Leopoldine Kasparek: The Strangler of Vienna

Leopoldine Kasparek seemed to have a good life, coming from a respectable Austrian family while also being married to a man that worked at her father’s coffeehouse. Once her husband was called to serve in World War 1, her newfound freedom led to a sinister change in her personality. She began to commit several thefts and robberies, but she received very little prison time. Leopoldine then escalated her crimes to befriending wealthy old women before strangling them and ransacking their homes. Her cruelty knew no bounds, as she even lit one of her victims on fire. Multiple women were dead before she was caught, making this one of the most sensational cases in Austrian history.