The Cologne school massacre was a

mass murder Mass murder is the violent crime of murder, killing a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. A mass murder typically occurs in a single location where one or more ...

that occurred at the

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

elementary school A primary school (in Ireland, India, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, South Africa, and Singapore), elementary school, or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ...

() located in the suburb of Volkhoven in

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...

West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...

, on 11 June 1964. The perpetrator, Walter Seifert, also known as "" ("Firedevil of Volkhoven"), attacked the people at the school with a home-made

flamethrower A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device designed to project a controllable jet of fire. First deployed by the Byzantine Empire in the 7th century AD, flamethrowers saw use in modern times during World War I, and more widely in World W ...

and a spear, killing eight pupils and two teachers, and wounding twenty-two others. When police arrived at the scene, Seifert fled from the school compound and poisoned himself. He was taken to a hospital, where he died the same evening.

Perpetrator

Willi Walter Seifert (19 June 1921 – 11 June 1964) was born in Bickendorf, a district of

, in what was then

Weimar Germany The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...

. He was the son of a glass-grinder and had one brother. From 1927 to 1935 Seifert attended the ''Volksschule'' in Ehrenfeld and afterwards started an

apprenticeship Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in a regulat ...

as a metal worker at a machine factory, which he successfully finished in 1939. In 1941, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was drafted into the

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

and attended the ''Waffentechnische Schule der Luftwaffe'' (Weaponry Technology School of the Airforce) for a year. By the end of the war Seifert was a sergeant in an anti-aircraft battery and afterwards was a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

for several months. At war's end, Seifert worked for a Cologne car factory, before joining the ''

Schutzpolizei The ''Schutzpolizei'' (), or ''Schupo'' () for short, is a uniform-wearing branch of the ''Landespolizei'', the state (''Land'') level police of the states of Germany. ''Schutzpolizei'' literally means security or protection police, but it is ...

'' on 14 November 1945. On 23 August 1946, he was treated for a bronchial

catarrh Catarrh ( ) is an inflammation of mucous membranes in one of the airways or cavities of the body, usually with reference to the throat and paranasal sinuses. It can result in a thick exudate of mucus and white blood cells caused by the swelling ...

, and an examination by a specialist on 5 September diagnosed

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

in the right lung, resulting in Seifert being deemed unfit for service and dismissed from the police on 30 September. From then on Seifert attempted to enforce his claims for subsistence, feeling he was being treated unfairly and cheated of his

war pension A war pension is a pension provided to a veteran of an armed conflict. They are almost certainly the most ancient type of social security. Plutarch's ''Life of Solon'' mentions a law which provides that those who are maimed in war shall be maint ...

by the government. In 1953 Seifert's tuberculosis was found to be inactive and he was declared to have a reduced earning capacity of 30%, though any causality between his illness and his imprisonment during the war was denied. Seifert contested this, accused the doctors of creating false medical reports and complained in long letters to various authorities about his problems. In August 1954 Seifert was examined by a public health officer, who was of the opinion that he was not in need of a

regimen A regimen is a plan, or course of action such as a Diet (nutrition), diet, exercise or medical treatment. A salt#Health effects, low-salt diet is a regimen. A course of penicillin is a regimen, and there are many chemotherapy regimens in the trea ...

but suggested that he could be sent to a

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, is a historic name for a specialised hospital for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments, and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often in a health ...

for observation. The doctor also noted in his report that Seifert was a mentally devious person with no will to recover. Seifert again contested the report and wrote a letter titled "''Sozialpolitik - Sozialärzte — Sozialmord''" (social politics — social doctors — social murder), whereupon he was examined by a medical specialist who noted Seifert's quirky behaviour, his scattered

train of thought The train of thought or track of thought refers to the interconnection in the sequence of ideas expressed during a connected discourse or thought, as well as the sequence itself, especially in discussion how this sequence leads from one idea to ...

and his constant smile in inappropriate situations. He also recorded that Seifert harboured

paranoid Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of con ...

thoughts about his doctors and showed a peculiar fanatical behaviour, coming to the conclusion that he had

paranoid schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, hearing voices), delusions, disorganized thinking and behavior, and flat or inappropriate affect. Symptoms develop gradually and typically begin ...

