Opowiadanie kryminalne Anzelma Feuerbacha Andreas Bichel, Der Mädchenschlächter

Abstract

Anzelm [Paul Johann Anselm] Feuerbach (1775–1833), the founder of the theory of psychological compulsion (Theorie des psychologischen Zwanges), was also famous as an author of criminal stories. In 1827 he published a book titled Aktenmäßige Darstellung merwürdigen Verbrechen, which contained more than 30 stories based on criminal cases involving manslaughter. One of these stories, with the original title Andreas Bichel, der Mädchenschlächter (Andreas Bichel, the slaughterer of girls), presents the history of a notorious murderer of young women. The motive of his acts was basically robbery. Law, especially legal proceedings, plays an important role in this story.