Working areas Victorian London were not the most cheerful places in the world: poverty, unsanitary conditions, dirt and debauchery reigned there. It was in such an atmosphere that one of the most sinister legends of Great Britain unfolded - the story of Jack the Ripper. The ZagraNitsa portal has collected for you Interesting Facts and theories about the serial maniac: from Lewis Carroll to the Russian paramedic

London at the end of the 19th century witnessed many tragedies, both fictional and real. However, the sophisticated fantasy of Oscar Wilde and Arthur Conan Doyle pales against the background of the bloody horror that the capital of Britain experienced in 1888.

There is still no definite answer as to who is actually guilty of the brutal murders in Whitechapel, although literature and cinema are replete with various, sometimes very crazy, theories. Let's find out who Jack the Ripper is and why his name even today evokes awe among many British people.

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A little history

In 1888, the poor areas of London resembled a powder keg: the dominance of immigrants, rampant drunkenness, poverty, unemployment, prostitution and constant outbreaks of viral diseases. The dissatisfaction of the inhabitants of these godforsaken neighborhoods became so obvious that residents of wealthy areas were afraid to show themselves here. Lack of jobs was one of the reasons huge amount prostitutes on the streets of the city: during the year the police counted 62 brothels, and these are only those that were discovered.

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Whitechapel Killer

Of course, such a situation could not give rise to anything but cruelty and immorality. In the fall of 1888, London was shaken by unprecedented crimes: a serial maniac not only killed prostitutes, but did it with particular sophistication, removing internal organs. The killer received his famous nickname thanks to one of his letters to reporters, in which he allegedly confesses to his crime and signs: “Jack the Ripper.” However, researchers call this message a fake, of which there were many at that time.

Different versions attribute from 5 to 15 victims to Jack the Ripper, but most experts believe that there were five of them: all were involved in prostitution, all had their throats cut, and three had their internal organs removed. Today they are called the “five canonical victims” of Jack the Ripper. Some researchers add a sixth woman to this list, whose murder was most likely also the work of a maniac.

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Photo: telegraph.co.uk

The Whitechapel killer chose girls of easy virtue as his victims, apparently believing that by doing so he was helping society get rid of filth and decadence of morals. The cause of death of the women was a slit throat; the organs were removed after the murder. The maniac’s knowledge of human anatomy gave rise to many versions (never confirmed) about his affiliation with medicine and, in particular, surgery. Many people believe that the skills of a butcher are quite enough for this.

Letters from Hell

Jack the Ripper was active in the autumn of 1888. In addition to the unprecedented brutality, the criminal (or his imitators) was prone to publicity and apparently sought recognition for his activities. Since the start of the investigation, both police officers and journalists have been literally inundated with letters confessing to what they had done. Of course, most of them were hoaxes or someone's sick imagination, but among this pile there were also several messages written, probably, by the killer's hand.

The "Dear Boss" letter is known for giving the maniac his sad famous name- Jack the Ripper. Later, the police officially recognized this message as a hoax. The most terrible of the letters is called “From Hell.” In addition to bravado and mockery, the sender included a box containing part of a human kidney. The author claimed that he fried and ate the second half.

Photo: whitechapeljack.com Photo: casebook.org

Versions and theories

The impotence of the police, who were unable to find and punish the bloody killer, became the basis for a mass of different studies, theories and speculations. There are even Ripperologists - this is what the learned (and not so learned) men call themselves, who to this day are trying to find out the real name of the Whitechapel killer.

1. Polish emigrant

For example, last year the results of DNA tests conducted by one of these researchers, Russell Edwards, were made public. According to the results, the killer was the Polish emigrant Aaron Kosminski, who moved to Britain in 1881 and was named as a suspect in the case. This is indicated by analysis of a shawl found near one of the victims and bought by businessman Russell Edwards at auction. DNA samples found on the shawl were compared with genetic material from the descendants of Aaron, who died in psychiatric hospital. However, these conclusions cause skepticism among many scientists who call the research amateurish.

