Didn’t Georg Kreisler sing “Der Tod muss ein Wiener sein” in 1969? Vienna has a curious relationship with death. Here, in Liesing, stands the Kandlkapelle. It is a chapel dedicated to the axe murderer Therese Kandl.
The Kandlkapelle hides behind trees on Breitenfurterstrasse in Atzgersdorf. It was built in the early 19th century in the classicist style. The chapel’s ground plan is triangular. This represents the Holy Trinity. Originally, a wooden cross with a Trinity depiction stood inside. Sadly, it was stolen. A simpler cross from a Waldviertel workshop replaced it. Above the portal, a small niche holds a depiction of John of Nepomuk. Corinthian pilasters accentuate the corners.
Initially, the Kandlkapelle stood at Breitenfurterstrasse and Hödlgasse. It was moved in 1963 because it obstructed traffic. The listed chapel has an interesting and tragic backstory.
In December 1808, a man was found in the snow in Piaristengasse. People thought he had succumbed to the cold. But he lay in a pool of blood. It was Matthias Kandl, a respected grocer. He lived near Matzleinsdorferplatz. His shop was called “zum Salzküffel”. Baker Werner from Heiligenstadt claimed Kandl’s wife was the perpetrator. A search of the Kandl residence revealed blood spatters. Someone had tried to remove them. Matthias Kandl’s blood-stained suit was found in the bed.
Theresia Kandl confessed to killing her husband with an axe. She claimed he had abused her. She wanted to be free for her lover, a butcher from Mauer. She stuffed the body into a wooden tub. Then she carried it on her back from Matzleinsdorf to Piaristengasse. Matthias Kandl weighed over 100 kilos. The judge doubted Theresia could have done this alone. But there was no evidence to the contrary.
Theresia Kandl was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Before her execution by hanging she was pilloried. The axe is now in the Kriminalmuseum. The Kandlkapelle commemorates Theresia Kandl. This is surprising because it honors a murderer. Atzgersdorf was chosen as the location because it was Theresia Kandl’s hometown.
Some say Therese wanders near the Kandlkapelle. Her dress is blood-soaked and she carries an axe. She cannot forget her crime even after death. In 2023, the Stadtpark Atzgersdorf opened near the Kandlkapelle. Before that, it was Campingplatz Süd. Whether park or campsite, you might not be alone at night. The Kandlkapelle has reminded people of Therese Kandl for decades. Her spirit lives on. Her skeleton is displayed in the Kriminalmuseum.