Victoria and Charles Gabriel: An unhappy marriage?
Viktoria and Karl Gabriel got married on 03.04.1914. Previously they have (see also here) closed on 11.3.1914 before notary Stinglwagner in Schrobenhausen a marriage and inheritance contract. Because of this marriage contract they have lived in a general community of property. Shortly after the marriage Viktoria Gabriel was pregnant. The common child Cäzilia Gabriel was born on 09.01.1915, as Karl Gabriel had already fallen.
On 14/08/1914 Charles Gabriel has already moved into the recruit depot Kosching, so that the spouses have lived together Gabriel only about four months.
An inquiry at the War Archives has revealed that the that master role and the remaining personnel file does not indicate whether Karl Gabriel volunteered for military service, because such an indication is not indicated in the master role and the comprehensive two sides personnel file on a voluntary disclosure is not mentioned.
However, a further demand found in the war archive that Karl Gabriel has the military authorities against specified as Laag city.
Karl Gabriel left his wife after a short time and marriage should be temporarily returned to his parents in Laag, is found in the statement of Jacob Sigl from 10.01.1952. Jacob Sigl here expressed to the effect that in his opinion the couple Gabriel had not gotten along and that Karl Gabriel the Victoria Gruber got married mainly because "a lot of property and money" was available on the property Hinterkaifeck and Victoria the only daughter was.
He is but at the same time that he knows this just hearsay, since he lived to the time not in Gröbern, but in wells. Similarly, he states that his brother Josef Sigl, who had a restaurant in Schenkenau at Hohenwart, could provide more information on this issue, since this was good friends with Karl Gabriel. Josef Sigl was but at the time no longer heard.
Documents and statements on the death of Charles Gabriel / "The murderer of Hinterkaifeck has dismissed you,"
In a letter dated 29.4.1922 the Schrobenhausener Police Sergeant Louis Meixl suggested at the investigating officers in Munich, to have it checked because of previous unsuccessful investigation of the death of Karl Gabriel and notes: "The circumstances in which the murder was committed , can be certain presumption that the offender must have been known most accurately with the relevant conditions. "Meixl at that time was a" week in the Journal at the time Schrobenhausener published obituary "before, after Charles Gabriel was killed at Neuville on 12/12/1914.
Shall be notified by the Central Office for proof of casualties and war graves dated 05.02.1922 on request: "Ers. Res. Karl Gabriel the 6th Company. Bavarian. Res. Inf. Regt. 13, born 12/16/88 to Laag, Oberbayr., Killed on 12.12.1914 at Neuville (Arras, northern France), is in the position of his former grave shooters. Comp. Buried. This present report is signed by the former Regts. Commander, whose accuracy will hardly be doubted. " For documents relating to active service, reference is made to the National Archives, Branch Würzburg.
The Viktoria Gabriel widow was confirmed with date of 12/21/1914 her husband's death on 12.12.1914, yet the end of the year 1914 should have been applied for the inheritance of her with the district court Schrobenhausen be (Reg 188/14).
As the investigation into the murder Hinterkaifeck remained still inconclusive, the end of 1923 was at the National Archives, Branch Würzburg, asked what soldiers had at the time been with Karl Gabriel in the field. Dated 12/07/1923 of the death of Karl Gabriel is confirmed on 12.12.1914 and it will be the names of 20 comrades of the KG called, the same with Gabriel on 12/08/1914 at the 6th Company, RIR Were parked 15.
The surveys of these soldiers did not focus on, to confirm the death of Karl Gabriel. Investigators suspected that K.G. one of his comrades had told details about the financial circumstances of Hinterkaifecker, and that one of those soldiers might come as a perpetrator in question. The police forces of the hometowns of the soldiers were asked to locate these to ask her if she KG previously or only met in the field would, if they had known the victims and whether they "time, made any perceptions (have) that can possibly be brought in connection with the robbery and murder in Hinterkaifeck, or may be inferred that the person of the offender. "
The former soldiers Xaver Steger (Oberegg Bach, BA Mallersdorf) and Ignatz Schmidl (Freihausen, BA Schrobenhausen) said KG met to have only field. Schmidl says that Gabriel "tells not the least of his family or financial circumstances" have.
Detail - and above the prescribed questionnaire Munich investigators also - is expressed by the farmer Sebastian Huber (Aigelsbach, BA Main castle). He could at K.G. remember, this was a great man, "face as" he had known him in the recruit depot Kosching. In early December they were then turned on together in the field.