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Photo: bbc.com

2. Russian paramedic

Another theory suggests that the criminal has Russian roots. This is a certain paramedic Ostrogov, who arrived in London from France, where he left behind not the best memories: he was suspected by the French authorities of murdering a prostitute. Ostrogov's profession fit perfectly into the theory of medical education the killers. However, the alleged criminal successfully escaped from British justice in St. Petersburg, where he was also convicted and sent to a psychiatric hospital.

Photo: shutterstock

Without a doubt, the funniest theory is that Jack the Ripper is famous writer Lewis Carroll. In 1996, researcher Richard Wallis published an entire book on this subject. The author claims that in Carroll's works he discovered anagrams confirming the criminal activities of the writer. Like, if you take a few sentences from Carroll's books and swap the letters, you get a story about the atrocities of the Whitechapel killer. To be fair, it should be noted that Carroll did have a controversial reputation, but the brutal murders committed by the author of Alice in Wonderland are hard to believe.

Photo: telegraph.co.uk
Photo: history.com

Jack the Ripper brand

Gloomy and bloody legends have always attracted people's attention, and if there is demand, then there will be supply. Many books and songs have been written about the Whitechapel killer, dozens of films have been made, there are even several computer games. But Michael Dibdin, a writer who exploits the image of Sherlock Holmes, published a detective story about how the famous detective brought Jack the Ripper to clean water: it turned out to be Professor Moriarty.

Photo: standard.co.uk

London also hosts daily tours of the places where the maniac committed his atrocities. For a two-hour walk you will have to pay 10 pounds. And recently, a Jack the Ripper museum opened in the capital, causing a wave of protests among activists of the feminist movement.

Recently, a British private detective revealed the identity of the legendary maniac known in the world as Jack the Ripper. The solution came thanks to DNA analysis - a method that, according to known reasons, the police officers of 1888 could not resort to. The search for the killer has put many honest (and even more not so honest) citizens of the country at risk. During the entire investigation, the police managed to target more than 200 people, from ship doctors to princes of the blood. from Whitechapel is indirectly confirmed by science, we decided to collect the most likely historical characters who different time considered a great maniac.

Carl Feigenbaum

In 2011, supposedly confirmed information about Jack's identity appeared online. The legendary killer was declared to be German citizen Karl Feigenbaum, who was executed on electric chair for the murder of his housewife. One of the most active private researchers of the maniac’s case, historian Trevor Marriott, insisted on the authenticity of the fact. Having picked up the archives, he discovered that at the time all the murders were committed, the ship Reiher was moored at the London pier, where Feigenbaum served as a sailor. Until now, the version looked very harmonious: the series of murders stopped just with the departure of Reiher, and the further adventures of the sailor clearly showed his mental state. However, a DNA test carried out by another researcher, Russell Edwards, completely refuted Marriott’s hypothesis.

Elizabeth Williams

Many researchers on the topic of Jack the Ripper believed that a woman was hiding under the male guise. The theorists' argumentation is quite strong and is based on the undeniable factors of the case. Firstly, none of the prostitutes were raped. Secondly, near the second victim (Catherine Eddowes), the police found buttons with women's shoe. Thirdly, at the feet of another innocently murdered prostitute Annie Chapman, the maniac very neatly, in a feminine manner, folded the girl’s clothes. Fourth, in the fireplace of the last victim, Mary Jane Kelly, detectives found the remains of a skirt and hat that clearly belonged to someone else. American researcher John Morris even named the suspect: Elizabeth Williams. This woman was married to the royal gynecologist, Sir John Williams. She may well have had the surgical skills that the real killer used masterfully. Plus, one of the prostitutes, Mary Jane Kelly, for a long time was in a relationship with the husband of a good woman, which could not help but upset the latter.

Walter Sickert

The famous impressionist attracted attention all his life with his strange behavior. In 2002, American Patricia Cornwell published the book “Portrait of a Murderer: The Case of Jack the Ripper Closed,” where she quite convincingly identified Walter Sickert as the main suspect. The artist really suited the police in many ways: he was in London at the time of the murders, Sickert’s handwriting is quite comparable to Jack’s canonical message to the police (“From Hell”), and the impressionist often used local prostitutes as models. The researcher was unable to obtain direct evidence, since the artist’s body was cremated by the heirs. However, according to Cornwell, Sickert’s sketch “An Unknown Man Kills His Father” exactly repeats the scene of the murder of Mary Jane Kelly.

Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence

During his life, poor Albert Victor collected a whole train of strange legends and myths, mostly unconfirmed even by the testimony of indirect witnesses. He was both a homosexual (the Cleveland Street brothel scandal), and an epileptic (according to street charlatans), and, of course, Jack the Ripper himself. This theory was widely circulated in the press of the time, which was understandable. Speculating on the personality of the illustrious prince is a great way to increase circulation (it still works). The most rabid reporters stated that in this way Victor was taking revenge on the whores for his syphilis, from which he allegedly later died. Despite the wide circulation of this version, the Prince Duke had a reliable alibi for each case of murder, which completely excludes his guilt.

Pimps

Many researchers still believe that behind the personality of Jack the police are hiding numerous atrocities of the brutal pimps of Whitechapel. On the one hand, it looks rather dubious, since the guys from the streets of that time preferred to simply cut the obstinate lady’s throat, and that would be the end of it; on the other hand, almost all pimps were excellent at wielding edged weapons: the maniac also had this skill. In addition, the murders of women look demonstrative and frightening: if it was done as a means of intimidation, then it probably worked.

Editor's response

Turned out to be Jack the Ripper Polish-born hairdresser Aaron Kosminski. The identity of the most famous maniac killer of the 19th century has been established Professor at John Mores University in Liverpool Jari Louhelainen.

The scientist made a conclusion based on an examination of the criminal’s blood left on the shawl of one of the victims. Based on the results of the research, it turned out that the DNA samples on the scarf match the DNA of the descendants of Kosminsky’s sister.

Image from The Illustrated Police News. (London, October 6, 1888). Photo: www.globallookpress.com

Thus, it was confirmed main version Scotland Yard, which in 1888 considered Aaron Kosminsky the main suspect in the case of a series of brutal murders of London prostitutes. What saved the immigrant barber from prison was his religious affiliation. Kosminsky was identified by one of the witnesses, but later decided to retract his testimony. After all, the suspect, just like the eyewitness to the crime, was a Jew.

After the case fell apart, the police were forced to release Kosminsky, although he did not remain free for long. In 1891, the hairdresser ended up in a mental hospital, where he was admitted after attempting to kill his sister. After Kosminsky was isolated, attacks on prostitutes in London stopped.

AiF.ru tells the story of the most famous criminal of the 19th century and his brutal crimes.

What is known about Jack the Ripper

A serial killer known as Jack the Ripper operated in Whitechapel and surrounding areas of London in the second half of 1888.

The nickname is taken from a letter sent to the Central News Agency. The author of the message took responsibility for the Whitechapel murders. Many experts consider the letter to be a falsification, created by journalists to stir up public interest. The Ripper is also called “The Whitechapel Murderer” and “Leather Apron”.

Methods of murder

Strangulation

Many researchers are inclined to believe that Jack the Ripper strangled his victims before stabbing them to death. When examining some of the murdered women, doctors found signs of strangulation. This explains the fact that no one ever heard the screams of the dead. However, some experts question this version, since there is no clear evidence that the victims were strangled.

Throat cutting

Jack the Ripper cut his throat from left to right, the wound was very deep. He managed to avoid getting stained with blood due to the fact that, while cutting the throat of his victim, he simultaneously tilted the woman’s head to the right. Jack the Ripper began opening the abdominal cavity after the death of the victim.

Victims

The Ripper's main victims were prostitutes from the slums. Due to the incredibly brutal nature of the murders and various information that appeared in the newspapers, many were convinced that there was one serial killer operating in London, nicknamed “Jack the Ripper”.

According to various sources, the exact number of Jack the Ripper victims ranges from 4 to 15. However, there is a list of five victims that most researchers agree on.

