Bio

Heinz Jakob Friedrich Ernst Schmidt was born on September 24, 1883, in Sülze, Germany. He grew up in a family with a religious background. His father was a Protestant pastor. Details about his early childhood are limited, but it is known that he became a teacher and worked at a school in Stolp. However, his teaching career faced challenges.

In May 1912, Schmidt had a mental breakdown and could no longer continue working as a teacher. After his breakdown, he spent some time in a sanatorium, a place where people go to recover from illness. Following his release, he struggled to find work and eventually left for Bremen in December of the same year. People who encountered him described him as odd and shy.

In the months leading up to the tragic event, Schmidt's psychological state deteriorated. He expressed resentment towards the Jesuits, a Catholic religious order. He felt they were harmful and blamed them for various personal misfortunes, including the death of his father. His father died the day before a significant event in Schmidt's life, adding to his distress.

Schmidt was eventually examined at the St. Jürgen-asylum in Ellen, where he was found to be insane. He spent the remainder of his life in that asylum after being declared unfit to stand trial. He died in 1926 while still residing there.

Murder Story

On June 20, 1913, Heinz Jakob Friedrich Ernst Schmidt entered St. Mary’s Catholic School in Bremen, Germany. He carried several revolvers and a large amount of ammunition. At around 11:00 a.m., he began his attack on the school, aiming at the students and teachers present. His actions resulted in the deaths of five girls and injuries to over twenty others.

Schmidt first encountered a teacher named Marie Pohl in the hallway. He shot at her but missed. He then moved into a classroom filled with 65 young girls, aged mostly between six and seven years. He opened fire, instantly killing two girls and wounding others as they tried to hide beneath their desks. Some of the fleeing girls attempted to escape, but one girl tragically fell down the stairs and died from her injuries.

As chaos erupted in the school, Schmidt unsuccessfully tried to enter another locked classroom. He then shot at the school janitor, Butz, injuring him. Schmidt continued his assault by shooting at a teacher who tried to stop him, hitting him twice before moving to a window. From there, he shot at children outside, injuring several boys and a roofer working nearby.

By the time Schmidt’s rampage ended, he had fired around 35 rounds. Efforts from some teachers and bystanders eventually led to his being subdued. He was captured and taken into custody amid rising anger from crowds outside the school.

Schmidt faced immediate consequences as he was met by a crowd that attempted to harm him. Police intervened to protect him from being lynched. Following the shooting, he was arrested without a trial, as he was later deemed insane. He spent the rest of his life in a mental asylum, where he died in 1926.