Andreas Gruber’s return from prison brought with it not only scandal, but also, it seemed, an iron grip that bound Victoria in its vise. His ban on remarriage became another link in the chain of violence and subjugation. After Klaus Briel’s death, Victoria theoretically had the opportunity to start a new life, find herself a husband, and break free from her father’s oppression. But Gruber, having returned, as if proclaimed: «You belong to me.»

This prohibition may not have been legally formalized, but it had enormous power, based on fear, dependence, and moral pressure. It deprived Victoria of freedom of choice, condemning her to loneliness and complete dependence on her father’s will.

Victoria was trapped: public condemnation, economic dependence, and fear of Gruber deprived her of the slightest opportunity to resist. She was attached to Hinterkaifeck, to her father, to her past, and this attachment, as it turned out, led to imminent death.

 
Chapter 8
Neighborly Connection
 
 
1910—1913
 

Just five hundred meters from Hinterkaifeck, from its grief-soaked fields and gloomy forests, stood the house of Kurt Wagner. It seems that these five hundred meters, separating the solid Wagner yard and the Gruber estate, defined the difference between worlds: a world of prosperity and well-being, where life was in full swing, and a world of fear and despair, where it slowly faded away. In one house, laughter of children, the ringing of a blacksmith’s hammer, and the steady hum of a working mill were heard. In the other – only the creaking of floorboards, muffled sighs, and a silent anticipation of something terrible.

But these five hundred meters were deceptive. They could not isolate Kurt Wagner from what was happening in Hinterkaifeck. As the village elder, he was aware of all the events, knew about the dark rumors surrounding the Gruber family, about the incest, about Andreas’s strange behavior. He tried to do something, turned to the authorities, but faced indifference and a reluctance to interfere in other people’s affairs.

Kurt Wagner was indeed a prominent figure in the district, and not only because of his solid house, towering just five hundred meters from the gloomy Gruber estate. He was one of those people who would now be called «influential’. His farm prospered, the land yielded a good harvest, and the solid house was a clear testament to wealth and a solid position in society. Wagner did not just live, he led, set the tone.

The respect and authority he enjoyed among his neighbors was not just an empty phrase. He was the village elder, which in those days meant much more than just an administrative position. The elder was a mediator between the peasants and the authorities, resolved disputes, organized joint works, and maintained order. Kurt was a kind of «gray cardinal’, a person to whom people turned for advice and help.

He was respected for his judgment and fairness. Kurt knew how to listen and hear, weigh all the «pros’ and «cons’, and make decisions that seemed fair to most. Of course, he was not a saint; he had his own interests and shortcomings. But on the whole, he was a man who was trusted and whose opinion carried weight.

Wagner’s influence extended not only to the village, but also to the surrounding lands. He was a major landowner, and the fate of many peasants depended on his decisions. He could give work, he could help in a difficult moment, but he could also refuse, condemning a family to starvation.

In the history of Hinterkaifeck, Kurt Wagner played an important role. He was one of those who tried to figure out what had happened, who sought the truth and tried to punish the guilty. His influence and connections helped in the investigation, although, as we know, the case was never fully solved. He, like many other residents of Hinterkaifeck, remained forever with the burden of this tragedy, with a sense of injustice and powerlessness.

1918 brought grief to the Wagner household. The death of Kurt’s first wife was an unexpected blow, like a bolt from the blue. The family was shocked, the household was orphaned, and Kurt himself seemed to have lost his footing in life. The district sympathized, neighbors came to support him, brought food, and offered help around the house. Grief united people, and it seemed that Wagner was drowning in sympathy and support.

But Kurt’s mourning turned out to be suspiciously short. Just fourteen days after the funeral, rumors began to spread through the village, at first quiet and uncertain, then louder and more persistent: Kurt Wagner had been seen in close relationship with Victoria Gruber.

These rumors caused a real stir among the neighbors. How could this be possible? He hadn’t even finished mourning his wife, and he was already seen with Victoria, around whom there were so many unkind rumors…

Wagner seemed to pay no attention to the gossip. He continued to visit Victoria, helped her around the house, and there were even rumors that he was going to marry her. This was madness. If he was really going to do this, then it meant that he had either lost his mind from grief or was pursuing some hidden goals of his own.

