17. Going Medieval on a Monster
After his second arrest in 1581, Peter Niers was taken to the Bavarian city of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz for a public execution. The authorities went Medieval on him, literally and figuratively. Even for an era in which torture and gruesome executions were routine, Peter Niers’ execution, which commenced on September 16th, 1581, stood out.
Niers underwent a three-day ordeal. On the first day, torturers flayed his skin, then poured hot oil on his exposed muscles to slough off layers of flesh. On the second day, Niers’ feet were coated in grease, and his lower body was slowly grilled over a low fire. On the third day, his body was broken on the wheel, with dozens of blows that smashed his major bones to pieces. Finally, the executioners quartered him while still alive, by sawing his body into pieces. That was the end of this killer.