A letter "From Hell", sent in a package along with a kidney from one of the victims. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Mary Ann Nichols ("Polly"), born 26 August 1845 in Great Britain, killed 31 August 1888. Mary Nichols' body was discovered at 3:40 am on Bucks Road (now Durward Street). The throat was cut as a result of two blows inflicted with a sharp blade. The lower part of the abdominal cavity was torn open - the wounds were lacerated. In addition, several wounds inflicted by the same knife were found on the body.

Annie Chapman ("Dark Annie"), born September 1841 in Great Britain, killed September 8, 1888. Annie Chapman's body was discovered at about 6am in the back garden of 29 Hanbury Street, Spitalfields. As in Nichols's case, her throat was cut as a result of two blows with a razor. Abdomen was completely opened, and the uterus was removed from the woman’s body.

Elizabeth Stride ("Long Liz"), born in Sweden November 27, 1843, killed September 30, 1888. Stride's body was discovered at about 1 a.m. in Duttlefields Yard, Berren Street, with her earlobe cut off.

Catherine Eddowes, born 14 April 1842 in Great Britain, murdered 30 September 1888 on the same day as another victim, Elizabeth Stride. Kate Eddowes' body was discovered in Miter Square at 1.45am.

Mary Jane Kelly, born in Ireland in 1863, killed November 9, 1888. Mary Kelly's mutilated body was found in her own room at 10:45 am. It is also important to note that last victim Jack the Ripper, Mary Janet Kelly, was the youngest and most attractive of all, and therefore earned more than the rest and had the opportunity to rent the room in which she was killed.

Investigation and suspects

The lack of confirmed information about the identity of the killer allowed “ripperologists” (from Ripper; ripperologists are writers, historians and amateur detectives studying the Ripper case; in Russian literature the name “ripperologists” is also found) to look for the maniac not only in the slums of London, but also in Buckingham palace

According to one of the most popular versions of Ripperologists, the serial killer was Prince Albert Victor. True, this possibility is excluded by a number of researchers who managed to establish that the prince was not only in London, but also in England in general during the series of murders.

Who is Jack the Ripper

Jack the Ripper(English) ) - an alias assigned to a serial killer who operated in Whitechapel (London area)

and surrounding areas in the second half of 1888. The nickname is taken from a letter sent to the Central News Agency. Central News Agency), whose author claimed responsibility for the murders, Jack the Ripper is also called the "Whitechapel Murderer" and the "Leather Apron". Jack the Ripper's victims were slum prostitutes whose throats were slashed by the killer before cutting open their abdomens. Metropolitan Police Service documents indicate detectives' investigations included a review of 11 murders of women that occurred between 1888 and 1891. Five of these, the so-called "canonical" victims: Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes and Mary Jane Kelly, are generally accepted, and six others: Emma Elizabeth Smith, Martha Tabram, Rose Mallett, Alice Mackenzie, Frances Coles and an unidentified woman are said to be possible. The speed of the attacks and the damage to the victims' bodies suggested that the killer may have had the skills of a doctor or butcher.

Jack the Ripper. Still from the film “From Hell”

IN late XIX century British Empire experienced times of greatest prosperity. Her possessions were scattered throughout to the globe, they were inhabited by people of different races and religions. But in the center of this huge empire there was a place where, as journalists wrote, the sun never looked. The East End of London was a disgrace to Britain and the entire civilized world. People lived here in poverty and squalor. Infant mortality in the area British capital doubled average level around the country. Prostitution and binge drinking, child sexual abuse, murder and fraud have become common features of the local way of life. All this turned out to be a well-manured breeding ground for a killer whose black fame has reached our days. The streets and alleys of the East End became the scene of his bloody deeds.

The crimes of Jack the Ripper are incomparable, of course, with the massive horrors that the twentieth century presented to humanity. He killed, however, with savage cruelty, only five women. But in this case, the question is who the criminal was. There are strong suspicions that Jack the Ripper was a member of the upper echelons of British society. It was these suspicions that aroused such enormous public interest in the “Beast of the East End”... In October 1888, “ City government London Police revealed that there are more than 1,200 prostitutes working in the city and 62 brothels operating. The decline in the economy influenced the development of various social trends. In the period from 1886 to 1889, England was rocked by a wave of public demonstrations, in which city authorities were forced to intervene. Racism, high crime and extreme poverty - this is what characterizes Whitechapel at that time Moscow

Jack the Ripper victims

The exact number of Jack the Ripper victims is currently unknown and subject to debate, ranging from 4 to 15. However, there is a list of five "canonical" victims that most researchers and those involved in the case agree on.

