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Zdzislaw
MARCHWICKI
A.K.A.: "The Silesian Vampire" - "The Zaglebie Vampire"
Classification: Serial killer
Characteristics:
Rape - Robberies
Number of victims: 14
Date of murders: 1964 - 1970
Date of arrest: 1972
Date of birth: October 18,
1927
Victims profile: Women
Method of murder:???
Location: Poland
Status: Executed on April 29, 1977
Zdzislaw Marchwicki,
called the "Zagłębie vampire", was a very media discussed Polish
serial killer.
He was born in 1927 to a low-class family. His father
went through five marriages in which four children were born - these
were three brothers and a sister, all of whom were involved with and
later were charged along with Zdzislaw for criminal conspiracy,
robbing and obstructing justice.
Marchwicki did all the killings in the following
areas: in the neighbourhoods of Czeladź, Będzin, and adjoining towns
in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie and Upper Silesia. He started his murders
during the period in 1964 and continued it, with occasional breaks,
till late 1970. Having been arrested in early 1972, he was tried in
a highly publicized show trial which lasted for 10 months, and
received the death sentence in July 1975. His execution took place
in late 1976.
Marchwicki was charged with murdering fourteen women
and attempting to kill another six, but one attempted murder charge
was not proven.
Zdzisław's brother Jan Marchwicki also received the
death penalty, while his third brother Henryk got a 25 years
sentence for taking part in a conspiracy to commit murder. The
half-sister, Helena, got a three year prison sentence for storing
small stolen things such as watches and pens that she knew came from
Zdzisław's victims. Similar criminal penalties was given out to her
son, also called Zdzisław, for failing to inform the police about
the murder conspiracies.
In the course of and after the trial there was much
dispute whether Marchwicki was the real vampire. He did not show
typical serial killer behaviour, remaining rather passive and demure
during the criminal trials. While in prison waiting for the results
of the appeal, he reputedly wrote a diary in which he described his
killings in minute details, along with all the associated emotional
ups and downs. It is decidedly firmly established today that the
diary was dictated to him by police officers through a fellow
prisoner. It seems barely possible that Marchwicki, who dropped out
of school at an early age and had a low IQ, would write using a
style that used complex sentences and included police slang terms.
One of Marchwicki's
murder victims was the niece of Edward Gierek, who was then the
Upper Silesian communist party leader. However, the prosecution and
the police investigators denied being pressured by political forces
in the criminal prosecution of Zdzislaw
Marchwicki.
Zdzisław Marchwicki
(b. October 18,
1927 in Dąbrowa Górnicza -
April 29, 1977
in Katowice, Poland) called the "Zagłębie vampire", was a Polish
serial killer.
Born
1927 in a low-class family, he saw his father go through five
marriages that eventually produced four children - three brothers
and a sister, all of whom later stood trial with Zdzislaw for
conspiring, possessing stolen goods and obstructing justice.
Marchwicki committed all the killings in a relatively small area in
the neighbourhoods of Czeladz, Bedzin, and adjoining towns in Upper
Silesia. He started his killing spree in 1964 and continued it, with
occasional breaks, till late 1970. Having been apprehended in early
1972, he was tried in a show trial which lasted 10 months, and was
sentenced to death in July 1975. The appeal upheld the verdict, with
the execution taking place in late 1976.
Marchwicki was charged with killing 14 women and attempting to kill
another six, but one case of attempted murder was not proven.
Also
sentenced to death was Zdzislaw's brother Jan, with the third
brother Henryk receiving a 25-year prison sentence for murder
conspiracy. The half-sister, Helena, received a three year sentence
for storing small items such as watches and pens that she knew came
from Zdzislaw's victims. Similar punishment was meted out to her
son, also called Zdzislaw, for failing to inform the police about
the conspiracy.
During and after the trial speculations abounded whether Marchwicki
was the real vampire. He did not display typical serial killer
behaviour, remaining rather passive and demure throughout the
proceedings. While in prison awaiting the appeal, he reputedly wrote
a diary in which he minutely described his killings and the
associated emotional ups and downs. It is, however, firmly
established today that the diary was dictated to him by police
officers through a fellow prisoner. It seems barely possible that
Marchwicki, who dropped out of school at an early age and was rather
low on IQ, would write in a style that used complex sentences and
included police jargon terms.
Incidentally, one of Marchwicki's fatal victims was
the niece of Edward Gierek, then the Upper Silesian communist party
leader, although both the prosecution and the police investigators
denied being pressured by political forces.
