Very little is publicly known about the early life of Johann Trnka, the man who would go on to become the last person executed by the Austrian justice system. Born on March 21,1912, Trnka was an Austrian national who came of age during turbulent times in Europe. He lived through the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the interwar period, and the subsequent annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany.

There are no detailed public records regarding his family background, education, or personal relationships. Similarly, his employment history prior to the crimes is unclear, although he posed as a house painter during his offenses.

In 1946, Johann Trnka devised a plan to rob elderly women in Vienna, posing as a painter to gain access to their homes. With the country still reeling from the aftereffects of World War II, many citizens were desperate, but Trnka's crimes went far beyond theft.

Once inside, Trnka attacked, robbed, and ultimately murdered two elderly women. Details on the exact names and dates of these victims have not been made public, but what is clear is that he used strangulation as his method of killing. The murders were committed solely for the purpose of stealing radio sets, which were luxury items at the time.

The authorities quickly tied Trnka to the double homicide, and he was arrested in the same year, 1946. His trial took place in the Regional Court for Criminal Matters in Vienna, known locally as the "Grey House." The trial was overseen by court president Otto Nahrhaft, and the evidence presented was sufficient to secure a conviction.

In 1949, Trnka was found guilty of double murder with robbery and sentenced to death by hanging. Despite being convicted during a time when Austria was moving away from capital punishment, his sentence would stand as historically significant. His case became a grim milestone, as he would be the last person legally executed in Austria.

On the morning of March 24, 1950, Johann Trnka was led to the gallows in the execution chamber of the Grey House. The executioner, interestingly, was not a lifelong state-appointed official, but rather a cinema assistant who had formerly served as executioner during the Ständestaat period.