in the air like the heavy smell of decay. Perhaps she noticed Andreas’s glances, his touches, heard snippets of conversations, felt the oppressive atmosphere in the house. But, being a dependent, intimidated, or simply tired of fighting woman, Cäzilia preferred to close her eyes to what was happening. The wife knew about the incest, but knowing does not mean acting. Whether out of outright fear of her husband, or content with the material well-being he provided, she preferred to remain in the shadows, not trying to change anything. Her silence became complicity in the crime, a tragedy that played out within the walls of the Hinterkaifeck farm.
In the dim light of the old church, where the scent of incense mingled with the smell of damp earth, Victoria, trembling all over, knelt before the confessional. Her head was pounding, her heart was beating wildly, like a bird thrashing in a cage. She had been summoning her courage for a long time, putting off this moment, but the burden of secrecy became unbearable, threatening to crush her.
Behind the thin partition, the priest, Father Huber, was waiting for her in silence. Kind, responsive, he seemed to her the only person capable of understanding her pain. Taking a deep breath, Victoria began her confession, trying to speak quietly, almost in a whisper, as if afraid that the walls would overhear her words.
«Father… I… have sinned…» she began, uttering the words with difficulty.
The priest, leaning closer to the grate, replied in a calm, encouraging voice: «Do not be afraid, my daughter. God is merciful. Speak and ease your soul.»
Summoning her courage, Victoria blurted out in one breath: «I… I am in an intimate relationship with my father… since I was sixteen years old…»
Silence reigned in the confessional, so thick that it could be touched. Victoria held her breath, awaiting the priest’s reaction. She hoped for words of comfort, for forgiveness, for advice on how to get out of this nightmare.
Finally, Father Huber broke the silence, and his voice contained not only compassion, but also horror: «My daughter… what you are saying is monstrous… This is a vile sin, defiling not only you, but also your family, and the very land on which you live…»
Victoria wept, burying her face in her hands. She knew that her sin was terrible, but she did not expect the priest to speak to her in such a tone. She had hoped for understanding, but received only condemnation.
«What should I do, Father? How can I atone for my sin? How can I get rid of this nightmare?» she asked through her tears.
The priest was silent for a moment, and then said in a quiet but firm voice: «I… I must think, my daughter. What you have told me requires serious consideration. I will pray for you, and tomorrow morning I will inform you of my decision.»
Victoria thanked the priest and left the church, feeling even more devastated and depressed than before. The hope that had barely sparked in her heart faded, leaving behind only the cold ashes of disappointment.
She did not yet know that Father Huber, instead of seeking a spiritual solution to the problem, had decided to turn to the secular authorities. Considering Andreas’s sin so monstrous that it surpassed all church laws, the priest violated the secrecy of confession and reported the incident to the sheriff, believing that in this way he could protect Victoria and stop the evil that was happening within the walls of the Hinterkaifeck farm. He could not have imagined the tragic consequences to which his «good intention’ would lead.
The rumor of incest, like a bad reputation, quickly spread throughout the district, poisoning relations between the Grubers and their neighbors. Instead of sympathy, they met with alienation. People tried not to run into them on the street, avoided conversations, as if afraid that the sin would spread to them too.
Behind their backs they whispered:
«I know nothing about the Gruber’s family relationships. However, there were rumors that Gruber mistreated his wife. It was further said that Gruber committed a bloody dishonor with his daughter.»
«I have heard stories that the father (Gruber Andreas) committed a blood connection with his biological daughter (Mrs. Gabriel). I don’t know exactly when this happened; I only learned about it after these two were imprisoned for it. In my opinion, these two committed a bloody disgrace at a time when she was already married to Klaus Briel. I draw this conclusion because the young farmer (Klaus Briel) abandoned his wife and returned to his childhood home. I don’t know how long he was absent at that time. I myself did not live in Groben at that time, as I was serving in Fontenay.»
The isolation of the Gruber family became increasingly palpable, and the shame – increasingly unbearable.
The Grubers, already unsociable, became even more withdrawn. The Hinterkaifeck farm turned into their personal world, where they were left to their own devices. Trips to the village for necessities turned into an unpleasant duty, and communication with neighbors – into a formality.
In 1915, after several months of agonizing preliminary investigation, Weidhofen froze in anticipation. In the courtroom, reeking of dampness and mothballs from old uniforms, a trial began that could overturn the foundations of the entire district: the trial of Andreas Gruber and Victoria Gabriel.
Only fragmentary information about that trial has survived. The minutes of the court session have disappeared without a trace, leaving historians and biographers only room for speculation. It is unknown who exactly initiated the case, who gave the first testimony, who dared to break the long-standing silence of Hinterkaifeck.
In court, everything was turned upside down. Victoria, who had expected sympathy and help, appeared before the court as an accomplice in the crime. She was accused of not resisting her father’s will, of remaining silent, covering up his sin. Andreas Gruber, on the contrary, held himself arrogantly and confidently, denying all the charges. What they actually said, what arguments they presented, remained a mystery.
One cannot rule out that there was no publicity at all, but only a piece of evidence. The prosecution, representing the state, may have used it to initiate legal proceedings. After all, in criminal proceedings, the victims only supplement the lawsuit, the main role is played by the prosecution, represented by the state.
The court delivered its verdict: Victoria Gabriel was found guilty and sentenced to one month in prison. Andreas Gruber received a more severe punishment – one year in prison. A sentence that caused surprise and whispers in the village. Was this justice or just a semblance of justice? After all, the perpetrator of a brutal crime got away with such a lenient punishment.
Who could have reported the Grubers’ sins? Suspicion fell on Maximilian Altmann, Victoria’s half-brother. This fact added dark colors to an already dark picture. Martin, as some believed, may have been a witness to this connection between his sister and stepfather. Perhaps he had kept this terrible secret to himself for many years, fueled by his own resentment. After all, after his father’s death, Martin received only a paltry 100 marks of inheritance, while his sister Cäzilia Starringer became richer by as much as 700 marks. Could envy and a thirst for justice have pushed him to betrayal?
Martin was the only male heir, and who knows what thoughts were swirling in his head. Perhaps he considered himself more worthy of managing the farm than his half-sister, and this trial was his way of regaining his lost position. It is quite likely that revenge became his only way to drown out years of pain and humiliation.
However, it remained unclear how Martin could calmly live under the same roof with people he had accused of such a terrible crime. Victoria, the powerful mistress of the farm, would surely not tolerate the presence of a traitor. Unless, of course, Martin was cunning enough to remain in the shadows, acting anonymously, leaking information to the prosecutor’s office, while remaining unnoticed in Hinterkaifeck. The true motives of Maximilian Altmann will forever remain a mystery, buried beneath a layer of time and gossip.
According to another version, Victoria Bauer revealed the secret. There were rumors that