Zdzislaw Marchwicki Polish serial killer Date of Birth: 18.10.1927 Country: Poland

1. Polish Serial Killer
2. The Reign of Terror
3. A Hunt for Justice
4. The Trial and Sentencing

Polish Serial Killer

Zdzisław Marchwicki, a Polish criminal, was born in 1927 in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland, into a troubled family. His father went through five marriages and had four children, including three brothers and a sister, who later conspired with Zdzisław. During his school years, Zdzisław showed no enthusiasm for studying and did not even finish school due to a lack of special intellect.

The Reign of Terror

In the 1960s, a series of brutal crimes occurred in the Zagłębie Dąbrowskie and Upper Silesia regions of Poland. These crimes began in 1964 and continued, with occasional breaks, until the end of 1970. In total, 19 attacks on women were committed, 14 of which resulted in fatalities. Marchwicki would rob, kill, and then mutilate the bodies of his victims. This terrifying criminal became known as the "Vampire of Zagłębie" or the "Silesian vampire." It is worth noting that in the 1960s, Poland did not have extensive practices for dealing with serial killers, and the concept of a serial killer was not commonly used. Therefore, law enforcement authorities needed a lot of time to realize the danger posed by the maniac they needed to apprehend. The news of a maniac operating in Dąbrowa spread quickly, and fear gripped the residents. There were even rumors that the Vampire of Zagłębie planned to kill a thousand women to "celebrate" Poland's millennium.

A Hunt for Justice

Despite active searches, including patrols in parks and ambushes in potential attack locations, capturing the criminal proved unsuccessful. In 1965, Marchwicki continued his spree, committing 11 assaults. In 1968, the authorities promised a reward to the population for help in apprehending the criminal. This led to a series of false reports, but the desired result was still not achieved. Interestingly, during that period, many other minor crimes were solved, as information from citizens flowed continuously. Several supposed "Vampires" were detained, and one even began confessing to the crimes, but there was still no certainty that he was the elusive maniac. Finally, at the end of 1971, authorities managed to track down the criminal, and in early 1972, Zdzisław Marchwicki was arrested. The criminal denied his guilt, which was unusual for serial killers. He did not fit the typical profile of a maniac, behaving modestly and even compassionately. While in prison, he unexpectedly began writing a diary, describing the details of the murders and his feelings. Considering Marchwicki's previous demonstrated level of intelligence, it was unlikely that he was capable of writing. Many doubted that Marchwicki was truly the Vampire of Zagłębie.

The Trial and Sentencing

Nevertheless, evidence was presented for all 14 murders and 5 assaults. Overall, he was suspected of 23 crimes, but these suspicions were never substantiated or proven in court. The proven and documented episodes were enough to sentence him to death. His relatives, Henryk Marchwicki and Jan Marchwicki, as well as his sister Halina and her son, were also tried for failing to report his crimes. Jan, like Zdzisław, received the death penalty, Henryk was sentenced to 25 years in prison, Galina received 3 years, and her son received a suspended sentence. The sentence was carried out in 1977.