KATOWICE — 1964 · Serial Murder
The "Vampire of Zagłębie" Case
Between 1964 and 1970, many women were attacked in Poland's industrial Zagłębie Dąbrowskie and Upper Silesia region (around Katowice, Będzin, Czeladź and Sosnowiec); 14 women died and seven survived. Dubbed the "Vampire of Zagłębie" by the press, the case became one of the largest murder investigations of the Polish People's Republic. A man arrested in Dąbrowa Górnicza in January 1972 was tried in Katowice in 1974 together with relatives, sentenced to death in 1975 and executed in 1977. He never admitted guilt. Since the 1990s, research and documentaries have seriously questioned the fairness of the trial and the strength of the evidence.
- Date
- 1964
- Place
- Zagłębie and Upper Silesia, Poland, Katowice, PL
- Category
- Serial Murder
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 50.3200, 19.1300 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1964The first killing took place in the region.
- 1970The series ended; 14 women had died.
- 6 January 1972A suspect was arrested in Dąbrowa Górnicza.
- 18 September 1974The trial opened in Katowice.
- 28 July 1975A death sentence was handed down.
- 26 April 1977The sentence was carried out.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Zdzisław Marchwicki en.wikipedia.org ↗
- RUJ (Uniwersytet Jagielloński) — (Nie)jestem mordercą: polskie kino wobec sprawy Wampira z Zagłębia ruj.uj.edu.pl ↗
- Wikipedia
- Jagiellonian University Repository (RUJ)
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.