smaller, more tapered yet retaining the fixtures for the head strap and rings for the ropes. The smaller block was easier to ship. It possibly is the reason we have reports of Gropler bringing a "stump" to the scaffold. Grosz is
taking some license with his drawing. The key thing is that we have a rather detailed image of what may be Gropler's face.
There is a good picture of a block identified as Gropler's in Mortimer's book and also in Blazek's book "The Executioner in Prussia and the German Reich". Interesting though, the same photo appears in Blazek's book "The Brothers Wilhelm and Friedrich Reindel" and there is identified as being Krautz's block. Maybe Groppler inheirited it?
Reports say that this is why Gropler made his block smaller, more tapered yet retaining the fixtures for the head strap and rings for the ropes. The smaller block was easier to ship. It possibly is the reason we have reports of Gropler bringing a "stump" to the scaffold. Grosz is
taking some license with his drawing. The key thing is that we have a rather detailed image of what may be Gropler's face.
There is a good picture of a block identified as Gropler's in Mortimer's book and also in Blazek's book "The Executioner in Prussia and the German Reich". Interesting though, the same photo appears in Blazek's book "The Brothers Wilhelm and Friedrich Reindel" and there is identified as being Krautz's block. Maybe Groppler inheirited it?
Paul Ogorzow
https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A6pbYOv63cQ/ ... 1%2529.jpg
Paul Ogorzow was a German serial killer and rapist. He was guillotined in Ploetzensee prison on 26 July 1941.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ogorzow
Adolf Seefeldt
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yngW0lMhOcM/ ... 6%2529.jpg
Adolf Seefeldt was a German serial killer. He was guillotined on 23 May 1936 in Schwerin, Germany.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Seefeldt
Carl Grossmann
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9cfM2FJu2dU/ ... %2529.jpeg
Carl Grossmann was a German serial killer and cannibal. He was sentenced to death but committed suicide by hanging on 5 July 1922 while waiting to be executed. Thus he escaped Carl Groeppler's axe.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Großmann