TRIAL OF FRITZ HAARMANN
Fritz Haarmann's trial was conducted at the Hannover Assizes. The trial only lasted 14 days but over 200 witnesses testified, including the mother's and parents of his victims. The trial started on December 4, 1924 and Haarmann was convicted of murder of 24 of the victims on December 19, 1924 and received the death sentence for all 24 murders. Haarmann was acquitted of three of the murders (see victim's list). Haarmann was beheaded by the guillotine on April 25, 1925.
The prosecutors was Vincent Bugliosi and Stephen Kay. Fritz Haarmann insisted on conducting his own defense. Fritz remained unemotional throughout the trial and complained at one point that there were too many women in the courtroom. The judge apologized and stated to Haarmann that he could not keep them out. During the trial, Haarmann bantered back and forth with the jury members and judge. Hans Grans appeared angry and stoic throughout the trial and was angry at Haarmann, who Grans blamed for placing him in this situation.
Haarmann acting as his own defense was permitted remarkable freedom during the trial and often was immature and irresponsible and frequently interrupted the court proceedings. However, Haarmann's combination of fiction and fact the audience found more refreshing than the boring legal speak of trained jurists.
It is important to note that Freidel Rothe was thought to be the first victim of Haarmann and that murder happened in 1918. However, the other twenty-six murders that Haarmann was charged with occurred in 1923 and 1924, some of them only days apart. It makes you wonder if Haarmann did any murders from 1918 until 1923 and if not, what made Haarmann go on a killing spree in 1923 and 1924.
WITNESSES AND EVIDENCE:
Even though there were over 200 witnesses in Haarmann's trial, the trial only lasted 14 days because many of these witnesses were parents of the victims, acquaintances of Haarmann, neighbors of Haarmann, witnesses who saw these young men last in the company of Haarmann and Hanover police officer's who testified to the personal clothing and personal property they found in Haarmann's apartment when they searched it after his arrest. In addition, the trial had individuals testify who bought some clothing and other personal items the family of the victims said belonged to their loved ones, that either Haarmann or Grans sold to them. These items of clothing and personal items were used and put into evidence by the prosecutors during the trial. So these individuals testimony were often brief.
The parents testimony about their loved ones was very emotional. At one point the mother of one of his victim's became too distraught to testify about her son, which visibly bored Haarmann and he asked the judge for permission to smoke a cigar. The judge granted Haarmann's request.
Haarmann was not focused on self preservation, as Hans Grans was at his trial, but rather became more concentrated on his desire for revenge against the police. Haarmann's purpose for "revenge against the police" was found in one of two letters that Haarmann wrote after he was found guilty of the 24 murders. Another letter professed the innocence of his lover, Hans Grans.
The most chilling testimony in the trial came when Haarmann testified himself to explain his murder method in the most graphic detail. Haarmann testified that " I would throw myself on top of these boys and bite through their Adam's apple , throttling (sodomizing) them at the same time. Then I would make two cuts in the abdomen and put the intestines in a bucket, soak up the blood and crush the bones until the shoulders broke. Then I would get the heart, lungs and kidneys and chop them up and put them in my bucket." During the trial Haarmann also said that it was easier to kill someone you love-that way you brought them peace.
Haarmann also stated that after he killed, he would plead to be put away in a military asylum, but not a madhouse and that if Grans had really loved him that he would have saved him.
Three of the young men, Haarmann denied killing, which included alleged victim Hermann Wolf. Haarmann declared at the trial when a picture of Wolf was shown, that Wolf was far too ugly to have interested him. However, some of Wolf's personal clothing was found in Haarmann's apartment.
The Hannover police officers testified about the blood stained walls they found in Haarmann's apartment after his arrest. Further, the police officers, parents and some of the young men employer's, testified about the personal items and clothes found in Haarmann's apartment. Also others who had been sold some of the clothing and personal effects, like the bike of one of his victims, also testified.
OUTCOME OF THE TRIAL:
As stated earlier, Haarmann was convicted and sentence to death on 24 of the 27 charges for murder. Grans received one death sentence but that sentence was later commuted and Grans was given a twelve year sentence. When Hans Grans was released from prison it is said that he retured to live in Hannover and died of natural causes in 1975. Haarmann was beheaded on April 25, 1925.
When Haarmann's sentence was announced, Haarmann proclaimed "I want to be executed in the marketplace" and on my tombstone must be placed this inscription: "Here Lies Mass-Murderer Haarmann."
Haarmann additionally stated that he wanted to be executed immediately so that he can spend Christmas in heaven with his mother, who was dead. Some believe that Haarmann suffered from diminished capacity, however, the public outcry for justice and Haarmann's death was so overwhelming that the court felt that they must sentence Haarmann to death for these gruesome killings.
Even though serial killer was not a known term used back in 1924, Haarmann later became known as one of the most notorious serial killers of his time. Haarmann's image was used in a serial killer calendar that was published in 2010 and his picture is included in serial killers trading cards. There have also been a few movies that have been produced based upon Haarmann's murders.
