The Hinterkaifeck Farm Murders

On the isolated farm of Hinterkaifeck in Bavaria, Germany, six people were murdered with a pickaxe in March 1922. The killer then stayed on the property for days, feeding the livestock and eating in the kitchen. The case was never solved.

The Victims

Andreas Gruber, his wife Cäzilia, their widowed daughter Viktoria, her two children, and the new maid were all killed. They were lured to the barn one by one and struck down with a mattock.

The Mystery

Neighbors noticed no one from the farm for days. Mail piled up. Smoke was seen from the chimney. When the farm was finally checked, all six bodies were found. The killer had lived among the corpses.

The Strangeness

Before the murders, Andreas reported finding mysterious footprints in the snow leading to the farm but not away. A set of house keys disappeared and was never found. The previous maid had quit, claiming the farm was haunted.

The Investigation

Over 100 suspects were investigated. The case was reopened multiple times. DNA testing was attempted on the skulls (which were preserved). The killer was never identified.

Assessment

Hinterkaifeck represents one of history’s most disturbing unsolved crimes. The supernatural elements—the footprints, the previous maid’s claims, the killer’s strange behavior—add an eerie dimension. The farm was later demolished, but the mystery endures.