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to strike
Olivier's head. The victim managed to duck, receiving a deep gash (8 cm in length and 2 cm wide) to the temple before he was able to wrestle the weapon from Denke in the ensuing struggle. Olivier escaped through the front door, screaming that a "madman" was trying to kill him attracting the
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Karl Denke, for unknown reasons, began murdering homeless vagrants and poor travellers. 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, but was released in 1926
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human skin. While the exact number of his victims is unknown, Denke's ledger had 31 names recorded (including
Olivier, who had escaped), confirming at least 30 victims. However, due to the large number of body parts found in his home, Denke's body count was estimated to be as high as 42 or even
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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
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if he wrote a letter for him. Olivier had been directed to Denke by a townswoman, as Denke was known for his charitable nature. According to
Olivier, he had sat down at a desk after being handed a pen and paper, but turned to his host after becoming perplexed when Denke dictated
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Decades later, Denke's case remains mostly forgotten. Still much about Denke's life, motives, methods, and the exact number of victims remains unknown. Only two photographs of Denke are known to exist, with the only clear one having been taken after his death.
332:, Poland), to a family of German farmers. Little is known of Denke's childhood, but it is known that he was often described as a quiet and soft-spoken child who was difficult to raise, being noted as one of the worst students at his
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attention of neighbours, who then alerted the authorities. Initially, Olivier's testimony was disregarded due to Denke's reputation among the townsfolk, leading to his arrest for
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412:. The judge, however, insisted on further investigation of Olivier's claims, whereupon Denke was taken in for questioning. He was placed in a holding cell, where he
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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.
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stored inside pots. They also discovered several items, including shoes, belts, braces, and shoelaces, that analysis determined were made with
424:) before an interrogation could take place. In light of this, Denke's home was searched and police found the gruesome truth of his murders and
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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 acquired a
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himself just hours later with an unspecified ligature (the exact nature of which varies from account to account, but most commonly a
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has a resemblance to Denke's case, featuring a farmer who entraps and kills tourists to harvest their flesh for his smoked meats.
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farming, but this failed and Denke sold it as a result. Denke purchased a house to rent out on what is now
Stawowa Street, but
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who killed and cannibalized dozens of homeless vagrants and travellers from 1903 to 1924. He has been nicknamed the
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sixteen femurs, with one pair of remarkably strong ones, two pairs of very thin ones, six pairs and two left femurs
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On 21 December 1924, Denke lured a homeless drifter named
Vincenz Olivier into his home with the promise of twenty
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and boneless meat (which most speculate to have contained human remains). Denke volunteered as a cross-bearer and
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699:"Cannibalism: Hard act to swallow; What drives some people to eat others? We examine the body of evidence".
77:
650:
Constantine, Nathan (26 June 2006). "Part 5: Infamous
Cannibals Throughout the Ages: The German Quartet".
518: ? ? ?" (Mass murderer Haarmann! Mass murderer Denke! Mass murderer ? ? ?).
44:
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Corke, Jonathan (7 December 2003). "Cannibal's victim in cold packs; Exclusive pleased to meat you".
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Historische
Serienmörder III: Karl Denke – Der Kannibale von Münsterberg: Ein deutscher Serienmörder
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after the truth was discovered). His last known victim was Rochus
Pawlick. Denke also kept a
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recording his murders. He is also believed to have sold the flesh of his victims in nearby
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A History of
Cannibalism: From ancient cultures to survival stories and modern psychopaths
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said in an interview that Denke was among several inspirations for his 1931 thriller film
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covered Denke's case in its 212th episode titled "The Forgotten Cannibal" on 21 May 2022.
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733:"Historie niezwkłe - Sprzedawał we Wrocławiu ludzkie mięso. Mówił, że to wieprzowina".
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mentioned Denke on their track "Another Life Beyond Control" from their 2023 album
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a pair of lower elbows and radii, of which extremities still remain well connected
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Carl Großmann und Friedrich Schumann – Zwei Serienmörder in den zwanziger Jahren
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as pickled meat to unsuspecting customers (advertised as pork).
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Incredible stories: He peddled human flesh as meat in Wrocław
858:"Kanibal z Dolnego Śląska. Mroczna historia wampira z Ziębic"
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published a song called "Karl Denke", released as a single.
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903:"Digitale Bibliothek - Münchener Digitalisierungszentrum"
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Massenmörder Haarmann! Massenmörder Denke! Massenmörder
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Man bites Man: The Scrapbook of an Edwardian Eccentric
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Serial killers who died by suicide in prison custody
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and ran a nearby shop where he sold goods made from
831:""Papa Denke": Der Menschenfresser von Münsterberg"
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published a psychological profile of Denke in 2013.
