The Beast of Bayreuth: German Film Company Seeking Interviews

Lt. Gerald Werner

The "Beast of Bayreuth"

In recent years, I have posted a couple of articles about the infamous case of "the Beast of Bayreuth". In 1964, US Army Lt. Gerald Werner of St Paul, Minnesota, who was stationed in Bayreuth, Germany, with the 1st Recon Squadron, 2nd Army Cavalry Regiment, murdered his German girlfriend in his bachelor officer's apartment, cut her body into pieces, and scattered them along the Autobahn. He was quickly identified and confessed. Tried by a German court, he was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed to a mental hospital for the criminally insane.  A few years later, he was transferred to Army custody and transferred to a similar facility in the US. He was eventually released and later died in Minnesota.

In 1966, I was assigned to the 404th Military Police Company detachment in Erlangen, which is not far from Bayreuth. I recall some of my fellow MPs talking about the case.

I have been contacted by a German film crew in Bayreuth, which is putting together a documentary to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the trial. It is due to be released sometime in the fall. They are seeking interviews with former US soldiers who were stationed in Bayreuth in 1964, especially anyone who knew Werner or had contact with him. They also would like information as to what it was like for US soldiers stationed in that area in the 1960s.

In the past, a few former soldiers have commented on this site regarding the case. I would appreciate it if anyone who fits that description could reach out to me, and I can put them in touch with the people in Bayreuth.  Just leave your contact information in the comments section. I will not post it.

The victim was Ursula Schamel. She was from Bayreuth but was working in Fuerth, near Nuremberg, and had returned for a visit to her family in Bayreuth when the murder occurred. Obviously, the case brought great embarrassment to the US military presence in Germany. It would be a great gesture if our community could contribute in some way to honor the memory of Ursula Schamel.