Our new series takes a look at Czech history through the lens of some of the country's most infamous mysteries and criminal cases. On Sept. What they saw upon opening the cases set in motion a decades-long mystery that gripped the nation. The first case — found in Bratislava — contained the severed head and legs of a young woman. Czechoslovak police soon connected the two and found out they had been sent there the previous day from two different railway stations in Prague.
The investigation into the circumstances of her death and identity of the killer could now truly begin… and would remain unfinished for nearly a century. By the end of the year, hundreds of pages of print had been devoted to the topic, and some of them were completely sensationalized. A lot of rumors and fabrications started circulating — including from journalists, who sometimes made up the most flagrant rubbish.
Enter the medical examiner, who — based on the undigested remains of an apple — established the time of death in the middle of the night of Aug. The autopsy further mistakenly diagnosed that two blows to her head were the immediate cause of death, and that the body was later mutilated and dismembered with chirurgical precision which — it was claimed — indicated that the killer had a deep knowledge of the human body and anatomy.
Persisting for decades, this theory misled police investigators into searching for a doctor, medical student, or other suspects with such medical skills. She was last seen alone, peering inside a restaurant in Melantrichova Street but not entering. The perpetrator was never found nor arrested, and the case was closed in the s, while letters purporting to know the identity of the killer continued to arrive well into the s.
There, she was murdered and dismembered…. All rights reserved. Share article Share this article. A manhunt underway. A media frenzy. Was the murderer a doctor…? The police's failure. A motive to kill. The following day, her severed body parts were found. Then, a breakthrough. Did you like this article? Culture Klub A curated weekly roundup of the hottest arts, culture, film, and nightlife for Prague and Czechia. Sign up to newsletter. Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more.
