Throughout history, humankind has encountered many murderers and people thirsty for the blood of innocents. Worldwide known names come to mind, but what about those in the shadows of the big names?

The Names We Know Of The Medieval Period

When you think of the evillest murderers of medieval times, there are specific names that come to mind that took over their centuries. They inspired fear so great that they branded their time with their names.

But if you mention the name Peter Niers, nobody would know who you are talking about. But this person deserves a place on those charts because he left his mark, so who is he, and what did he do?

Who Is Peter Niers As An Overall?

In Germany, from 1566 to 1581, a man named Peter Niers took the lives of five hundred and forty-four people. He becomes the Boogeyman.

Back in those years, people believed that Peter Niers was familiar with the black arts and was a black witch. They said he could be invisible and transform into a house pets, even a goat, which was synonym of witchcraft or the devil. Villagers mentioned his incredible skills were due to the cannibalization of children and pregnant women. 

Reports of the time say that he would sometimes murder travellers on the highways. He would take their souls, making Peter stronger and invincible. 

But Who Is This Peter Niers In Medieval Times?

Peter Niers was born into a life of peasantry in the 16th century in Germany. His catalyst for murder occurred during the peasants’ uprising during the German Peasant War in 1525.

This was the largest revolt and uprising in Europe until the French Revolution. As a result of the war, crime rates in Germany rose fifteen percent, which helped Peter start his path to evil.

Peter Niers’ journey to becoming the Boogeyman started when a group of bandits led by Martin Stier took him under their wings. After twenty-two years of crime, Martin Stier suffered his execution in 1572. However, it gave him enough time to teach Peter Niers how to become a better version of himself, Germany’s Boogeyman.

The Life Of Germany’s Boogeyman

During Peter’s time as a bandit, his merry men tortured, terrorized, and eventually murdered every traveller they came across on remote highways. He built up a reputation as the most feared person in Europe.

In 1577, Peter and his bandits were caught for the first time after eleven years of crime. During the arrest, some men flipped on Peter, resulting in torture. He admitted to seventy-five murders—under torture, which closed a few open and unsolved cases.

However, Peter managed to escape prison and avoid execution. It was during his escape that propaganda about Peter Niers started to circulate. They gossiped about his involvement in the dark arts, satanic rituals, and black magic. 

It was said that Peter Niers had a direct line to the devil as he summoned him in the woods of Pflazburg, France. He called on the occult powers to help him complete his crimes.

The Conclusion On The Life Of A Medieval Boogeyman

Peter Niers’ life of crime ended in 1581, after many years on the run and creating fear all over Germany. Peter got cocky and let his guard down, believing he was so feared nobody would come for him. 

Peter Niers’s capture occurred when he was taking a bath. Reports say that the authorities believed because he was far from his occult possession, it weakened him. His vulnerability in the bathtub made him easy to capture. 

Peter surrendered and confessed to five-hundred-and-forty-four murders that included twenty-for pregnant women—under torture.

Peter Niers underwent torture for three days and suffered injuries from flayed skin. Another method used on him was the pouring of hot oil onto his body. He was roasted alive over hot coals and put on a breaking wheel. 

Surprisingly enough, none of the torture killed him. In the end, the executioner had to hack off Peter’s limbs for him to die.

Paula