Isabella Mueller (crime writer)
A serial killer who terrorized Czech women was 32-year-old Václav Mrázek, who murdered seven women between 1951 and 1956, the highest number of victims in the post-war history of the Czech Republic. Václav was born on October 22, 1925, and grew up in poor circumstances with 12 siblings. His education was limited to five years of elementary school, as he wanted to work as a miner to earn money. He also committed petty thefts and was so good at it that his father asked him to teach his younger siblings how to steal. Václav was particularly shy around women. In his free time, he enjoyed playing soccer and often rode his bike around the neighborhood. No one suspected that he was a sadistic murderer of women. His dream was to serve as a soldier. However, Václav was too frail for this, so he signed up as an armed escort for a humanitarian convoy to Bulgaria and Romania, where he was taught how to shoot a gun. When he returned from there, he went back to work as a miner in the Nejedlý I mine in Libušín near Slaný until he was caught red-handed stealing on March 17, 1957. He had searched the miners’ clothes in the changing rooms for valuables and money. During the routine investigation of the theft, the police realized that Václav could be the wanted murderer of women, which is why they searched his house. In fact, in addition to the murder weapon, a Walther pistol, personal belongings of the murder victims were also found there. After a period of silence, Václav broke down in tears during the interrogation and made a full confession. On August 21, 1951, not far from the village of Draonice in the Karlovy Vary district, he committed his first murder, killing 15-year-old Hana Choubová. He beat her to death and then sexually abused her. After his first murder, he obtained a 7.56 mm Walther pistol to commit further murders. He had tasted blood by taking a human life and did not even shy away from killing women when they were accompanied by men. This was also the case with his second murder. He had chosen a couple and first shot 26-year-old Karel Tirfoy three times. He then kidnapped his girlfriend Libuše Dufková, whom he raped on the way and then shot. In total, Václav committed six sexual murders and one robbery murder. He committed the latter on the night of November 9, 1956. He broke into the house of miner Ladislav Beran from Svinarov, as he was on duty. Václav searched the house for money and valuables. However, he was so loud that his wife and 11-year-old granddaughter Jarmila woke up. When they discovered him, he killed the wife with an axe. Jarmila was then forced to help him find the money and valuables. Once he had them, he raped her and then killed her. Václav’s investigation file comprised a total of 16 volumes. He was charged with no less than 127 crimes and sentenced to death in 1957. This sentence was carried out by hanging on December 29, 1957, in Pankrác Prison. Václav Mrázek’s death mask can still be seen today in the Prague Police Museum.