Soon Victoria became pregnant. Like sparks from a fire, rumors spread throughout the district, fueled by curiosity and whispers. Who is the child’s father? This question caused lively discussions among those who followed the lives of both families.

Andreas Gruber bristled, vehemently denying his involvement. He swore that Kurt was the father, trying to shift the burden of shame and suspicion onto his neighbor’s shoulders. Perhaps there was some truth in his words, but in Hinterkaifeck it was more difficult to find the truth than a needle in a haystack.

However, strangely enough, Kurt himself did not believe in fatherhood. His words conveyed not so much joy at future fatherhood, but rather doubt, distrust, and even disgust. Knowing firsthand about the unhealthy atmosphere that reigned in the Gruber household, he did not want to take responsibility for a child who may have been conceived as a result of incest.

Wagner’s doubts only added fuel to the fire of rumors and suspicions. People whispered behind Victoria’s back, cast sidelong glances at Kurt, and discussed the dark secrets of Hinterkaifeck with renewed vigor. Victoria’s pregnancy was not a joyous event, but rather a new twist in the drama, foreshadowing even greater tragedy.

The mystery of Victoria’s child’s paternity remained unsolved. Kurt Wagner publicly refused to acknowledge his fatherhood, Andreas Gruber denied his involvement, and Victoria, unfortunately, left no evidence capable of shedding light on this issue.

Despite the lack of reliable information, many residents of Hinterkaifeck believed that Andreas Gruber was the father of the child. This point of view, of course, was formed against the background of long-standing disturbing rumors about unhealthy relationships within the Gruber family. In addition, it cannot be denied that public opinion about the Gruber family at that time was far from the most benevolent.

Kurt Wagner, despite his doubts, still decided on an act that shocked Hinterkaifeck no less than the news of Victoria’s pregnancy.

What motivated him? Public opinion, which was putting tremendous pressure on him? Sincere sympathy for the fate of an unhappy woman? Or a desire to strengthen his influence and position in the district by becoming related to the family, albeit such a controversial one? Perhaps all these factors played a role.

Whatever the case, Kurt Wagner went to Andreas Gruber with a request to give him his daughter Victoria as his wife. This was an unprecedented step, which caused surprise and gossip. Many did not understand why a respected man would connect his life with a woman who had tainted herself with scandal and notoriety.

Marriage to Kurt could certainly be a salvation for Victoria. It could rid her of the stigma of incest, provide her with a stable future, and restore respect in the eyes of society. Wagner was a wealthy and influential man, and his support could change Victoria’s life for the better. But was it a sincere desire to help an unhappy woman or a calculated move aimed at achieving his own goals? Only Kurt Wagner himself knew about this.

But Andreas Gruber, succumbing, perhaps, to his deepest complexes and, as we now know, under the influence of certain circumstances that, unfortunately, have forever remained hidden from us, gave Kurt Wagner a sharp refusal.

«I can caress my daughter myself,» he said cynically, not shy about anyone or anything.

Unfortunately, this refusal deprived Victoria of the opportunity to somehow change her life, to get at least a glimmer of hope for deliverance from the oppressive dependence in which she found herself. In a fit of feelings that are now difficult for us to understand, Andreas locked his daughter in the closet so that she could not even look at the person who, perhaps, could have become a support for her.

He probably understood that Victoria’s marriage to Kurt could lead to a loss of control over what was most important to him. The documents show that it was Victoria who was to inherit Hinterkaifeck, and therefore her future child would also have rights to the property. If Josef was recognized as Kurt’s son, then the latter, as husband and father, could also claim ownership of the land. Andreas, apparently, could not allow this to happen.

1919, winter gripped Hinterkaifeck in a deathly hold, bringing with it not only cold, but also the birth of Josef – Victoria’s son. There was irony in this name, Josef. After all, Josef in Hebrew means «God will increase’. But in Hinterkaifeck, only grief and secrets multiplied. The question of paternity haunted both Victoria and Kurt.

1915

Doubts tormented Kurt, preventing him from finding peace of mind. Josef… was he really his son or just evidence of a shameful secret, an echo of the incest that filled the village? He was afraid of becoming a pawn in someone else’s game, of paying for sins he had nothing to do with.

One day, on a gray autumn day, when rain was monotonously tapping on the glass, Kurt made a decision, as if shedding a heavy burden. Unable to endure the oppressive uncertainty any longer, he went to the police station.

