A group of nurses known as the “Angels of Death” were responsible for the deaths of around 300 patients by administering lethal doses of painkillers and drowning them. Waltraud Wagner and Irene Leidolf carried out a killing spree at Vienna’s Lainz hospital over a seven-year period from 1983 to 1989. They used methods such as forcing water into patients’ lungs and injecting them with excessive amounts of insulin and tranquilizers. Maria Gruber and Stefanija Mayer were their accomplices in these heinous crimes.
The nurses confessed to starting the killings out of compassion for elderly and terminally ill patients in 1983. Their leader, Wagner, aged 23 at the time, initiated the murders by administering a fatal dose of morphine to a patient. Subsequently, she enlisted Gruber, 19, Leidolf, 21, and Meyer, 43, forming a deadly team. Wagner taught the others how to prepare the lethal injections. The victims, mostly in their 80s and all over 75, suffered greatly, with at least 22 deaths preventable if hospital administrators had cooperated with the authorities. The investigation faced obstacles due to a lack of cooperation from the hospital staff, but a breakthrough came when a doctor overheard the perpetrators discussing the murders.
Initially, the group admitted to being involved in the deaths of up to 42 patients, but speculation suggested the actual number of victims could be as high as 300. The chilling statement by one of the nurses during the investigation further revealed the callous nature of their actions. The revelations drew comparisons to the atrocities committed during the Nazi era, with officials expressing shock and dismay at the events.
The nurses were convicted of murder in 1991, with Wagner and Leidolf receiving life sentences. However, they were released on parole in 2008 due to good behavior, a decision that sparked controversy and outrage among the public. Meanwhile, Gruber and Mayer were found guilty of lesser charges and released earlier under new identities for their safety.
The case stirred significant debate and reflection in Austria, with some experts highlighting the lingering impact of the country’s past on such horrific acts. The release of the convicted nurses raised questions about justice and the rights of victims’ families, prompting discussions on the handling of such crimes in the legal system.