CALENDAR. On November 7, 1870, one of the most gloomy figures of 19th-century Galicia – Katarzyna Onyszkiewiczowa, known as the “Krakow poisoner” – was detained in Krakow. Her name electrified public opinion, and the trial that took place in the following months became one of the most famous in the judicial history of Austrian Galicia. Onyszkiewiczowa was a woman of about forty, the wife of a modest craftsman, but behind her calm appearance there was extraordinary cunning. In the mid-1860s, she began to engage in a crime that over time grew into a terrifying series of crimes. She seemingly helped women and families from poor districts of Krakow, giving advice, lending money and “curing” with home-made potions. In fact, it was a cover for an activity based on the sale of poisons, mainly arsenic, used to get rid of inconvenient husbands, in-laws or debtors. Court records show that its activities have developed on a large scale. Together with several accomplices, she distributed “rat powder” which was delivered to dozens of homes. She often did not kill herself, but delivered poison to women who wanted to “solve their problems” in silence. Although these deaths were explained by stomach diseases or cholera, the increasing number of deaths among apparently healthy people aroused the vigilance of doctors and authorities. Ultimately, the case came to light when a man died in one of the Krakow houses, whose body showed traces of arsenic poisoning. The police reached the pharmacies where suspicious substances were purchased, and the trail led investigators to Onyszkiewiczowa. The arrest took place on November 7, 1870. The detained woman behaved calmly, trying to appear as an innocent housewife. However, a search of the house revealed notes with customers’ names and vials with remains of white powder. The investigation showed that she may have been involved in at least a dozen deaths over the course of several years, although the number of victims was never determined. #History #Kraków #Galicia #Onyszkiewiczowa #Poisoner #Criminal Trial #19th century #Arsenic #CriminalHistory #PolishHistory #Woman
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