Marianne Konopkova, Polish Serial Killer of Babies - 1906

FULL TEXT: Vienna, July 14. – Marianne Konopkova, a woman living at Wieliczka, near Cracow, has been arrested on suspicion of having murdered over thirty babies.

She kept a baby farm, and had a large number of children placed under her charge by parents who were, in most cases, glad to relieved of them for a payment.

Some of the parents of children kept in the establishment now state that on recent occasions, when they called to see their children, they were shown babies which they are sure were not their own.

[“Many Murders On Baby Farm – Woman Arrested in Suspicion of Killing Thirty Infants.” – Atlanta Constitution (Ga.), Jul. 15, 1906, p. 5]

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FULL TEXT (translated from German): From Cracow, 21st d. – It is reported: In Wieliczka, a certain Marianne Konopkowa from Lednica Gorna was arrested under the suspicion of murdering more than thirty children whom she took care of. She always told the mothers of mostly illegitimate children that their children were healthy and continued to receive the care allowance. If one of the mothers reclaimed her child, she simply gave a different one. The traces of the murders were found by digging up a child's body in the neighboring fields. The child's skull was shattered. One of the mothers identified the corpse as her child by the clothing.

["An Angel Maker." Grazer Tagblatt (Morgen-Ausgabe) (Graz), June 23, 1906. p. 5]

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FULL TEXT: Aus Krakau, 21. d., berichtet man: In Wieliczka wurde eine gewisse Marianne Konopkowa aus Lednica Gorna unter den.Verdachte verhaftet, daß sie über dreißig Kinder, die sie in Pflege nahm, ermordete. Den Müttern der meistens unehelichen Kinder berichtete sie immer, daß deren Kinder gesund seien, und kassierte das Pflegegeld weiter ein. Falls eine der Mütter ihr Kind zurückverlangte, unterschob sie einfach ein anderes. Auf die Spuren der Morde ist man durch Ausgraben einer Kindesleiche auf den benachbarten Feldern gekommen.Dem Kinde war der Schädel zerschmettert worden. Eine der Mütteragnoszierte nach den Kleidern die Leiche als ihr Kind.

[“Eine Engelmacherin.” Grazer Tagblatt (Morgen-Ausgabe) (Graz), 23. Juni 1906. p. 5]

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For more cases of “Baby Farmers,” professional child care providers who murdered children see The Forgotten Serial Killers.

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