288:(11 February 1860 – 22 December 1924) was a German
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
1064:"Papa Denke": Der Menschenfresser von Münsterberg"
480:a pair of upper arms and a pair of upper arm heads
630:Dudź, Tadeus (30 July 1999). "Kanibal z Ziębic".
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514:'s cases, with a note in his workplace reading "
428:, discovering unidentified flesh that was being
510:was found to have had an interest in Denke and
452:A detailed report of what was found includes:
336:. At the age of 12, Denke ran away from home.
139:Denke, photographed shortly after his suicide
251:21 February 1903 – 20 December 1924
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596:List of serial killers by number of victims
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1034:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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1045:Cannibal Killers: The Impossible Monsters
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459:fifteen medium-sized pieces of long bones
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
1138:German people who died in prison custody
1092:Library of Congress entry on Karl Denke
1047:. London: Robert Hale. pp. 34–35.
1010:Blazek, Matthias (2009). "Karl Denke".
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1158:Prisoners who died in German detention
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312:Denke was born on 11 February 1860 in
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714:Robbins, Martin (8 September 2010).
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49:adding citations to reliable sources
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1148:People from the Province of Silesia
773:Lutteroth, Johanna (8 April 2014).
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971:"Case 212: The Forgotten Cannibal"
883:Rütters, Armin (1 February 2009).
801:Fuhrer, Armin (3 September 2017).
716:"What does human meat taste like?"
14:
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991:, Jay Landesman Limited: London.
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952:, Kirchschlager, Arnstadt 2013,
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836:National Geographic Deutschland
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1014:. Stuttgart. pp. 133–34.
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703:. Singapore. 14 December 2003.
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471:eight lower parts of the elbow
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386:Arrest, suicide, and aftermath
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163:(now Kalinowice Górne, Poland)
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864:(in Polish). 29 December 2022
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591:List of German serial killers
561:German progressive rock band
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495:65 feet and metacarpal bones
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1062:Voss, Jens (15 June 2022).
987:Sieveking, P. (ed.) (1979)
829:Voss, Jens (15 June 2022).
737:(in Polish). 2 August 1999.
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489:eight heels and ankle bones
214:The Cannibal of Münsterberg
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1043:Martingale, Moira (1993).
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619:. 20 May 1993. p. 12.
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172:22 December 1924 (aged 64)
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462:four pairs of elbow bones
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397:Adolph, du fetter Wanst!
885:"Wandler über Abgründe"
654:. Arcturus Publishing.
298:Cannibal of Münsterberg
749:"Karl Denke born 1866"
216:The Forgotten Cannibal
1143:German serial killers
483:a pair of collarbones
191:(now Ziębice, Poland)
919:: An Interview", in
492:120 toes and phalanx
465:seven heads of radii
45:improve this article
1153:People from Ziębice
1069:National Geographic
574:Neue Deutsche Härte
486:two shoulder blades
247:Span of crimes
197:Cause of death
937:Monsters of Weimar
326:Kingdom of Prussia
302:Forgotten Cannibal
201:Suicide by hanging
1021:978-3-8382-0027-9
701:The Straits Times
674:Sieveking, p. 15.
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271:Date apprehended
207:Other names
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210:Father Denke
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60:"Karl Denke"
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43:Please help
38:verification
35:
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1118:1924 deaths
1113:1860 births
1072:(in German)
925:– Protokoll
921:Fritz Lang:
842:20 November
814:20 November
786:20 November
780:Der Spiegel
572:The German
567:Crime Scene
438:human bones
426:cannibalism
410:panhandling
340:Later years
318:Münsterberg
286:Karl Denke
176:Münsterberg
1128:Axe murder
1107:Categories
686:Daily Star
602:References
542:Motel Hell
528:Fritz Lang
308:Early life
212:Papa Denke
127:Karl Denke
71:newspapers
1030:cite book
868:28 August
758:28 August
539:The film
442:human fat
347:inflation
324:, in the
585:See also
556:Casefile
449:higher.
422:shoelace
406:vagrancy
363:Lutheran
359:organist
300:and the
294:cannibal
1076:23 June
982:Sources
889:Mordort
548:Author
420:and/or
401:pickaxe
392:pfennig
380:Breslau
369:Murders
355:leather
330:Ziębice
322:Silesia
256:Country
238:Victims
233:Details
228:Unknown
184:Prussia
160:Prussia
156:Silesia
85:scholar
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939:p. 293
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446:tanned
414:hanged
376:ledger
241:30–42+
225:Motive
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808:Focus
576:band
522:Media
434:brine
430:cured
328:(now
92:JSTOR
78:books
1078:2022
1049:ISBN
1036:link
1016:ISBN
993:ISBN
954:ISBN
870:2023
844:2022
816:2022
788:2022
760:2023
656:ISBN
563:RPWL
440:and
408:and
292:and
169:Died
145:Born
64:news
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