 karl denke  (11 february 1860 â 22 december 1924) was a serial killer from germany. denke was born in mÃ¼nsterberg, silesia in the kingdom of prussia (now ziÄbice in poland). at the age of 12 he ran away from home; little else is known about his early life. however, in adulthood he worked as an organ player at the local church and was well-liked in his community. denke quit church membership in 1906. on december 20, 1924, denke was arrested after attacking a man at his house with an axe. police searched denke's home and found human flesh in huge jars of curing salts. a ledger contained the details of at least 42 people whom denke had murdered and cannibalized between 1914 and 1918. it is thought he even sold the flesh of his victims at the breslau (today's wrocÅaw) market as pork. two days after his arrest, denke hanged himself in his cell. == references ==  == further reading == * {{cite book |first=matthias |last=blazek |chapter=karl denke |title=carl groÃmann und friedrich schumann â zwei serienmÃ¶rder in den zwanziger jahren |location=stuttgart |publisher=
1860_births 1924_deaths German_cannibals German_male_serial_killers German_people_who_died_in_prison_custody People_from_ZiAbice People_from_the_Province_of_Silesia Prisoners_who_died_in_German_detention Serial_killers_who_committed_suicide_in_prison_custody Suicides_by_hanging_in_Germany