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Information About

Cologne School Massacre





THE PERPETRATOR

Walter Seifert apparently had a breakdown when his wife died in child birth several years before the massacre. He was reported to feel cheated by the governemnt and claimed they were trying to avoid giving him his war pension for his service in World War 2


WEAPONS

  • A home-made flamethrower constructed from a garden sprayer

  • A long lance



THE MASSACRE

On June 11, Seifert took the flame-thrower and lance and entered the schoolyard. After blocking off the main gate, he pointed his flamethrower through a classroom window, setting the classroom - and many of its inhabitants - on fire. He was then confronted by a teacher, Gertrud Bollenrath, whom he stabbed with the lance. Apparently throughtout the attack he screamed "I am Adolf Hitler the Second!"

After he left the schoolyard, he swallowed a poisonous insectide in hopes of commiting suicide before police could catch him. He was soon apprehended by police, but died in hospital the next day, thus commiting Suicide .


VICTIMS

''Teachers:''
  • Gertrud Bollenrath, 62

  • Ursula Kuhr, 24

  • ''Students:''

  • Dorothea Binner

  • Renate Fühlen

  • Ingeborg Hahn

  • Ruth Hoffmann

  • Klara Kröger

  • Stephan Lischka

  • Karin Reinhold

  • Rosel Röhrig



NOTES


  • Both teachers who died each had a school named after them.

  • Anna Langohr, one of the surviving teachers, was presented with the Medal Cross from Pope Paul VI as well as other decorations from the city.