Hinterkaifeck was a small, isolated farmstead about 70 km north of Munich. The family living there consisted of:
- Andreas Gruber (63) – the patriarch
- Cäzilia Gruber (72) – his wife
- Victoria Gabriel (35) – their widowed daughter
- Cäzilia (7) – Victoria’s young daughter
- Josef (2) – Victoria’s infant son (rumored to be the child of incest with Andreas)
- Maria Baumgartner (44) – the family’s new maid, who had arrived on the very day of the murders
They lived a quiet farming life — but in the days leading up to the massacre, terrifying events began to unfold.
Strange Signs Before the Murders
Several unsettling incidents were reported:
- Mysterious footprints: Days before, Andreas noticed footprints leading from the forest to the farm but none leading back.
- Strange noises: The family heard footsteps in the attic, yet no intruder was found.
- Misplaced keys and newspapers: Items kept disappearing and reappearing around the house.
- The maid’s resignation: Their previous maid quit, saying the farm was “haunted.”
Despite these ominous warnings, the family stayed in the house.
The Horrific Massacre (31 March 1922)
On the evening of March 31, 1922, the killer struck:
- Lured into the barn: Andreas, Cäzilia Sr., Victoria, and young Cäzilia were somehow drawn one by one into the barn, where they were killed with a mattock (pickaxe).
- The maid and infant: The killer then entered the house and murdered Maria Baumgartner in her bed and little Josef in his cot.
The brutality was shocking — Victoria showed signs of strangulation, and 7-year-old Cäzilia had clumps of her own hair torn out, suggesting she lived long enough to witness the murders in terror.
Discovery of the Crime
The family was not immediately missed. A few days later, neighbors became suspicious when:
- No one had seen the Grubers.
- Young Cäzilia was absent from school.
- Milk deliveries from the farm stopped.
On April 4, 1922, neighbors went to investigate. They found the four bodies stacked in the barn, covered with hay. Inside the house, they discovered Maria and Josef.
The Chilling Aftermath
What shocked investigators was that the killer had stayed on the farm for days after the murders:
- The cows were milked.
- The fireplace was used.
- Meals were eaten.
This suggested the murderer lived among the corpses before finally leaving.
Theories and Suspects
Despite hundreds of interviews, the killer was never identified. Theories include:
- Lorenz Schlittenbauer – A neighbor rumored to be Josef’s real father. He knew the property well and was first to discover the bodies. Suspicion lingered, but no proof was found.
- Robbery gone wrong – Dismissed, as valuables and money were left untouched.
- Family dispute or revenge killing – Possible, but no evidence tied anyone directly.
- A wandering killer – Some suggest a vagrant or soldier passing through.
To this day, the case remains unsolved.
Legacy of Horror
The Hinterkaifeck Murders are remembered as one of Germany’s most haunting unsolved crimes. The combination of:
- strange warnings before the murders,
- the brutality of the killings,
- and the killer living on the farm afterward,
make this case uniquely chilling.
More than a century later, the Hinterkaifeck Farm is gone, but the legend of what happened there continues to terrify true crime enthusiasts around the world.