The minutes of the testimony of Sebastian Huber from 17.12.1923 "On 11/12/14 she had arrived in Northern France and at 12.12. evening he had to proceed with Gabriel on items. That night, on 12 / 13/12. Gabriel is then equal to like, so that he had no connecting factors in the trenches or in enemy territory. "
Based on the survey of the soldiers also one of the former managers could be determined. (?) Josef Brunner worm village (AG Rottenburg, Lower Bavaria), stated: "I was sergeant at the 15th Inf Rgt Res, 6th Company, 3rd train..... On 12/10/14 I am already the second succeeded by the times in the field. On this day it has very many people killed at Arras and. Therefore by other people all day came at the firing line. To Karl Gabriel I can remember quite well. He was a reservist replacement is likely to be only the beginning of December came into the field u. On 12/12/14 he came in my train. In the morning we went up to 10h in position to 12h and he has already fallen; it has killed a mine. His death I reported the sergeant u. Therefore, the name is still in my memory. "
1951 appears in the "Donau-Kurier" in Ingolstadt, a ten-part serial story about the murder case Hinterkaifeck. The author, Josef Ludwig Hecker, directs it to the suspicion of a mysterious stranger in the military cloak, who had stalked the HKer in the days before the deed from the edge of the forest. Viktoria Gabriel was afraid that this might be her husband who had returned. At the end of the series he is a rumor again that allegedly made ​​the rounds in the area of Waidhofen. A soldier of World War II "wants in Russia (NB .: in a prison camp) have been asked by an old Russian who spoke flawless German, after his hometown. The Sought After calling a place in the circle Schrobenhausen. Thereupon darkened the features of the Russians. He was silent for a long time, then he asked the prisoner whether he was aware of the name Hinterkaifeck. This affirmed. (...) The old Russian said not a word. His gray gaze was lost in the vastness of the country. Then he turned and walked slowly, with drooping head away. "
Due to the series of Hecker is Matthew Eser reported in the editorial office of the "Donau-Kurier". He claimed that he had known Hinterkaifeck already in his childhood and had been in the house after the crime after finding the victim. Towards the end of the Second World War he was a prisoner of war about a 55 year old Russian met who consults him about his home and had then dismissed him with two other men and a woman from captivity: "Sag'dort (NB .: in the home), the murderer of Hinterkaifeck I dismiss you! "
Matthew Eser is its reporting in the episode - both to his stay in Hinterkaifeck and his release from captivity - completely revoked. But before this happens, lets Attorney Dr. Andreas Popp in Waidhofen do surveys, which was to bring about the death of Karl Gabriel in experience. Dr. Popp seems to have thought it possible that the Russian soldier with KG could have been the same person.
Both the farmer Nicholas Haas from Rachel Bach and Josef Bichler from Waidhofen 1951 unconditionally confirm the death of Karl Gabriel. Bichler, of about 300 m from the position of K.G. was used indicates that he. some time after 12:12 - Would have learned of the death of comrades - for his replacement. Gabriel was killed instantly, "it was a mine shot". On Christmas Day, he was then with Haas to the adjacent unit to learn about the death of KG to bring in experience. Both had seen the corpse .: "They (Note .: the body) lay on his back. The forehead was split open easily, his mouth was open and they saw that the lower jaw was injured. Nevertheless, the dead man was flawless as can be seen Karl Gabriel. "Bichler was then the widow Viktoria Gabriel wrote a letter and they also visited at a later furlough.
Josef Bichler indicates also to have been already consulted on this issue in 1922 by police officers Goldhofer Hohenwart. (NB .: If there was a protocol that statement, this should be burned with the files of the prosecutor Neuburger 1944 in Augsburg. In the Munich police files is no copy.)
Sophie Fuchs, Gröbern, is on 14.02.1984 on the occasion of a survey by Commissioner Konrad Müller following representation: "Mei's father, the fox Michael, Reichl of Bach and the Bichler Waidhofen of which were namely the process of wie' (NB .: Rachel Bach?) s to Gabriel in the first world war eingrab'n ham. Because then all the HAM always g'steckt of a city or of a circle in a company. And then when these battles are often very many g'falln and thus was of a village often a great loss. Later they distributed the Mannsleut in other companies. "
The statement of Charles Bichler
I came with 5 to Waidhofen and visited the school here.One of my school friends was Charles Gabriel. He was a year younger than me. At that time the seventh grades were housed in two rooms in the school building.
On 14/08/1914 Karl and I are engaged to recruit depot Kosching at Ingolstadt. I myself was turned on 03.11.1914 in the field. Gabriel was the first recruit depot and came only on 10 or 11:12. to remedy.
I myself have certainly taken at a camp service in Vincy in northern France on 13/12/1914 Gabriel.I was in the seventh and Gabriel at the sixth company of the 13th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment.I have also spoken that day with Gabriel.I remember why exactly so, because this was the name day my wife Ottilie.
On the evening of the same day we went back into position. Also the company of Gabriel was used. Our position was in Neuville-St. Vaast. The company of Gabriel was left connected to ours. Both units had to defend a section of about 300 m. On the night of December 14, our section was under light fire exposure, including shrapnel.
