Klara Frieda TESMER
Born on 5 august 1934 in Thüringen.
Killed on 16 june 1959 in Rheinwiesen, off the
Moerser Straße near the Graf-Spee-bridge over the Rhine River in
Rheinhausen.
24-year-old blonde.
17 years later, he would remember that he took her by
the arm, but she reacted badly, so he hit her against the head. They
both rolled down the side of the road as he tried to undress her. In the
fight, he strangled her.
Her naked body was found the next day by 5 boys
driving their bicycles for a day out. Gunter K. was last seen with
Tesmer in a Duisburg tavern, the 'Schultheiß-Quelle', and later the 'Sonne'.
He was arrested, couldn't provide an alibi and found himself locked up.
Six months later a final inquest was held and he proved innocent, but it
would last until april 1960 before he was released from prison. Today he
lives in Northern Germany.
Manuela KNODT
Killed on sunday 26 july 1959 in the city forest of
Essen, Bredeney
16 years old
Found naked amongst some bushes.
Strangled and raped, there were no scratches or
bruises in the genital area. Slices from her buttocks and thighs were
removed.
Kroll not only masturbated over the pubic area, but
also over her face and hair as well. Also in this case, the police
suspected a gang of young perverts.
Six months after the murder, on 13 february 1960, 24-year-old
Horst OTTO walks into the Essen police station and confesses to
Manuela's murder. He is promptly arrested, later withdraws his
confession, but remains in prison. In march 1961 he is convicted to 8
years. On 28 november 1962 his sentence is reduced to 6 years. He will
stay in prison for 5 years, released on 12 april 1965. Today he lives in
Essen.
Barbara BRUDER
Killed on 3 september1962 in Burscheid-Klein-Hamberg.
12 years old
Strangled and raped
She was on the way to a playground in Lützenkirchen,
but never arrived there. Probably she took a shortcut through the wood
in Groß-Hamberg, where Kroll was waiting for her.
Her body has never been found.
At his trial, Kroll has not been charged with this
murder, although he confessed to it.
Petra GIESE
Killed on Easter-monday, 23 april 1962 in a forest
outside the town of Dinslaken-Bruckhausen, north of Duisburg
13 years old
Found the next day amongst some bushes.
Strangled with her scarf, raped and partially cut up.
Kroll ripped the red dress from her body and then removed both buttocks
as well as the left forearm and hand.
Petra was visiting a fair with a friend, and there
Kroll probably lured her away and abducted her to carry her outside of
town.
Police suspected and arrested minor sex-offender and
pedophile Vinzenz KUEHN (52). He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment
and psychiatric treatment. He was released after 6 years.
Monika TAFEL
Killed on 4 june 1962 in Walsum.
13 years old
Found on 11 june by a police helicopter in part of a
forest outside of the town.
Strangled and raped
Spotted while on the way to school, Kroll dragged her
into a rye field, masturbated over her body and cut steaks from her
buttocks and the back of her thighs. Pedophile Walter QUICKER (34), an
ex-Legionnaire was arrested on indications from witnesses. The police
had to let him go due to lack of evidence, but his neighbours continued
the prosecution and his wife divorced him. Youths would sneer at him and
local shops refused to serve him. On 5 october 1962, Quicker went into
the forest outside of town and hung himself from a tree.
Hermann SCHMITZ
Killed on 22 august 1965 in a lovers' lane near a
lake in Grossenbaum-Duisburg.
25 years old
Stabbed in the heart twice, he died immediately.
Kroll got sight of Rita A., making love to Schmitz in their Volkswagen.
He punched a knife through a tire of the car, whereupon Schmitz got out
to see what happened, Kroll stabbed him in the chest, turning to the
girl. The girl watched in despair her boyfriend collapse and jumped in
the driver's seat, disregarding the flat tire, hooted the horn like
frantic and drove straight off onto Kroll, who barely managed to turn
his heels and make his escape. While Schmitz bled to death in the arms
of his girlfriend, the area was swarmed with alarmed drivers but no
trace of the mysterious attacker was found.
Kroll's only male victim.
Ursula ROHLING
Killed on tuesday, 13 september 1966, around 7.00pm
in Foersterbusch park in Marl.
20 years old, with short hair
Found 2 days later, hidden in bushes, naked from the
waist down and her legs spread wide apart.
Strangled and raped. She left the Capri ice-cream
parlour where she spent 1 1/2 hour with her boyfriend Adolf SCHICKEL
(27), then went home through the park.
Kroll: "I saw this woman in the park. She was young,
with short hair. I spoke to her and then grabbed her around the neck
with my right arm. I dragged her into the bushes and threw her on the
ground. I choked her until she stopped moving. Then I took off her pants
and her other things and I did it to her. I left her lying there and
took the train back to Duisburg. When I got home I was still hot, and I
had it with the doll, and did it with my hand a couple of times".
The police arrested Adolf SCHICKEL and questioned him
at length, but they had to let him go. The public still considered him
guilty and he was chased out of Marl. On 4 january 1967, he drowned
himself in the Main River near Wiesbaden.
Ilona HARKE
Killed on 22 december 1966 near Remscheid-Huckeswagen.
5 years old
Strangled, raped and drowned in the Feldbach.
Kroll abducted her in Essen, took her on a city train
to Wuppertal, there boarded a bus and got off somewhere in a wooded area
where he continued for about 500m down through dense bushes to the ditch
named 'Feldbach'. There he wanted to see "how someone drowned".
Gabriele PUETMAN
Attacked on thursday, 22 june 1967 on the way between
Grafenwald and Grafenhausen, north of Bottrop. Kroll was living in
Grafenwald at the time.
10 years old.
Kroll lured her into a meadow and showed her
pornographic pictures. The girl was horrified and tried to run. Kroll
started to choke her, but suddenly there were sirens howling all around;
the nearby cole-mine had change of shift, and the area was swarmed with
miners returning home. Kroll managed to make way without anyone seeing
him and didn't realize the girl was still alive.
Puetman's parents never reported the incident to the
police, until 9 years later, after the arrest of Kroll.
Maria HETTGEN
Killed on 12 july 1969 on the Hardenbergufer of the
Baldeneysee in Essen-Werden.
61-year-old pensioner.
Kroll went on a little trip from Duisburg to Essen by
train, then took a bus to Werden for a stroll on the banks of the
Baldeney-lake. There he encountered Hettgen, and got a 'tickling feeling
all over'. He started talking to her but she declined, he hit her, they
fell into some bushes where he raped and throttled her.
She was found the next day.
Jutta RAHN
Killed on 21 may 1970 in a patch of wood between
Essener Straße and the Hösel Railway-station.
13 years old
Strangled.
Kroll probably noticed her on the train, got off and
followed her through the wood, a shortcut to her house.
On 9 june Peter SCHAY is arrested, he's Jutta's
neighbour and part-time boyfriend. He spent 15 months in prison before
being released due to lack of evidence.
Karin TOEPFER
Killed on 8 may 1976 in Dinslaken Voerde, while she
was on the way to school
10 years old.
Strangled and raped.
At his trial, Kroll would not be charged with this
murder due to lack of convincing details.
Marion KETTER
