Lorenz Schwietz

Lorenz Schwietz (25 July 1850 – May 1925, in Breslau) was Royal Prussian executioner (German: Scharfrichter) from 21 June 1900 to 29 January 1914.

[1] Responsible for carrying out capital punishment in the Prussian provinces,[2] he executed a total of 120[1] to 123 people, primarily by beheading with an axe, but also with guillotines.

[3] Lorenz Schwietz was born in Groß Döbern (now Dobrzeń Wielki), Oppeln county, Prussian province of Silesia.

[1] Since 1886, he ran a knacker's yard in Breslau, and in addition worked as an assistant of Royal Prussian executioner Julius Krautz.

[2] When Schwietz was called to an execution, he brought with him three[1] to four assistants, a red bench, an axe, a log of wood, and a black stovepipe hat.