Fritz Haarmann's trial was conducted at the Hannover Assizes. The trial only lasted 14 days but over 200 witnesses testified, including the mother's and parents of his victims. The trial started on December 4, 1924 and Haarmann was convicted of murder of 24 of the victims on December 19, 1924 and received the death sentence for all 24 murders. Haarmann was acquitted of three of the murders (see victim's list). Haarmann was beheaded by the guillotine on April 25, 1925.
The prosecutors was Vincent Bugliosi and Stephen Kay. Fritz Haarmann insisted on conducting his own defense. Fritz remained unemotional throughout the trial and complained at one point that there were too many women in the courtroom. The judge apologized and stated to Haarmann that he could not keep them out. During the trial, Haarmann bantered back and forth with the jury members and judge. Hans Grans appeared angry and stoic throughout the trial and was angry at Haarmann, who Grans blamed for placing him in this situation.
Haarmann acting as his own defense was permitted remarkable freedom during the trial and often was immature and irresponsible and frequently interrupted the court proceedings. However, Haarmann's combination of fiction and fact the audience found more refreshing than the boring legal speak of trained jurists.
It is important to note that Freidel Rothe was thought to be the first victim of Haarmann and that murder happened in 1918. However, the other twenty-six murders that Haarmann was charged with occurred in 1923 and 1924, some of them only days apart. It makes you wonder if Haarmann did any murders from 1918 until 1923 and if not, what made Haarmann go on a killing spree in 1923 and 1924.
WITNESSES AND EVIDENCE:
Even though there were over 200 witnesses in Haarmann's trial, the trial only lasted 14 days because many of these witnesses were parents of the victims, acquaintances of Haarmann, neighbors of Haarmann, witnesses who saw these young men last in the company of Haarmann and Hanover police officer's who testified to the personal clothing and personal property they found in Haarmann's apartment when they searched it after his arrest. In addition, the trial had individuals testify who bought some clothing and other personal items the family of the victims said belonged to their loved ones, that either Haarmann or Grans sold to them. These items of clothing and personal items were used and put into evidence by the prosecutors during the trial. So these individuals testimony were often brief.
The parents testimony about their loved ones was very emotional. At one point the mother of one of his victim's became too distraught to testify about her son, which visibly bored Haarmann and he asked the judge for permission to smoke a cigar. The judge granted Haarmann's request.
Haarmann was not focused on self preservation, as Hans Grans was at his trial, but rather became more concentrated on his desire for revenge against the police. Haarmann's purpose for "revenge against the police" was found in one of two letters that Haarmann wrote after he was found guilty of the 24 murders. Another letter professed the innocence of his lover, Hans Grans.
The most chilling testimony in the trial came when Haarmann testified himself to explain his murder method in the most graphic detail. Haarmann testified that " I would throw myself on top of these boys and bite through their Adam's apple , throttling (sodomizing) them at the same time. Then I would make two cuts in the abdomen and put the intestines in a bucket, soak up the blood and crush the bones until the shoulders broke. Then I would get the heart, lungs and kidneys and chop them up and put them in my bucket." During the trial Haarmann also said that it was easier to kill someone you love-that way you brought them peace.
Haarmann also stated that after he killed, he would plead to be put away in a military asylum, but not a madhouse and that if Grans had really loved him that he would have saved him.
Three of the young men, Haarmann denied killing, which included alleged victim Hermann Wolf. Haarmann declared at the trial when a picture of Wolf was shown, that Wolf was far too ugly to have interested him. However, some of Wolf's personal clothing was found in Haarmann's apartment.
The Hannover police officers testified about the blood stained walls they found in Haarmann's apartment after his arrest. Further, the police officers, parents and some of the young men employer's, testified about the personal items and clothes found in Haarmann's apartment. Also others who had been sold some of the clothing and personal effects, like the bike of one of his victims, also testified.
OUTCOME OF THE TRIAL:
As stated earlier, Haarmann was convicted and sentence to death on 24 of the 27 charges for murder. Grans received one death sentence but that sentence was later commuted and Grans was given a twelve year sentence. When Hans Grans was released from prison it is said that he retured to live in Hannover and died of natural causes in 1975. Haarmann was beheaded on April 25, 1925.
When Haarmann's sentence was announced, Haarmann proclaimed "I want to be executed in the marketplace" and on my tombstone must be placed this inscription: "Here Lies Mass-Murderer Haarmann."
Haarmann additionally stated that he wanted to be executed immediately so that he can spend Christmas in heaven with his mother, who was dead. Some believe that Haarmann suffered from diminished capacity, however, the public outcry for justice and Haarmann's death was so overwhelming that the court felt that they must sentence Haarmann to death for these gruesome killings.
Even though serial killer was not a known term used back in 1924, Haarmann later became known as one of the most notorious serial killers of his time. Haarmann's image was used in a serial killer calendar that was published in 2010 and his picture is included in serial killers trading cards. There have also been a few movies that have been produced based upon Haarmann's murders.