, but did not have him hospitalised since he did not show any violent or dangerous behaviour. Meanwhile, Seifert revealed to his brother that he had a plan to

kidnap Kidnapping or abduction is the unlawful abduction and confinement of a person against their will, and is a crime in many jurisdictions. Kidnapping may be accomplished by use of force or fear, or a victim may be enticed into confinement by frau ...

young girls and hold them captive in the cellar of his moped trailer. On 7 October 1955 Seifert married Renata Urszula and reportedly fell apart when she died of an

embolism An embolism is the lodging of an embolus, a blockage-causing piece of material, inside a blood vessel. The embolus may be a blood clot (thrombus), a fat globule (fat embolism), a bubble of air or other gas (air embolism, gas embolism), amniotic ...

during

premature birth Preterm birth, also known as premature birth, is the birth of a baby at fewer than 37 weeks gestational age, as opposed to full-term delivery at approximately 40 weeks. Extreme preterm is less than 28 weeks, very early preterm birth is betwee ...

on 11 February 1961. Holding the doctors responsible for the death of his wife, he wrote a 120-page letter titled "''Muttermord — Einzelschicksal und Analyse eines Systems''" (

Matricide Matricide (or maternal homicide) is the act of killing one's own mother. Known or suspected matricides * Amastris, queen of Heraclea, was drowned by her two sons in 284 BC. * Cleopatra III of Egypt was assassinated in 101 BC by order of ...

- Individual fate and analysis of a system) and sent it to agencies, doctors and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Therein Seifert tried to prove that the treatment of his wife's embolism was done wrong, called society a criminal system and equated doctors with murderers, writing: ::''The doctor is the greatest mass murderer of the poor in the history of mankind (...) What to do? Appeal to their 'conscience' – useless, whoever does something like that has no conscience. Does the aforementioned science count before any court? No, thus begins the

vigilante Vigilantism () is the act of preventing, investigating, and punishing perceived offenses and crimes without legal authority. A vigilante is a person who practices or partakes in vigilantism, or undertakes public safety and retributive justice ...

justice, the terror of the medical society in the pluralistic chaos of criminality. But terror can only be extirpated with counter-terror, and whoever denies me the protection of the law forces the cudgel into my hand.''Kiehne, Karl: ''Das Flammenwerferattentat in Köln-Volkhoven'', i
Archiv für Kriminologie
Vol. 136; F.C.W. Vogel, 1965.

Weapons

Seifert had made all of his weapons about two months prior to the attack. The spear was made from a broomstick and a triangular scraper, while he used a pump bracket to create the mace. His

was made from an insecticide sprayer with a wire netting attached to the nozzle, and filled with a mixture of old motor oil and

paint thinner Paint thinners are diluents — solvents used to adjust the viscosity of paint, as well as similar preparations such as varnish and lacquer, by dilution. For water-based paints, such as acrylic paints, water is the primary solvent, but notably, ...

Massacre

On 11 June 1964, shortly after 09:00, Seifert approached the schoolyard of the

located at Volkhovener Weg 209–211, armed with a self-made flamethrower, a spear and a mace. The school consisted of one main building and four wooden

barracks Barracks are buildings used to accommodate military personnel and quasi-military personnel such as police. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word 'soldier's tent', but today barracks ar ...

, each housing two classes with a total of eight teachers and 380 pupils. As Seifert entered the school compound through the smaller of two gates, he was observed by three crossing guards who mistook him for a

mechanic A mechanic is a skilled tradesperson who uses tools to build, maintain, or repair machinery, especially engines. Formerly, the term meant any member of the handicraft trades, but by the early 20th century, it had come to mean one who works w ...

trying to repair the gate's broken lock and asked him what he was doing there. Seifert ignored them and, after blocking off the gate with a wooden wedge, proceeded towards a girls'

physical education Physical education is an academic subject taught in schools worldwide, encompassing Primary education, primary, Secondary education, secondary, and sometimes tertiary education. It is often referred to as Phys. Ed. or PE, and in the United Stat ...

