Simon Bingelhelm (1565 – June 2, 1600), called The Thousand Devil of
Halberstadt
Halberstadt ( Eastphalian: ''Halverstidde'') is a town in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the capital of Harz district. Located north of the Harz mountain range, it is known for its old town center that was greatly destroyed by Allied bombi ...
, was a German robber and
serial killer
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A
*
*
*
* with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...
. He was executed for multiple crimes in an area now known as
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of
and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it the ...
.
Capture
In the spring of 1600, a man who was believed to be the "Thousand Devils of Halberstadt" was arrested. He was brought to Gröningen, the location of the
Diocese of Halberstadt
The Diocese of Halberstadt was a Roman Catholic diocese (german: Bistum Halberstadt) from 804 until 1648. at the time, and which was the residence of Duke
Henry Julius of Brunswick. There, the suspect was imprisoned and interrogated, sometimes under torture.
Confessions
In the course of the interrogations, the man stated that his civil name was Simon Bingelhelm, and that he was born in Halberstadt.
He confessed to numerous burglaries and theft offenses, primarily in Halberstadt, but also in
Wernigerode
Wernigerode () is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, it was the capital of the district of Wernigerode. Its population was 35,041 in 2012.
Wernigerode is located southwest of Halberstadt, and is picturesquely s ...
,
Reddeber
Reddeber is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2011, it is part of the town Wernigerode
Wernigerode () is a town in the district of Harz, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Until 2007, ...
,
Falkenstein
Falkenstein or Falckenstein ("falcons' stone" in German) may refer to:
Places
Austria
* Falkenstein, Lower Austria, a market town in the district of Mistelbach
Germany
* Falkenstein, Bavaria, a market town in the district of Cham
* Falkenst ...
,
Hoym
Hoym () is a town and former municipality in the district of Salzlandkreis in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 15 July 2009, it is part of the town Seeland. Hoym is located on the river Selke, between the towns Aschersleben and Quedlinbu ...
,
Aschersleben
Aschersleben () is a town in the Salzlandkreis district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated approximately 22 km east of Quedlinburg, and 45 km northwest of Halle (Saale).
Geography
Aschersleben lies near the confluence of the r ...
,
Seehausen,
Ballenstedt
Ballenstedt is a town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Geography
It is situated at the northern rim of the Harz mountain range, about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Quedlinburg. The municipal area comprises the vil ...
, Eilenstedt,
Heimburg
Heimburg is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it is part of the town Blankenburg am Harz.
On a hilltop above the village are the ruins of the old Heimburg Castle which, ...
, Klein Quenstedt,
Westerhausen
Westerhausen is a village and a former municipality in the district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 September 2010, it is part of the town Thale
Thale () is a town in the Harz district in Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany. Located a ...
, Dardesheim,
Prenzlau
Prenzlau (, formerly also Prenzlow) is a town in Brandenburg, Germany, the administrative seat of Uckermark (district), Uckermark District. It is also the centre of the historic Uckermark region.
Geography
The town is located on the Uecker, Ucke ...
,
Salzwedel
Salzwedel (, officially known as Hansestadt Salzwedel; Low German: ''Soltwedel'') is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel, and has a population of approximately 21,500. Salzwe ...
,
Haldensleben
Haldensleben (; Eastphalian: ''Halslä'') is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Börde district.
Geography
It is situated on the Ohre river, near the confluence with its Beber tributary, and the parallel Mitt ...
, Neuhaldensleben,
Calvörde
Calvörde () is a municipality in the Börde district of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is part of the Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") Flechtingen.
Geography
Calvörde is situated approximately northwest of Haldensleben and northwest ...
,
Derenburg
Derenburg is a town in the Harz (district), district of Harz, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 January 2010, it has been part of the Blankenburg am Harz municipality.
Geography
The settlement is situated in the northern foothills of the Harz ...
,
Herzberg,
Oschersleben
Oschersleben () is a town in the Börde district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The population in 1905 was 13,271, in 2020 about 19,000.
History
On November 23, 994 Oschersleben was first mentioned in a document by the Emperor Otto III. In 1235 ...
,
Schermcke
Schermcke is a village and a former municipality in the Börde district in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Since 1 July 2009, it is part of the town Oschersleben
Oschersleben () is a town in the Börde district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The popul ...
, Krottorf and
Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg () is a town situated just north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. As an influential and prosperous trading centre during the early Middle Ages, Quedlinburg became a center of in ...
.
He allegedly said that he was the arsonist behind the fire at
Drübeck Abbey
Drübeck Abbey (german: Kloster Drübeck) is a former Benedictine monastery for nuns in Drübeck on the northern edge of the Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Today it is a conference venue for the Evangelical Church of the Church Provi ...
monastery in 1599, and that he watched the fire from a neighboring mountain. He had a
chalice
A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning.
Re ...
from Rade church and had stolen eleven talers from the poverty box of St. George's Church in Derenburg. He broke into the Martinique Church with others, and stole the
poor box
A poor box, alms box, offertory box, or mite box is a box that is used to collect coins for charitable purposes. They can be found in most Christian churches built before the 19th century and were the main source of funds for poor relief before ...
. In
Helmstedt
Helmstedt (; Eastphalian: ''Helmstidde'') is a town on the eastern edge of the German state of Lower Saxony. It is the capital of the District of Helmstedt. The historic university and Hanseatic city conserves an important monumental heritage of ...
, he stabbed a man for two groschen and a pawn near
Bernburg
Bernburg (Saale) is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, capital of the Salzlandkreis district. The former residence of the Anhalt-Bernburg princes is known for its Renaissance architecture, Renaissance castle.
Geography
The town centre is situated ...
. At
Benzingerode
Benzingerode has been a village incorporated into the borough of Wernigerode since 1 April 1993. in the district of Harz in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Location
Benzingerode lies in the North Harz about 7 kilometres east of Wernigerode, ...
he killed a young woman, eight days before the
Pentecost
Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the Ne ...
in 1599. In the forest between
Hornburg
Hornburg is a German town law, town and a former municipality in the Wolfenbüttel (district), Wolfenbüttel district, in the Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Since 1 November 2013, it is part of the municipality Schladen-Werla. It is situa ...
and
Osterwieck
Osterwieck () is a historic town in the Harz district, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Geography
The municipal area stretches along the river Ilse, north of Wernigerode and the Harz mountain range.
The town Osterwieck consists of the foll ...
, he tried to rape an 18-year-old girl and later killed her.
In the interrogations, the man confessed to a total of 71 crimes, including involvement in 26 murders. Among other things, he is said to have attacked a pregnant woman, whom he killed with his
cronies. They supposedly slashed her body to remove her unborn child, from whose entrails he then made candles for his next burglary. He was involved in the robbery and killing of at least five infants.
During the interrogation, this was recorded:
Execution
On his execution on June 2, 1600, in Gröningen, he was: "attacked with pincers for honor, dragged to the town court, then
quartered."
See also
*
List of German serial killers
A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more people, with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines serial killing ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bingelhelm, Simon
1500s births
1600 deaths
16th-century executions in the Holy Roman Empire
German people convicted of murder
Executed German serial killers
People executed by dismemberment