Hubert Pilčík
Encyclopedia
Hubert Pilčík was a Czechoslovak
serial killer
, human trafficker and rural herbalist
. After second world war, Pilčík started smuggling people across the border from the Czech Republic
into Germany
. He started killing his customers in 1948, already in senior age. After his capture, Pilčík committed suicide
in a prison in Plzeň on September 9, 1951. He was accused of 5 murders, although the exact number of his victims is unknown and all of the investigation documents were shredded by the communist regime.
, Vsetín District
in what is today the Czech Republic
. He went through numerous employments ending up in the Škoda
factory in Plzeň where he remained until his retirement. He was married with his wife Antonie being 11 years younger than him. Their marriage was childless.
After the communist party came to power in 1948, up to 250,000 people emigrated from Czechoslovakia. Many people used services of human smugglers to go west to Germany or Austria. In the evening of March 6, 1951, a fire broke out in an abandoned forestry cottage "Lipovka". Burnt human remains were found during the next day. The investigators determined that the body was burnt using accelerants. An autopsy confirmed the remains belonged to a man who likely burnt while still alive but a definite conclusion was not reached.
On July 20, children playing in sand near the city of Senec found a human leg. That led to a discovery of a shallow grave, containing decaying remains of a younger woman. The female had a rope around her neck and was gagged. Through a specific dental work, the female victim was identified as Renata Balleyova, a photographer from Pilsen. Through interviews of relatives, it was determined that Renata and her father Emanuel were intending to illegally emigrate from Czechoslovakia. One of the relatives provided letters from Bavaria
that were "a proof" that Renata, Emanuel and their 12-year-old niece were in Germany. Soon, the investigators were led to Hubert Pilčík, a retiree with good reputation. Pilčík was known to be a nature-lover and claimed to have been a sailor who survived the Titanic sinking in 1912.
Pilčík was considered dangerous but as there were SWAT teams, two members of SNB
entered his home under the guise of electrician
s and arrested him there in September. In the home, four firearms, numerous items in suitcases (of various victims) were found and the 12-year-old niece was also rescued. She was kept by Pilčík in a hidden compartment of a pigsty where she was belted to a structure that included a double-walled box for the victim's head - to muffle the screaming. The girl was being held there for most of the day and was regularly rape
d. Pilčík also forced her to write letters from "Bavaria". He then delivered the letters and demanded a payment for such service (in jewellery
).
Pilčík first killed Emanuel in his sleep at Lipovka, while waiting to be smuggled to Bavaria. Renata was killed less than two weeks later near Senec where she met him for the same reason of emigrating illegally. They both were killed by baton strikes to the head. During his confession, Pilčík admitted he had planned to kill the 12-year-old, as well as another relative of Balleys and his wife. Instead, on the planned date of their killing he found himself in a prison and committed suicide, using two handkerchiefs.
Given the amount of jewellery (the only "currency" of value to emigrants) found in his house, it was believed that Pilčík had killed more people trying to jump the Iron Curtain
.
(30 případů majora Zemana) TV series, filmed in 1975. The episode inspired by Pilčík is called The Beast (Bestie).
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
, human trafficker and rural herbalist
Herbalist
An herbalist is:#A person whose life is dedicated to the economic or medicinal uses of plants.#One skilled in the harvesting and collection of medicinal plants ....
. After second world war, Pilčík started smuggling people across the border from the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
into Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He started killing his customers in 1948, already in senior age. After his capture, Pilčík committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
in a prison in Plzeň on September 9, 1951. He was accused of 5 murders, although the exact number of his victims is unknown and all of the investigation documents were shredded by the communist regime.
Biography
Hubert Pilčík was born on October 14, 1891 in Nový HrozenkovNový Hrozenkov
Nový Hrozenkov is a small town in Vsetín District in the Zlín Region of the Czech Republic.The town covers an area of , and has a population of 2,718 ....
, Vsetín District
Vsetín District
Vsetín District is one of four districts within Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Vsetín.-Complete list of municipalities:Branky - Bystřička - Choryně - Dolní Bečva -...
in what is today the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. He went through numerous employments ending up in the Škoda
Škoda
Škoda is a Czech surname and brand name. It may refer to:* Škoda Auto, automobile manufacturer in the Czech Republic...
factory in Plzeň where he remained until his retirement. He was married with his wife Antonie being 11 years younger than him. Their marriage was childless.
After the communist party came to power in 1948, up to 250,000 people emigrated from Czechoslovakia. Many people used services of human smugglers to go west to Germany or Austria. In the evening of March 6, 1951, a fire broke out in an abandoned forestry cottage "Lipovka". Burnt human remains were found during the next day. The investigators determined that the body was burnt using accelerants. An autopsy confirmed the remains belonged to a man who likely burnt while still alive but a definite conclusion was not reached.
On July 20, children playing in sand near the city of Senec found a human leg. That led to a discovery of a shallow grave, containing decaying remains of a younger woman. The female had a rope around her neck and was gagged. Through a specific dental work, the female victim was identified as Renata Balleyova, a photographer from Pilsen. Through interviews of relatives, it was determined that Renata and her father Emanuel were intending to illegally emigrate from Czechoslovakia. One of the relatives provided letters from Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
that were "a proof" that Renata, Emanuel and their 12-year-old niece were in Germany. Soon, the investigators were led to Hubert Pilčík, a retiree with good reputation. Pilčík was known to be a nature-lover and claimed to have been a sailor who survived the Titanic sinking in 1912.
Pilčík was considered dangerous but as there were SWAT teams, two members of SNB
Sbor národní bezpečnosti
The Sbor Národní Bezpečnosti , or National Security Corps, was the national police in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1945 to 1991....
entered his home under the guise of electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
s and arrested him there in September. In the home, four firearms, numerous items in suitcases (of various victims) were found and the 12-year-old niece was also rescued. She was kept by Pilčík in a hidden compartment of a pigsty where she was belted to a structure that included a double-walled box for the victim's head - to muffle the screaming. The girl was being held there for most of the day and was regularly rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d. Pilčík also forced her to write letters from "Bavaria". He then delivered the letters and demanded a payment for such service (in jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
).
Pilčík first killed Emanuel in his sleep at Lipovka, while waiting to be smuggled to Bavaria. Renata was killed less than two weeks later near Senec where she met him for the same reason of emigrating illegally. They both were killed by baton strikes to the head. During his confession, Pilčík admitted he had planned to kill the 12-year-old, as well as another relative of Balleys and his wife. Instead, on the planned date of their killing he found himself in a prison and committed suicide, using two handkerchiefs.
Given the amount of jewellery (the only "currency" of value to emigrants) found in his house, it was believed that Pilčík had killed more people trying to jump the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
.
In popular culture
The story of Pilčík was used as a basis for one of the episodes of Thirty Cases of Major ZemanThirty Cases of Major Zeman
Thirty Cases of Major Zeman is a Czechoslovakian action-drama television show intended as a political propaganda to support the official attitude of the communist party. The series were filmed in the 1970s....
(30 případů majora Zemana) TV series, filmed in 1975. The episode inspired by Pilčík is called The Beast (Bestie).
Sources
- J. Slušný, Černá kniha českých bestiálních vrahů - nejslavnější kriminální případy dvacátého století. Prague : XYZ, 2006. 204 pages. ISBN 80-87021-06-1