Peter Kürten

"I have no remorse. As to whether recollection of my deeds makes me feel ashamed, I will tell you. Thinking back to all details it not all unpleasant. I rather enjoy it."

- Peter Kürten



Peter Kürten (May 26 1883 - July 2 1931) was a German serial killer and sadistic child-murderer known as "The Vampire of Düsseldorf" who raped and murdered at least nine people between 1913 and 1929. He was beheaded by Guillotine for his crimes. Kürten's case was the inspiration for Fritz Lang's famous film "M".

Early Life
Peter Kürten was born in Mullenheim-am Reinh, Germany into an abusive and poverty-stricken family on May 26 1883. His controlling and alcholic father often sexually abused his mother and two sisters. At a young age Kürten began to sexually assault his sisters as well. He would later claim he comitted his first murders at the age of five, when he drowned too freinds of his with which he had gone swimming. In 1894 he moved to Düsseldorf were he engaged in petty theft and breaking and entering. He was encarsirated several times. He as well confessed to torturing and killing animals. He got a job as a dog-cather. In 1913 he broke into the bedroom of 9-year old Christine Klein. He raped her, choked her to death and afterwards cut her throat with a large butcher-knife.

Reign of Terror
In the following years he attacked several people including women and children. He attempted to rape and kill them but they managed to escape. On February 8 1929 Kürten abducted an 8-year old girl who he molested and strangled. On February 13 he savagely attacked 45-year old mechanic Rudolf Scheer who he stabbed twenty times in the neck with a large and sharp knife. He would later claim he derived sexual pleasure from watching blood flow. On August 24 1929 Kürten abducted 13-year old Luise Lenzen and 5-year old Gertrude Hamascher two young sisters from the street and took them to a nature-rich meadow just outside of Düsseldorf where he raped, strangled and stabbed them. That same evening he attempted to kill another girl Gertrud Schulte who he stabbed many times. She managed to escape and give the Police a detailed description of the man now known as        "The Vampire of Düsseldorf". The city was gripped by fear. His next victim was 20-year old Maria Hahn who was stabbed twenty times just a few miles from the rooming house were Kürten rented a room. In October 1929 he assaulted 31-year old Ida Reuter, a local servant girl. He raped her and batthered her to death with a hammer. A few days later he bludgeoned another servant girl Elizabeth Dorrier. The Police had little leads and there were 900.000 potential suspects listed. On November 7 1929 Peter Kürten claimed his final attack. 5-year old          Gerti Albermann was stabbed 36 times with a pair of scissors. He sent a letter to the local newspaper in which he  pin-pointed the area he had buried her body. In May 1930 he abducted Maria Budlick who he took to his appartment and raped. He willingly released her which sealed his faith.

Maria Budlick let police to the rooming house he resided. Police inspectors rushed in on May 24 1930 and arrested  Peter Kürten.

Trail and Execution
Peter Kürten confessed as many as 79 offences to police after his capture. He was charged with nine murders and seven attempted murders. He told investigators he derived sexual pleasure from his actions and felt no emphaty for his victims. He confessed to drinking of the fresh blood of two of his victims after their death. In April 1931 he was convicted and sentenced to death by beheading.

While awaiting execution Kürten was interviewed by psychiatrist Dr. Karl Berg











