The Vampire of Düsseldorf: Peter Kürten's Reign of Terror

Peter Kürten was a serial killer and rapist. He was dubbed the "Vampire of Düsseldorf" by the media after he killed a baby swan and drank its blood. It is believed that he also engaged in similar acts with his human victims in at least two cases.

A CRIMINAL CHILDHOOD

Peter Kürten was born in Mühlheim am Rhein in 1883 and displayed concerning behavior from an early age. He repeatedly harmed animals and is even said to have drowned two puppies. At the age of eight, he ran away from home and survived for several weeks through petty theft on the streets until the police returned him to his parents.

When Kürten was eleven years old, his family moved to Düsseldorf. There, he spent several months in jail for various offenses, including choking a girl and embezzlement. Kürten's youth was marked by imprisonment for acts of abuse, theft, and desertion.

THE FIRST MURDER AND A SADISTIC KILLING SPREE

Kürten's first clearly attributed murder occurred on May 25, 1913. He broke into an apartment, found a sleeping girl, and slit the throat of the nine-year-old. Afterwards, he managed to escape without being identified.

Between February and November 1929, Kürten's violent behavior escalated. He committed a total of eight murders during this period and is also linked to another 20 assaults, most of which were intended to end in murder.

A MISDELIVERED LETTER

In May 1930, Kürten was loitering at Düsseldorf's main train station when he encountered a young woman, Maria Butlies. Kürten invited her to his apartment and, after making advances, offered to drive her to a girls' hostel. During their journey through a wooded area, Kürten strangled his victim but eventually released her and dropped her off at a tram stop.

Maria Butlies did not report the incident to the police but confided in a friend in a letter, which was mistakenly delivered to the wrong address. The recipient read the contents and promptly took the letter to the police.

THE KILLER CAN ESCAPE - TEMPORARILY

The police contacted Maria Butlies and together they searched for the house where she had been with Kürten. She believed she recognized the correct house. Kürten spotted Butlies in the hallway of his apartment building, immediately left his flat, and withdrew money from his savings account. He spent the night on the streets.

The next day, the police went to Kürtens' apartment but only found his wife. They left a summons for the fugitive, which his wife showed him the same day. He then confessed everything to her and explained that he intended to leave Düsseldorf and go into hiding. The couple arranged to meet for one last encounter the following day.

THE VAMPIRE OF DÜSSELDORF IS ARRESTED

On the same evening, Kürtens' wife was arrested by police officers. After a mental breakdown, she informed the investigators about their plans for a final meeting. The next day, Peter Kürten was apprehended by police officers during the planned rendezvous.

During an identification lineup, two of his victims positively identified him. Subsequently, Kürten confessed to his crimes. The Düsseldorf Assize Court ultimately sentenced him to death nine times for nine counts of murder and to 15 years in prison for seven attempted murders. He was executed by beheading on July 2, 1931.

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