“A gruesome tale is etched into the very stones of Bremen” you’ll hear me say. Before us stands the Ernst-August Engelbart Stone. It’s not just any stone. It marks a dark chapter in Bremen’s history.
This unassuming stone on the Domshof commemorates a horrifying event. It marks the execution site of Gesche Gottfried. This woman poisoned fifteen people with arsenic. She was a serial killer. Her crimes shocked Bremen in the early 1800s.
Gesche Gottfried wasn’t always a killer. She was initially known as the “Angel of Bremen”. She cared for the sick and dying. She was a respected member of society. She was married and had children.
But something changed. Around 1812 she obtained arsenic. She then poisoned her parents husbands children and friends. She did this so subtly that no one suspected her. She even lovingly cared for her victims until the end.
Her motive remains unclear. Some say it was greed. Others believe it was something far more complex. The mystery still haunts Bremen today. Her actions though were undeniably horrific.
Gesche Gottfried’s reign of terror eventually came to an end. Her landlord grew suspicious after noticing several deaths around her. He found arsenic in his food. He had it examined. Gesche Gottfried was arrested in 1828.
After three years in prison she was executed. It happened on April 21 1831. This was Bremen’s last public execution. The Ernst-August Engelbart Stone forever marks this spot. The people of Bremen would spit on the stone in disgust. They did this to express their hatred for her crimes.
The Ernst-August Engelbart Stone is more than just a marker. It’s a reminder. It’s a reminder of the darkness that can exist even in the most beautiful of cities. It’s a reminder that history is full of twists and turns. It’s a reminder of a time when justice was harsh and public. Stand here and reflect on the life and death of Gesche Gottfried. Consider the Ernst-August Engelbart Stone as a sobering testament to a horrific chapter in Bremen’s past.