Zdzisław Marchwicki

Who was Zdzisław Marchwicki?

Zdzisław Marchwicki called the "Zagłębie vampire", was a Polish serial killer.

He was born in 1927 to a lower-class family. His father went through five marriages in which four children were born - three brothers and a sister - all of whom were later charged along with Zdzisław for criminal conspiracy, robbery and obstructing justice.

Marchwicki committed all of his killings in the following areas: in the neighbourhoods of Czeladź, Będzin, and adjoining towns in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie and Upper Silesia. The murders started in 1964 and continued, with occasional breaks, until late 1970.

Having been arrested in early 1972, Marchwicki was charged with the murder of fourteen women and the attempted murder of another six, but one attempted murder charge was not proven.

After a highly publicized show trial which lasted for 10 months, Marchwicki received the death sentence in July 1975. His execution took place in 1977.

Zdzisław's brother Jan Marchwicki also received the death penalty, while his third brother Henryk was sentenced to 25 years for taking part in a conspiracy to commit murder. The half-sister, Halina, got a three-year prison sentence for receiving stolen things such as watches and pens that she knew came from Zdzisław's victims.