Johann Nelböck

Who was Johann Nelböck?

Johann "Hans" Nelböck was an Austrian former student and murderer of Moritz Schlick, who was the founder of the group of philosophers and scientists known as the Vienna Circle.

After attending the gymnasium in Wels, Nelböck studied philosophy at the University of Vienna from 1925 on with Moritz Schlick, who was his doctoral advisor, and graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy on March 21, 1931, with the doctoral thesis "The Importance of Logic in Empirism and Positivism". Twice Nelböck was sent to a mental hospital with the diagnosis of schizoid personality disorder. He had threatened to kill Schlick.

On June 22, 1936, Nelböck shot Schlick in the chest, killing him on one of the central staircases of the University of Vienna. The substantiation of the judgment of the Provincial Court for Criminal Matters of Vienna summed up: "On June 22, 1936, at 9.20 a.m., the defendant shot and killed Dr. Moritz Schlick, professor at the School of Philosophy, on the premises of the University of Vienna on the main stairway leading to the School of Philosophy when Dr. Schlick was on the way to his lecture. According to the findings of the autopsy Dr. Schlick was hit by 4 bullets which were shot from a pistol of the caliber 6.35mm. [...] The [...] injuries were absolutely lethal, and Dr. Schlick did indeed die at the spot where he had fallen down even before medical help arrived at the scene of the crime."