Jack the Ripper victims: Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, Mary Jennette Kelly. London police photographs 1888

Five canonical victimsJack the Ripper

Police photograph taken after Mary Kelly's murder

It was established that five murders were the work of the Ripper. His victims were:

Mary Ann Nichols

Annie Chapman

Elizabeth Stride

Jack the Ripper's third victim - "Long Lizzie" (Elizabeth Stride)

Catherine Eddowes

• Catherine Eddowes (ur. Catharine Eddowes), born April 14, 1842, killed September 30, 1888, on the same day as another victim, Elizabeth Stride. Kate Eddowes' body was discovered in Miter Square at 1.45am.

Fourth victim - Catherine Eddowes

• While patrolling Miter Square (a quarter of a mile from the previous crime scene), the constable discovered the gutted corpse of Catherine Eddowes (this time the maniac took the uterus and kidney). Realizing that a double murder had occurred, the police raided the entire area but found no one. This was almost incredible, because at the alleged time of the crime there were at least three constables patrolling the area.

Mary Jane Kelly

Is Jack the Ripper a highly skilled surgeon?!

One of the most controversial issues is the level of knowledge of Jack the Ripper in the field of anatomy. Disputes on this topic began even at the time when the murders were committed, and continue among researchers in the Ripper case to this day. The reason for this was the reports of medical experts who performed autopsies on the victims, who stated that the nature of some of the wounds and the professionalism with which the victims' organs were removed indicates that the killer may have been a highly skilled surgeon.

Almost all the doctors who performed autopsies on more than one of Jack the Ripper's canonical victims attributed to him some knowledge of anatomy and skill as a surgeon, but opinions about the level of knowledge varied widely - some said that such skills could easily have been possessed by an ordinary butcher, others argued that that it could only be a surgeon. Medical experts also determined that he was left-handed.

Dr. Phillips, who performed the autopsy on Annie Chapman, argued that the murder was the work of a professional who was literate enough in anatomy to not damage the organs he removed with a knife. Dr. Phillips also added that he would have needed at least half an hour in a calm environment to perform such an organ removal, while the killer only needed 15 minutes.

The last and most brutal was the murder of Mary Jennette Kelly: the killer gutted the corpse, took out the heart and kidneys and carefully laid out the pieces of the body around the room.

Letters from the Ripper

During the investigation of the Ripper case, the police, newspapers, and representatives of other organizations received thousands of letters related in one way or another to the Ripper case. Sometimes they contained well-thought-out methods for catching the killer, but the vast majority of them were found to be inapplicable.

From the point of view of the investigation, much more interesting were the hundreds of letters that, as they claimed, were written by the killer himself. Most likely, they are all a hoax; however, the following three letters are singled out based on their exclusivity:

Letter “Dear boss...”

Postcard "Sassy Jackie"

Letter "From Hell"

DNA tests carried out on the surviving letters may provide results that shed light on the circumstances of the case. Australian professor of molecular biology Ian Findlay, examining the remains of DNA, came to the conclusion that the author of the letter was most likely a woman. It is noteworthy that at the end of the 19th century, a certain Mary Piercy, who was hanged for the murder of her lover’s wife in 1890, was mentioned among the candidates for the role of the Ripper.

