Karel Richter - World War II Spy Violently Fought his Hangman Pierrepoint on the Gallows
Karel Richter - World War II Spy Violently Fought his Hangman Pierrepoint on the Gallows On the 10th of December 1941, German spy, Karel Richard Richter was hanged at Wandsworth Prison, London by Albert Pierrepoint. This was the man who Pierrepoint describes in his biography of giving him serious trouble. Almost all accounts of hangings describe the prisoner as going to the gallows peacefully if not bravely. This was not the case with Herr Richter. With great difficulty Albert got the wrist straps on but Richter who was a powerfully built man and fought the warders every inch of the way. He managed to get his hands free and had split the strap from one hole to the next, which must have taken great force. Finally the warders got Richter onto the trap door but just as Albert was pushing the lever, Richter jumped loosening the noose which slipped from under his chin to a point under his upper lip. Richter’s neck must have snapped with the noose held tight around his face as opp...