class led by teacher Anna Langohr at the schoolyard. When Langohr, who knew Seifert, asked if she could help him, he ignited his flamethrower and attacked her and the girls. Seifert then went to one of the school's barracks, smashed in the windows with the mace and aimed his weapon at the children in the classrooms, setting them on fire. He continued to attack the people running and jumping out of the burning building until his flamethrower ran out of fuel, whereupon he threw it away. When teacher Gertrud Bollenrath stepped out on the schoolyard Seifert fatally stabbed her in the chest with his spear and then approached the barrack where Ursula Kuhr and Mrs Kunz were teaching. The two women tried to keep the doors shut, but Seifert managed to open one and caused Kuhr to lose her balance. After she fell down the flight of stairs and landed on the ground in front of the building Seifert stabbed her in both legs and once between her shoulders. Seifert fled the school compound and attempted to kill himself by swallowing E605, a poisonous

insecticide Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...

, but as the substance was diluted he did not die immediately. Chased by twenty to thirty people he ran towards a railway embankment where he tried to fend off his pursuers with his spear. When police arrived at the scene at 09:38 he tried to stab one of the officers but was eventually immobilised with a shot in his leg. He was arrested and taken to the University Hospital in Lindenthal, where he was questioned several times, before he died at 20:35.Death certificate of Walter Seifert
, ''Digitales Historisches Archiv Köln'' (p. 167) The attack lasted for about fifteen minutes. Kuhr died at the scene, while Bollenrath died from her wounds in hospital at 13:00. Along with teachers Langohr and Wiltrud Schweden, twenty-eight pupils were taken to hospitals, some of them with burns to 90% of their bodies. Eight of the pupils died in the following weeks.
, ''Ursula-Kuhr-Schule''

Victims

''Teachers:'' * Gertrud Bollenrath, aged 62 * Ursula Kuhr, aged 24 ''Students:'' * Dorothea Binner, 9, died on 15 June * Klara Kröger, 9, died on 16 JuneDrei Kinder ringen mit dem Tode
, ''

Hamburger Abendblatt ''Hamburger Abendblatt'' () is a German daily newspaper in Hamburg belonging to the Funke Mediengruppe, publishing Monday to Saturday. The paper focuses on news in Hamburg and its surrounds, and produces regional supplements with news from Norde ...

'' (18 June 1964), Vol. 139, p. 18 * Stefan Lischka, 9, died on 16 June * Rosel Röhrig, 12, died on 18 June * Renate Fühlen, 9, died on 19 June Das 7. Todesopfer in Köln
, ''

'' (19 June 1964) * Ruth Hoffmann, 10, died on 20 June * Karin Reinhold, 11, died on 20 June * Ingeborg Hahn, 9, died on 30 JuneDas 10. Opfer in Volkhoven
, ''

'' (30 June 1964)

Aftermath

Both teachers who died had schools named after them. Anna Langohr, one of the surviving teachers, was presented with the ''

Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice ''Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice'' ("For Church and Pope" in Latin) is a decoration of the Holy See. It is currently conferred for distinguished service to the Catholic Church by lay people and clergy. History The medal was established by Leo XII ...

'' medal by

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI (born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding John XXII ...

as well as with the Medal of Merit ("''Verdienstmedaille''"), the lowest class of the

Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (, or , BVO) is the highest state decoration, federal decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany. It may be awarded for any field of endeavor. It was created by the first List of president ...

, and the "''Rettungsmedaille of the State of

North Rhine Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...

''", a Lifesaving Medal presented to those who risked their lives in the pursuit of saving another person's life. After her death in 1990, aged 93, an elementary school in a neighbouring suburb was named after Langohr.

Bibliography

*Das Todesdrama auf dem Schulhof, ''Neue Illustrierte Extra-Ausgabe'' (June 13, 1964) *Anatomie eines Teufels, ''Neue Illustrierte'' (June 28, 1964) *Der Blutrausch des Amokläufers, ''Bunte Illustrierte'' (June 24, 1964) *Benecke, Mark: ''Mordmethoden''; Bastei Lübbe, 2002. (pp. 288 - 302) *Peter, Barbara: ''Das Herz der Stadt stand still''; Sh-Verlag, 2004.