Suspects in the Jack the Ripper case

Montague John Druitt

Montague John Druitt(August 15, 1857 - early December 1888), lawyer and, part-time, assistant school teacher. In 1888 he was fired, and a little later his body was found in the Thames. Presumably, Druitt was homosexual, which is why he lost his job, which, in turn, pushed him to commit suicide. It is also known that Druitt's mother and grandmother suffered mental disorders, the onset of symptoms of which Druitt exhibited could also have caused his dismissal from school. His death shortly after the murder of the fifth canonical victim attracted the attention of the Chief Constable, Sir Melvyn Macnaghten, who in 1894 named Druitt as the prime suspect in the case. Druitt's innocence is supported by the fact that the day after the first canonical murder, Druitt was seen playing cricket in Dorset, and also that Druitt lived on the other side of the Thames in Kent. The killer was believed to have lived in Whitechapel at the time of the crimes. Inspector Frederick Abberline later removed Druitt from his list of prime suspects. The only fact in favor of Druitt's guilt was that the murders in Whitechapel stopped with the death of the suspect and, perhaps, the suicide of Druitt himself seemed to complete the series of murders of Jack the Ripper if he was Montague John Druitt.

Severin Klosowski

Severin Antonovich Klosowski also known as George Chapman (has nothing to do with)(14 December 1865 – 7 April 1903) was a Polish emigrant who came to England sometime between 1887-1888, shortly before the killings began. In 1893 or 1894 he took the surname Chapman. He poisoned three of his wives in succession and was hanged in 1903 under the name George Chapman. At the time of the murders he lived in Whitechapel, where he worked as a hairdresser. H. L. Adam, who wrote a book about the English poisoners in 1930, mentioned that Inspector Frederick Abberline suspected Klosowski of the Ripper murders, but Klosowski himself could not obtain a confession. Klosowski's innocence is supported by the fact that he was a poisoner, and to kill prostitutes in Whitechapel, he would have to radically change his killing methods, which is unlikely.

Aaron Kosminski Moscow

Aaron Mordke Kosminski(11 September 1865 – 24 March 1919) was a Polish Jew who was admitted to the Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum in 1891 without a personal name and under the surname "Kosminski". The Chief Constable, Sir Melvin Macnaghten, considered Kosminski to be one of the main suspects, as did Chief Inspector Donald Swenson. Assistant Commissioner Sir Robert Anderson, in his memoirs, wrote that Kosminski was allegedly caught at the scene of one of the crimes, but another witness, who also turned out to be Jewish, refused to testify against him. In turn, McNaghten said that no one had ever been detained by the police at crime scenes, which contradicts Anderson’s recollections. Also, in the documents of the London police there is not a single document related to this case. In articles and printed publications, it is Aaron Kosminski who is most often called Jack the Ripper.

The version that Aaron Kosminski was the killer was confirmed in 2014 by DNA analysis of sperm stains on the shawl of one of the victims, Catherine Eddowes.

The research was carried out by Jari Louhelainen, associate professor of molecular biology at the University of Liverpool. He took the molecules needed for the tests from a shawl found near the body of Catherine Eddowes, one of the victims of Jack the Ripper. The shawl, which appears to have never been washed, was provided by businessman Russell Edwards, who bought it at auction. According to the businessman, one of the police officers who worked at the murder scene took the scarf home for his wife.

At the time of his first crimes (in 1888) he was 23 years old.

According to the scientist, the serial killer worked as a hairdresser in the Whitechapel area of ​​London, where free time and dealt with the victims, first cutting their throats and then ripping open their stomachs. Kosminski was one of the suspects in the brutal murders, but the police were never able to prove his guilt. Later, Kosminski, who was also on trial for attempting to stab his sister to death, was declared mentally ill and sent to prison. compulsory treatment to the Brighton clinic, then spending the rest of his life in Moscow clinics

Aaron Kosminsky was among the suspects in the Jack the Ripper case back at the end of the 19th century. In 1891, a 26-year-old barber ended up in a mental hospital after attempting to stab his sister to death. Doctors, having examined Kosminsky and talked with his family and friends, came to the conclusion that the first signs mental illness appeared in his possession back in 1885, that is, three years before the first murder attributed to “Jack the Ripper.” British doctors' interpretation of the cause of the disease is also curious - according to medical records, Aaron Kosminsky went crazy due to an addiction to sexual self-gratification.

Once in psychiatric clinic, Kosminsky spent the rest of his life in institutions of this type. The hairdresser died on March 24, 1919 at the age of 53.

