Isabella Mueller (crime writer)
In the 19th century, 36-year-old Maria Stupka went down in Vienna’s criminal history because her crime was so brutal. Maria Stupka was born in Beneschau. As a young woman, she moved to Vienna, where she lived as a single woman in a two-room apartment on the ground floor at Zirkusgasse 26 in Vienna’s 2nd district, Leopoldstadt. The laundress, who was considered grumpy and lazy, rented one of the rooms to a maid. This time, she had rented her small room to the maid Katharina Blaschek. Maria Stupka, who had already spent eight days in prison for theft, was, as always, in financial difficulties. She even had to pawn her belongings for 35 guilders to pay her two rent payments, which were due on November 14 in the amount of 23 guilders and on November 24, 1869, in the amount of 14 guilders. But the money was not enough. Another solution had to be found. Her new subtenant Katharina had a suitcase with lots of belongings with her, and in the meantime she had also found a job as a maid with the tobacconist Kaiser in Novaragasse. Maria Stupka wanted not only Katharina’s belongings, but also her earnings. So she pretended that a distinguished lady who lived in a magnificent house was eager to hire Katharina as a maid. But Katharina was not interested. So Maria pretended that the lady was waiting for her in her room with her servant, who would immediately take Katharina and her suitcase to the beautiful house. Katharina finally agreed. However, when they arrived at Katharina’s room, no one was waiting there. Maria then explained that Katharina had hesitated too long and that the lady and her servant had already left. Maria then closed the door to the room. Katharina wanted to get some fresh socks from her suitcase. When she bent down, Maria hit her on the back of the head with her hoe, causing Katharina to sink to the floor. Maria then beat the poor Katharina as if in a frenzy. She knocked out her front teeth with her bare fists. She then grabbed a knife and stabbed Katharina several times. To prevent her from screaming, she tried to rip out her tongue with a cloth. Katharina then lost consciousness. Maria stole Katharina’s money pouch, which contained a paltry 5 guilders, and locked the door before leaving the room. At around 6 o’clock, the caretaker Josef Aff was making his daily evening rounds when he heard moaning and groaning coming from Maria’s apartment. Together with his nephew, he broke into the apartment and found Katharina lying next to the suitcase, covered in blood. There was no sign of Maria. Katharina was immediately taken to the Vienna General Hospital. But after six weeks, she died from her severe head injuries. The autopsy revealed horrific details. Katharina had a total of 30 injuries. In addition to a fracture of the right frontal bone, she had broken front teeth, a fracture of the right middle finger, countless cuts and abrasions on her face, 17 wounds on her head, 2 on her neck, and 6 on her hands. After the crime, Maria Stupka hid in a corner of the toilet, where she was found by Josef Aff covered in blood and holding the bloody hoe in her hand. During the trial, Maria Stupka claimed that Katharina had threatened her. Allegedly, Katharina still owed her 7 guilders, which she had demanded from her. But Katharina refused to pay. Maria then lost her temper and, in a frenzy, struck Katharina with her hoe. Afterwards, she was in shock and hid in the toilet out of fear and shame. Maria Stupka was sentenced to death by hanging for treacherous robbery and murder. This verdict was upheld by the Supreme Court. However, Emperor Franz Joseph I showed mercy and commuted the sentence to 20 years’ imprisonment. With her heinous murder, previously only known to be committed by men, Maria Stupka went down in Vienna’s criminal history as a greedy robber and murderer who had tortured the maid Katharina in the most cruel manner.
