Convicted Murderer. Peter Kurten was known during the early 20th century as the German serial killer "The Vampire of Dusseldorf." Eventually, he was responsible, or so he said, for the sexual assaults and murders of some 68 people between February and November 1929 in the city of Dusseldorf. He was actually convicted of only nine of those murders and sentenced to the guillotine at Klingelputz Prison. Kurten can be thought of as the first psychologically studied and interviewed serial killer of the 20th century. His case was presented cinematically in the movie "M" starring Peter Lorre and directed by legendary German director Fritz Lang, who referred to "M" as the best of all his movies. Born the third child into a family with 13 children, the family lived in poverty in a one room apartment. His father was an alcoholic, who physically and sexually abused his children almost daily, and convicted three time of sexually abusing Kurten's sisters. Admitting to the murders, he surrendered to police in 1931. He admitted to the murders, that happened when he was nine, of two playmates, who were thought to have died by an accident. Psychologist Karl Berg published a book telling the details of the crimes in 1932, "The Sadist," which has become a classic of criminology literature.
Convicted Murderer. Peter Kurten was known during the early 20th century as the German serial killer "The Vampire of Dusseldorf." Eventually, he was responsible, or so he said, for the sexual assaults and murders of some 68 people between February and November 1929 in the city of Dusseldorf. He was actually convicted of only nine of those murders and sentenced to the guillotine at Klingelputz Prison. Kurten can be thought of as the first psychologically studied and interviewed serial killer of the 20th century. His case was presented cinematically in the movie "M" starring Peter Lorre and directed by legendary German director Fritz Lang, who referred to "M" as the best of all his movies. Born the third child into a family with 13 children, the family lived in poverty in a one room apartment. His father was an alcoholic, who physically and sexually abused his children almost daily, and convicted three time of sexually abusing Kurten's sisters. Admitting to the murders, he surrendered to police in 1931. He admitted to the murders, that happened when he was nine, of two playmates, who were thought to have died by an accident. Psychologist Karl Berg published a book telling the details of the crimes in 1932, "The Sadist," which has become a classic of criminology literature.
Bio by: dochog
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