True Crime Tuesday
The Hinterkaifeck Murders: Bavaria’s Darkest Hour
The Case in Brief
On March 31, 1922, six people were brutally murdered at the remote Hinterkaifeck farmstead near Gröbern, Bavaria: farm owner Andreas Gruber (63), his wife Cäzilia (72), their daughter Viktoria Gabriel (35), her children Cäzilia (7) and Josef (2), and the maid Maria Baumgartner (44). The perpetrator remained undetected, making this case one of Germany’s most notorious unsolved crimes.
Particularly disturbing: The killer remained on the farm for days after the murders, feeding the livestock and eating the murdered family’s meals. Despite intensive investigations and over 100 suspects, the case was never solved.
The Greatest Mysteries
The Phantom in the House: Who was the unknown man that neighbors had seen on the farm in the days before the murders? Andreas Gruber had told his family about strange noises in the attic and foreign footprints in the snow.
The Cold-Blooded Stay: The perpetrator remained on the farm for three to four days after the murders. He tended to the livestock, cooked meals, and presumably even slept in the beds of the murdered victims. This unprecedented cold-bloodedness suggests a disturbed personality.
The Vanished Evidence: Important pieces of evidence such as the murder weapon (a pickaxe) and personal belongings of the family disappeared without a trace. Was there deliberate cover-up or were the investigations conducted sloppily?
The Family Drama: Viktoria Gabriel was pregnant out of wedlock and refused to name the father. Her husband Karl had died in World War I – or had he really? Rumors about incest and family secrets dominated the investigations.
Parallels to Other Cases
The Villisca Axe Murders (1912, Iowa)
Ten years before Hinterkaifeck, eight people were murdered with an axe in Villisca. Here too, the perpetrator remained in the house after the deed, covered the mirrors, and showed similar ritualistic behavior. The case also remained unsolved.
The Keddie Murders (1981, California)
Four people were brutally murdered in a remote mountain cabin. As in Hinterkaifeck, evidence suggested that the perpetrator spent considerable time at the crime scene. The investigations were hampered by local cover-ups.
Doc’s Crime Corner: My Assessment
I am convinced that the perpetrator came from the family’s closest circle. The familiarity with the farm, knowledge of the family’s habits, and especially the days-long stay after the murders all point to this. My theory: It was someone who felt entitled to be there – possibly a family member or very close acquaintance.
The 1922 investigations were shaped by the social taboos of the time. Incest and extramarital relationships were not openly discussed, which obscured important leads. Today, with DNA analysis and modern psychological profiling methods, we would probably make more progress.
I find the perpetrator’s cold-bloodedness particularly disturbing. Anyone who calmly feeds livestock and eats the victims’ meals after a sextuple murder is not just a killer – he is a ruthless psychopath.
Mystery Factor
Recommended Reading
Hardinghaus, Christian: “The Addiction to Crime. How Internet Detectives Solve True Crime Cases” (German Edition. English Edition coming soon)
View on Amazon USSources and Literature
- Farthing, John: “The Hinterkaifeck Murders: Germany’s Most Famous Unsolved Crime” (2019)
- Bavarian State Archives Munich: Investigation files on the Hinterkaifeck case (1922-1923)
- Miller, Sarah: “Unsolved: The Hinterkaifeck Farmstead Murders” – Crime Library (2020)
- Thompson, Robert: “Cold Cases of Europe: The Hinterkaifeck Mystery” – True Crime Magazine (2021)
Image Credit
Historical photograph of Hinterkaifeck farm (1922): Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain
Ethical Note
This blog is dedicated to analyzing true crime cases with the necessary respect and due diligence. We are aware that behind every case are real human destinies.
Date: June 22, 2025 by Christian Hardinghaus
