The life story of Jack Unterweger – an Austrian serial killer who strangled prostitutes with their bras and became a cause célèbre after writing poetry in prison – has been compared to those of Josef Fritzl and Jack the Ripper.
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Written by Michael Sturminger, it received a mixed response when it was staged in Vienna last year, some critics accusing the production of glamorising Unterweger’s story. Thomas Jorda wrote in the newspaper Die Niederösterreichische Nachrichten: “When he [Unterweger] is represented by Mr Malkovich on stage as he strangles prostitutes with their bras, he can continue to be sure of being able to count on this society’s applause.”
Unterweger was first convicted of strangling a woman with her bra in 1974, but he was released in 1990, partly owing to a campaign by intellectuals who regarded him as a fine example of rehabilitation. He became a minor celebrity but within months he was suspected of killing several prostitutes in Vienna, Graz, Prague and Los Angeles before being arrested in Miami. After being convicted of 11 murders, he committed suicide in June 1994.
See the full article from “Independent”
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