Criminal. From 1962 to 1966, he murdered four boys, aged between eight and 13, being caught during the unsuccessful attempt at the torture of a fifth victim. He is the first case in German criminal history where his background was a mitigating factor into determining his sentence. Born illegitimately as Karl-Heinz Sadrozinski, his mother died when he was only five months old, being put into an orphanage for eleven months. He was adopted, having his named changed to Jürgen Bartsch. He was regularly abused as a child, including molestation by his adopted mother, a cousin, and a priest. When he was arrested in 1966, he fully cooperated with the police. During his confession, it was obvious he felt sexual gratification just by talking about his crimes. He was originally sentenced to life imprisonment in 1967, but in 1971, his sentence was changed to ten years imprisonment, with time served for his original sentence. In 1976, hoping to get early release, he decided to voluntarily undergo a castration; however, he died of an accidental halothane overdose by someone who was supposed to undergo the castration. He was sentenced to nine months of probation for this. In 2002, a fictionalized account of Bartsch was made, a film called The Child I Never Was.
Criminal. From 1962 to 1966, he murdered four boys, aged between eight and 13, being caught during the unsuccessful attempt at the torture of a fifth victim. He is the first case in German criminal history where his background was a mitigating factor into determining his sentence. Born illegitimately as Karl-Heinz Sadrozinski, his mother died when he was only five months old, being put into an orphanage for eleven months. He was adopted, having his named changed to Jürgen Bartsch. He was regularly abused as a child, including molestation by his adopted mother, a cousin, and a priest. When he was arrested in 1966, he fully cooperated with the police. During his confession, it was obvious he felt sexual gratification just by talking about his crimes. He was originally sentenced to life imprisonment in 1967, but in 1971, his sentence was changed to ten years imprisonment, with time served for his original sentence. In 1976, hoping to get early release, he decided to voluntarily undergo a castration; however, he died of an accidental halothane overdose by someone who was supposed to undergo the castration. He was sentenced to nine months of probation for this. In 2002, a fictionalized account of Bartsch was made, a film called The Child I Never Was.
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