Rudolf Pleil: The Deathmaker's Reign of Terror

Rudolf Pleil, also known as "The Deathmaker," committed at least ten murders between 1946 and 1947. According to his own claims, there may have been up to 40 murders.

Childhood and Youth

Rudolf Pleil was born on July 7, 1924, in the Erzgebirge region. He grew up during the rise of the Nazi regime. Due to his father being a communist, they had to flee to the former Czechoslovakia. In his early adolescence, he smuggled goods across the border to support his family financially.

At the age of 15, he left home and attempted various occupations, including butcher and later seaman. During World War II, he joined the Kriegsmarine (German Navy), but due to minor thefts, he spent a year in prison. An epilepsy condition ultimately made him unfit for service.

After the war, he worked as a auxiliary police officer in his hometown. During this time, he realized that killing brought him pleasure. Although he married a young woman, she couldn't satisfy him adequately. Later on, he admitted to having committed his first murders during this period. However, there is still no evidence to support these alleged crimes.

Border Crosser and Serial Killer

In 1946, he became a border crosser, helping people illegally cross the border between the Soviet-occupied East and the British-occupied West in exchange for payment. In reality, he and his two accomplices were using this opportunity to search for potential victims. Killing was only a secondary concern for him; his primary goal was to find women he could abuse.

As the fear of the serial killer grew in the area, the police faced challenges in their investigations due to the difficult conditions at the time. It was an uncertain period, with police officers often becoming targets. Additionally, the jurisdiction of the police ended at the unclearly defined border, and the protective and criminal police forces had inadequate collaboration. Furthermore, the victims were mostly travelers unfamiliar with the area, so their disappearances were rarely reported.

Arrest

The murder spree came to an end when Pleil was unexpectedly arrested by justice officials after committing a brutal robbery-murder. Since he was heavily intoxicated during the crime, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to twelve years in prison, thus escaping the death penalty. From his prison cell, he even applied for a job as an executioner, seeking recognition for his actions, which took on a bizarre aspect. Pleil boasted in his application to the mayor about his experience in killing and revealed the location where he had hidden the bodies of two women. Only when human remains were actually found at that location did the police link him to the women's murders.

Trial

During the trial, Pleil proudly recounted his deeds and claimed with a smile that he had committed 40 murders. He sought to be declared mentally ill to be sent to a psychiatric institution. However, Pleil, along with his two accomplices, was sentenced to life imprisonment. In prison, Pleil wrote a 127-page handwritten book about the murders, listing 25 of them. He was determined to surpass Fritz Haarmann as the "greatest deathmaker."

Pleil hanged himself in his cell on February 16, 1958. His two accomplices were pardoned in the 1970s.

If you found my writing engaging and enjoyable, I would greatly appreciate your support. Kindly show your appreciation by hitting the "like" button on this post, which encourages me to continue creating content for you. Additionally, feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts or feedback, as I value your input and strive to improve with each post.

Don't forget to share this content with your friends and followers, so they can also benefit from the content I share. The more people we reach, the more we can build a vibrant community around the topics we love.

I want to assure you that I am committed to delivering valuable content regularly. You can expect new posts from me five days a week, ensuring there's always something fresh to look forward to. Whether it's insightful articles, entertaining stories, or helpful tips, I aim to provide diverse and engaging content that keeps you coming back for more.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to our journey together as we explore exciting and inspiring content in the days to come!