References

External links

West Germany school tragedy
''

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

'' (June 11, 1964) (Video)
West Germany school attack
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'' (June 12, 1964) (Video)
West Germany school tragedy
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'' (June 12, 1964) (Video)
West Germany teachers' funeral
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'' (June 16, 1964) (Video)
Ursula Kuhr Schule Page on the massacre
(In German, with pictures)
Wie lebende Fackeln stürzten Kinder ins Freie
, ''

'' (June 12, 1964)
Noch fünfzehn Kinder mit schweren Verbrennungen im Krankenhaus
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'' (June 12, 1964)
Von Behörden als Querulant abgewiesen
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'' (June 12, 1964)
Noch 10 Kinder in Lebensgefahr
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'' (June 13, 1964)
Ein Kind in Köln heute früh seinen furchtbaren Verletzungen erlegen
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'' (June 15, 1964)
Noch ernste Sorge um 16 Kinder
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Für drei Kinder haben die Ärzte keine Hoffnung mehr
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'' (June 22, 1964)
Lebensgefahr nicht gebannt
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'' (June 27, 1964)
550000 DM für die Opfer von Volkhoven
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'' (July 17, 1964)
Großzügige Hilfe für die Opfer von Volkhoven
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'' (July 25, 1964)
Furchtbares Blutbad in einer Schule
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Passauer Neue Presse ''Passauer Neue Presse'' is a German newspaper established in 1946. It reports local news from the Passau region of Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an ar ...

'' (June 12, 1964)
Lehrerin und sieben Kinder ringen noch mit dem Tod
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'' (June 13, 1964)
Die Ärzte kämpfen um das Leben der Schulkinder
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'' (June 15, 1964)
Erstes Kind an den Brandverletzungen gestorben
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'' (June 16, 1964)
Kölner Schul-Attentat forderte das fünfte Todesopfer
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Befinden der Attentatsopfer gleich
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Letzte Meldungen - Viertes Kind gestorben
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Fünftes Schulkind an Brandverletzungen gestorben
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Kinder gedachten ihrer Mitschüler
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Ärzte ringen noch um das Leben von elf Schulkindern
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Noch zehn Kinder in Lebensgefahr
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200 Schulkinder sollen Attentats-Schock überwinden
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Zwei weitere Volkhovener Schulkinder beigesetzt
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'' (June 27, 1964)
Achtes Schulkind ist seinen Verletzungen erlegen
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'' (July 1, 1964)
350000 DM für die Opfer des Flammenwerfer-Attentats
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Kinderschutzbund erhebt Vorwürfe
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Stadt Köln hilft Volkhofenern
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Noch 19 Flammenwerfer-Opfer im Krankenhaus
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Drei Opfer des Flammenwerfer-Attentats entlassen
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'' (September 28, 1964)
Sechs Volkhovener Lehrerinnen geehrt
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'' (December 10, 1964)
Volkhovener Kinder in Salzburg
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'' (December 29, 1964)
Die Wunden in Volkhoven sind noch nicht vernarbt
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'' (June 9, 1965)
Sanfter Zwang im Interesse des Kranken
''

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Amoklauf mit Flammenwerfer: "Das Herz der Stadt stand still"
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Der Mann, der den ersten Schulamoklauf überlebte
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School massacre A school is the educational institution (and, in the case of in-person learning, the building) designed to provide learning environments for the teaching of students, usually under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of fo ...

20th-century mass murder in Germany

June 1964 in Europe Mass stabbings in Germany Massacres in 1964 Massacres in Germany Murder in North Rhine-Westphalia Murder–suicides in Germany School killings in Germany School massacres in Europe Arson in Germany Arson in the 1960s 1964 fires 1960s fires in Europe School arson fires in Europe Attacks on buildings and structures in 1964 School stabbings in Europe Massacres of women Violence against women in Germany Attacks on schools in the 1960s Child murder in Germany