Peter Kürten: Serial Killer

I chose Peter Kürten because, as a serial killer, there’s a lot more to him than what his crimes told. Something that sets him apart from most was his sadistic tendencies, meaning he received sexual pleasure from inflicting pain and other brutal acts on someone. While in mid brutality, Kürten would reach a climax in his sexual excitement, this lead some to go as far as identifying him to have been a psychopath. Kürten’s unusual obsession with bestiality sets him in a specific category from other sadistic killers. The slitting of throats of sheep and goats during intercourse was what he most enjoyed, leading to his infamous calling card later found on the bodies of his human victims. Saliva smears would later be found on their bodies, indicating
It’s not too unanticipated that he leads a life of crime. Kürten’s deviant behaviour began at such a young age, thanks in part to the dog catcher who roomed with him and his family. The man would ultimately introduce Kürten into a new world of violence of sexual sadism in bestiality. Despite being only nine at the time and not facing any charges for the brutal and objectionable acts against the animals he tortured, his actions ignited a kind of bloodlust in him. This need to hurt other living things and disturbed moral choices allowed for a dangerous escalation. Kürten even claims to have drowned two school friends. Again, he is not charged as the case was ruled an accident, but now his deviance has evolved into intentional malice. Between childhood and the age of sixteen of which he became an independent, Kürten began to progress into petty crimes such as acts of arson. Not for the sheer fact that he was a pyromaniac, but that he got entertainment from seeing the reactions his fires would receive. He also began to steal to provide for his family and as a source of things to do to pass the time. Eventually he couldn’t take anymore of his home life and ran away to start a new life. Through young adulthood, Kürten stuck to his petty crimes as a means of survival, he stole food and clothes until he found a way that fit more of his interests. Continuing his pattern of crime that he had begun to form, Kürten found further encouragement with a prostitute twice his age. While living with her for some time his sadistic tendencies grew as she was a masochist who enjoyed being abused and other harsh treatments only fed his urges to transfer his actions from animals to humans. Bouncing around from prostitute to prostitute, Kürten’s sadistic urges seemed at ease for