There, in a modest office, he outlined his version of events. He spoke restrainedly, but confidently, trying not to give in to emotions. He declared his suspicions regarding Andreas and Victoria, about the incest, the fruit of which, in his opinion, was Josef. He emphasized that he had no evidence, but he could no longer ignore the rumors and his own doubts.

Kurt realized that his words could have serious consequences. He understood that an accusation of incest was a serious step, and in case of its unfoundedness, he himself could be punished. But the desire to know the truth, to get rid of oppressive thoughts outweighed the fear of possible retribution. He was ready to risk it in order to dot all the «i”s and finally gain clarity.

Kurt Wagner’s statement, like a match thrown into dry grass, ignited a new fire of scandal in the already troubled Weidhofen. The news that Andreas Gruber was again accused of incest spread throughout the district faster than the wind, accumulating new, even more shocking details along the way.

The police, under pressure from public opinion and Kurt’s insistent statements, began an investigation. Andreas was arrested and again appeared before the court, where he faced severe punishment for incest. Victoria, finding herself at the epicenter of this nightmare, was in despair. She denied all the charges, but who believed her? The shadow of the previous scandal, like sticky mud, haunted her, preventing her from justifying herself. It seemed that this sticky mud had seeped into this courtroom as well, cold as a grave, where she was to be held accountable.

The courtroom was permeated with cold, like a stone dungeon. The windows, shrouded in a gray, overcast sky, let in not a single ray of sunshine, plunging the room into semi-darkness. The air was filled with the smell of dampness and old wood, mingling with the heavy feeling of oppressive silence. The wooden benches, creaking under the weight of people, were filled to capacity. The faces of those present – serious, tense, full of anticipation – resembled stone masks. Victoria felt the piercing gaze upon herself, as if she was an exhibit in a bizarre museum.

She sat, clutching a thin batiste handkerchief until her knuckles turned even whiter. The fabric had long been soaked through with sweat, becoming sticky and unpleasant, but Victoria did not notice. All her attention was focused on the frantic rhythm of her own heart, which was beating so hard, as if trying to break through her ribs and break free. Each blow echoed painfully in her temples, drowning out the voices in the hall and усиливая (increasing) the feeling of unreality of what was happening.

The sounds reached her as if from afar, muffled by cotton wool: whispers, the creaking of benches, coughing – all this merged into an indistinguishable hum, which only усиливал (increased) her confusion. Fragments of phrases, faces, events swirled in her head – like the pages of a jumbled book that cannot be put together. She tried to concentrate, to grasp at least some thread, but her thoughts slipped away like water through her fingers.

Everything around seemed alien and detached, as if she were looking at what was happening through thick glass. Behind this glass, people lived their lives, spoke, gesticulated, but neither meaning nor warmth reached Victoria. She felt lonely and vulnerable, as if she had suddenly been left alone in a huge, unfamiliar city. It seemed to her that any attempt to speak, move, or even just sigh would attract unwanted attention. She could only sit still and wait for this nightmare to end, although deep down she knew that this was only the beginning.

The judge, a gaunt man with graying temples, took his place behind the massive oak table. His eyes seemed to express no emotion at all; his gaze was cold as ice. He quickly reviewed the papers, then raised his eyes and pronounced the words that became a sentence for Victoria: «The court session in the case of Andreas and Victoria Gruber is open.»

At that moment, a ringing silence reigned in the hall, as if everyone had held their breath, waiting for the start of the bloody spectacle. And then, as if on command, Kurt stepped forward. He moved slowly, leisurely, with the air of a man confident in his righteousness and the inevitability of victory. His face, usually friendly and open, was now distorted in a malicious grimace. In his eyes, which had recently looked at Victoria with sympathy, now only hatred blazed.

Kurt began his speech calmly, in an even voice, as if telling a long-known story. He spoke of violated honor, of sins requiring atonement, of the need to restore justice. His words, like poisonous drops, slowly penetrated the minds of those present, poisoning their souls and kindling the flame of animosity. With each phrase, his voice became louder and more confident, and a fanatical gleam appeared in his eyes. It seemed that he was addressing not the judge, but the crowd, thirsting for blood and justice. And with each of his words, Victoria felt an invisible ring tightening around her, depriving her of air and freedom.