As we were relieved a few days later, my comrades of Gabriel told that he is on the evening of December 13, hardly that the company had gone into position, please. From whom I learned this, I do not remember. They only said that Karl was killed by a mine shot immediately. Gabriel must have been out of the dugout to observation posts. It must have been the 16th or 17th December, when I heard of his death. On December 25, I went in the early afternoon over to the 6th Company, to let tell me more about the death of my school friend.
When I asked where Gabriel is, I learned, just before digging. You have shown me the body. She was not yet buried and was supposedly still there, as he had fallen. She was three meters in front of the trench.With me was Nicholas Haas from Rachel Bach. He was also in my company. Haas and I crawled the few feet to the body.
Gabriel lay on his back. His forehead was split open easily, his mouth was open and you could see that the lower jaw was injured. Nevertheless, the dead could be seen properly as Karl Gabriel. The comrades have said that he is so. Haas has searched the pockets and taking a photo found. I know well that there has been a picture of the wife. What happened to the photo, I do not remember. Near the corpse also lay a tattered notebook.
Excuse me Mr. Komissär already, but that's all so long ago, almost 40 years, I have to think now. Yes, I think Haas and I have then the corpse eingescharrt something in the earth. As we came under enemy fire, we had to be back soon again.
Incidentally, it was foggy. If and when the body was buried properly, I can not say. It would have been the dead can easily get at the time. Why this was not done to me today is still a mystery. I wrote my wife that Charles Gabriel has fallen. In the photo of Gabriel's wife, it was a bust of ten times six centimeters thick cardboard. In this case, if I may mention that, I early
May 1922 by police commissioner-Goldhofer from Hohenwart has already been heard.
The statement of Nicholas Haas
So, I'm very well known Karl Gabriel and his wife Victoria. On December 3rd and 4th, 1914, I was turned off with Bichler on the Western Front. Our section was on the road Arras-Neuville. During a field worship on the 10th or 11th of December I went with Bichler through the village Vincy to the village church. On the way I met Gabriel in front of his quarters. I asked him if he good boots for me would not have a pair, because my shoes were pretty broken. Gabriel told me to stop by on the way back with him.
When we came out of the position after a few days, I went back to Gabriel. On behalf of the comrades I have learned that he has fallen. They said that he was killed by a rifle grenade. He is said to have sat on a listening post. We could show the body. The face was not disfigured. I know for sure that it was Karl Gabriel. When I was at Easter 1918 for the first time on holiday, me, Gabriel widow has visited Rachel Bach. She wanted details about the death of her husband know. I could tell you but not more than they already knew.
Question: Did you then searches the formlessness of the dead?
Answer: I - no - why ...
Question: In addition to the dead but was a tattered notebook, What have you done with it?
Answer: What a notebook - what you want at all ...
Question: And you have not drawn a picture of Viktoria Gabriel from the pocket of the dead?
Answer: No, what are you doing - I'm about suspected here ...
Oberkomissär Kager Meier: Your comrade of that time, Mr. Bichler, has just explained you had searched the uniform of Karl
Gabriel and his wife found a picture here.
Haas: That's not true. How Bichler comes to such information, is beyond me. I have not had the photograph of Victoria in
Gabriel hands in my entire life.
Kager Meier: Tell me in detail how you have then seen the body.
Haas: It was like that. We were in the trenches. From there out I could see the fallen before me. The Bichler, which is
smaller than me, I had to lift so he could look across the ditch.
Kager Meier: Do you have the body eingescharrt something before you went back to your unit?
Haas: No!
The statement of Sophie Fuchs, based solely on hearsay and their statement that Josef Bichler had been present at the funeral of Karl Gabriel, with some certainty is incorrect is, on the one hand attached for completeness. But it is after all in the space that other acquaintances Karl Gabriel - such as her future father - were on site and have at least gained timely knowledge of the death of G.. Not all of these witnesses are likely to have survived the war or 1951 (as Bichler and Haas were interviewed) have still been alive.
Given the repeatedly expressed doubts about the death of Karl Gabriel all known statements were listed, which is why this post has been rather extensively. The created by Ludwig Hecker idea that the perpetrators have stalked the Hinterkaifecker days before the crime and Viktoria Gabriel had kept him for her declared dead husband, is incorporated in this paper with, because Attorney Dr. Popp this assessment in conjunction with the - false - information Eser 1951 held for examining value.
While it was not doubted in the twenties and thirties in the death of Karl Gabriel apparently (Exception: The above-mentioned suspicion of Sergeant Ludwig Meixl), it seems to have been after the Second World War, various rumors have a mysterious Russian soldier in (different) camps surveyed men from the area around Hinterkaifeck and subsequently dismissed. Konrad Müller seems these rumors until a few years - inconclusive (?) - To be investigated. On this issue see also the contributions to Matthew Eser, Therese Großöhme and Lorenz Hausfelder here in HK - People tab.