Stefan Böhm

Who was Stefan Böhm?

Stefan Böhm was a Warsaw executioner.

After leaving medical studies on University of Königsberg he became an official in Karol Stanisław "Panie Kochanku" Radziwiłł lands. Then he joined the Bar Confederation and was seriously injured in the head during a battle with Russian forces in Tyniec. He was saved and fled to Lidzbark Warmiński, where he lived with the local executioner, named Mueller, who taught him this profession.

In 1793, after working as a supervisor over one of the bridges over the Bug River, Böhm was pressured by President of Warsaw Ignacy Wyssogota Zakrzewski to take a job as the Warsaw executioner, which post vacated after Jan Mueller, brother of Libdbark executioner.

Böhm was very popular among the Warsaw citizens. There was even a saying: you'll go to Stefanek for a dinner, which means of course being executed by him.

Böhm carried out most of executions on Targowica Confederation leaders during Kościuszko Uprising.