Tours · Graz · Square

The Deadly Package - Kaiser-Josef-Platz

Named after Emperor Joseph II, this square hosts Graz's largest and most famous daily farmers' market, but it also hides the chilling, unsolved 1972 cold case of a dance instructor murdered by arsenic.

About this place

Kaiser Josef Platz, named after Emperor Joseph II, was originally a simple wooden market space. Today, it is Graz's largest and most famous daily farmers' market, a beloved culinary institution where fresh produce, local delicacies, and vibrant flowers are sold. It is a place of community and tradition, seemingly far removed from darkness. However, this charming square is linked to one of Graz's most bizarre and enduring unsolved cold cases. In 1972, a prominent and beloved local dance instructor was murdered here by a mysterious package of food laced with arsenic. To this day, the sender was never caught, leaving a chilling stain on the square's otherwise wholesome reputation.

Key facts

  • 1972 year — The year of the unsolved arsenic poisoning murder
  • 1 cold case — One of Graz's most baffling and enduring unsolved crimes

📍 Kaiser-Josef-Platz, 8010, Graz

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