Theo Berger

Who was Theo Berger?

Theo Maximilian Berger was a notorious Bavarian criminal, best known for his numerous escapes from prison. Despite escaping four times, Berger spent 36 years in jail and eventually committed suicide there. Berger had been sentenced to a collective 137 years in jail.

In 1986, he became the subject of a documentary titled Der Al Capone vom Donaumoos and later wrote his memoirs, which were smuggled out of Straubing prison. In 2006, he also became the subject of a theatre play in Neuburg an der Donau titled Bruchstücke.

In his time, Berger received a number of nicknames, among them Al Capone vom Donaumoos, König der Ausbrecher or Der schöne Theo. He was at times compared to some of the other legendary Bavarian criminals and robbers, the Räuber Kneißl and the Bayerische Hiasl.