Austria’s last execution took place on this date in 1950. Johann Trnka, murderer of a 51-year-old widow and her maid — the late Hermine Kolle’s apartment became popularly notorious as the Grauen Haus (“horror house”) after Trnka had finished with it* — holds the distinction.
Austria abolished the death penalty for ordinary civilian crimes on June 30 of that same year, and for all crimes in 1968. It’s gone, but naturally not forgotten; German speakers might enjoy this short pdf survey of the annals of Austrian executioners.
* Or maybe not. See comments.
On this day..
- 1925: Henri Olivier, thyroid donor
- Feast Day of Saint Pigmenius
- 1673: La Chaussee, for the giblet pie
- 1823: John Newton, wife-beater
- 1823: John Newton, violent spouse
- 1873: Mary Ann Cotton, serial poisoner
- 1936: George W. Barrett, the first to hang for killing an FBI man
- 2010: Modise Mokwadi Fly, Botswana pol
- 1882: William Heilwagner, onion weeder
- 1794: Jacques Hebert and his followers
- 1945: Max Schlichting, for realism
- 1944: Ardeatine Massacre