Kosminsky actually lived and worked near the place where the murders were committed, but the London police were never able to find convincing evidence of his guilt.

After the arrest of Aaron Kosminsky, the murders did not occur again.

Thomas Neil Cream

Thomas Neil Cream(27 May 1850 – 15 November 1892) British serial killer and poisoner. He was sentenced to hang after killing 5 people. The famous executioner James Billington, who hanged Cream, claimed that on the way to the scaffold the killer said “I am Jack...” (eng. I am Jack The...).

Jack the Ripper movie

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IN UK identified serial killer, known as Jack the Ripper.
The Daily Mail writes about this. This is Polish emigrant Aaron Kosminsky - a London hairdresser, born in the Polish city of Klodawa, which is located only 250 kilometers from the Kaliningrad region.

A series of DNA tests, commissioned by businessman-enthusiast Russell Edwards, established the identity of the maniac with one hundred percent probability. Aaron Kosminsky was one of the main suspects in the Jack the Ripper case, but was released due to insufficient evidence.

Every year new books about Jack the Ripper are published. Each of them names its own likely candidates for the role of the killer, and in each of them the authors share new conspiracy theories.

Hundreds of websites and online forums are dedicated to Jack the Ripper, where enthusiasts exchange opinions and argue endlessly about new theories. And now the time has come when science has made it possible to announce the revelation of the secret of who was the first officially recognized serial maniac in the history of mankind.

There were many SUSPECTS:

Prince Albert Victor - grandson of Queen Victoria
James Maybrick - Liverpool cotton merchant
Walter Sickert - artist
Aaron Kosminski - Polish Jewish immigrant
Michael Ostrog - thief
Montague John Druitt - lawyer and teacher
Francis Tumblety - American physician
Joseph Barnett - friend of one of the victims
And many others... but it was not possible to solve the crime “hot on its heels”.

The investigation by businessman-enthusiast Russell Edwards began in 2007, when Edwards, out of research interest, purchased at auction a shawl allegedly found near the body of one of Jack the Ripper's victims, Catherine Eddowes.
The first examination showed that there were traces of blood on the shawl, as well as, presumably, the maniac’s sperm.

During the following examinations, scientists took DNA samples from the living descendants of Eddowes and Kosminsky, whom Edwards managed to find. One of them - a certain Karen Miller, a direct descendant of Eddowes on the female line - previously appeared in documentary film about the Ripper.
Edwards did not disclose the identity of the descendant of Aaron Kosminsky's sister. Research conducted by Dr. Jari Louhelainen and Dr. David Miller showed that DNA samples taken from relatives of those involved in the case were identical to those that scientists were able to take from the shawl.

Aaron Kosminsky, fleeing Jewish pogroms, came to Great Britain in 1881 from Poland, which was then part of Russian Empire. After police began searching for the killer who became known as Jack the Ripper in the fall of 1888, Kosminsky was arrested.

He was even identified by one of the witnesses, but later withdrew his testimony because he was a Jew and did not want to testify against another Jew.

In 1891, Kosminsky was placed in a mental hospital. His medical history stated that he suffered from auditory hallucinations, refused to accept food from other people, and was prone to self-abuse. Kosminsky died in a hospital in February 1919.

A series of brutal murders of women in London's Whitechapel and surrounding areas took place in the second half of 1888. The victims of these murders were usually prostitutes.

Several people were considered suspects in the case, but none of them were ultimately found guilty. At some point, the police decided to classify the crimes as the result of the actions of one serial killer, who received the nickname Jack the Ripper.
This was facilitated, in particular, by the so-called “letter from Hell”, allegedly written by a maniac and received by law enforcement officers in the Whitechapel area.

Attached to the letter was a kidney from one of the victims, the aforementioned Catherine Eddowes. However, the authenticity of the letter and the kidney attached to it was questioned by some researchers.

They suggested that it could be a joke by local medical students, deliberately stirring up interest in the story of a serial killer.

Exact number The victims of Jack the Ripper have not been identified; according to the latest data, there were at least 11 of them.