On 16 April 1986 Günther Tschanun opened fire in his workplace in Zürich, Switzerland, killing four people and seriously injuring one. The shooting came after difficulties and tensions in the building authority, where Tschanun was head. Tschanun escaped and was on the run for several weeks after the shooting, before he was caught in France. It was described by the Tages-Anzeiger as "one of the worst crimes in post-war Swiss history".[1]
| 1986 Zürich shooting | |
|---|---|
  Zürich Zürich (Canton of Zurich)  Zürich Zürich (Switzerland) | |
| Location | Zürich, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 47°22′27″N 8°32′24″E / 47.3742°N 8.5401°E |
| Date | 16 April 1986 |
Attack type | Mass shooting |
| Weapon | Taurus Model .38 Special revolver |
| Deaths | 4 |
| Injured | 1 |
| Perpetrator | Günther Tschanun |
| Motive | Personal conflict with employees |
| Convictions | Intentional homicide (later overturned and found guilty of murder) |
Tschanun was initially sentenced to 17 years in prison in 1988 for four counts of intentional homicide. The case was sent to the supreme court, and in 1990 the sentence was overturned. Tschanun was instead sentenced to 20 years and found guilty of murder, and released on parole in 2000. He was issued a new name – Claudio Trentinaglia – which was only revealed to the public after he died in a bicycle accident in 2015.
Shooting
editOn 16 April 1986, Günther Tschanun opened fire in his workplace, the administrative building Amtshaus IV, with a Taurus Model .38 Special revolver, killing 4 and injuring 1.[1][2] Tschanun was going to kill himself, but was not able to.[1]
After the shooting, he went on the run, and a 10000 franc reward was issued for his arrest.[2] After three weeks on the run from authorities, he was caught in France.[3]
Perpetrator
editGünther Tschanun (13 September 1941 – 25 February 2015) was the chief of the Zürich building authority. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland.[4] The department Tschanun worked at was experiencing difficulties and tensions in the workplace, and several days before the shooting an article that criticized his business management practices was published in the Züri-Woche. Soon after this was published, two officials wrote a letter to their superior criticizing Tschanun and calling for his dismissal.[5][6]
The day before the shooting, he wrote a will, leaving the furniture to his girlfriend and everything else to his wife. Tschanun had apparently bought the gun in the first place because he was afraid of his girlfriend's husband.[6] He claimed he had no choice and that he had felt "bullied".[1][4]
Aftermath
editTschanun was initially sentenced to 17 years in prison in 1988 by the Zürcher Obergericht, for four counts of intentional homicide.The federal prosecutor wanted a verdict for murder, and took the case to the supreme court.[7] In January 1990, the sentence was overturned, and Tschanun was instead sentenced to 20 years and found guilty of murder by the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland in 1990.[3][7] Some people in the left wing in Switzerland at the time were accused of downplaying Tschanun's actions, viewing him as a "victim of the capitalist system" who had been under too much pressure.[4]
Tschanun was not trusted by corrections.[1] He was released on parole for good behavior in 2000.[8] He was issued a new name – Claudio Trentinaglia – and moved to Ticino.[2][3] Tschanun died in a bicycle accident on 25 February 2015, falling down the bank of the Maggia. As he was not wearing a helmet, he hit his head and died.[1][3] His neighbors were unaware of his identity, and Tschanun was buried without this becoming public.[3] This was only revealed six years later, when journalist Michèle Binswanger requested his case file.[7]
The case was discussed in a book by Nicolas Lindt in 2016.[9] The 2010 film 180° – Wenn deine Welt plötzlich Kopf steht by director Cihan Inan was inspired by the case.[10][11] A 2023 docufiction film retells the story of Tschanun's crimes from the perspective of his neighbor.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Binswanger, Michèle (10 April 2021). "Der Fall Tschanun – Teil 1 – Der verklärte Mörder" [The Tschanun Case - Part 1 - The Transfigured Murderer]. Tages-Anzeiger (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ a b c "Vierfachmörder (†73) lebte unter falschem Namen im Tessin: Tschanun starb bei Velounfall!" [Quadruple murderer (†73) lived under a false name in Ticino: Tschanun died in bicycle accident!]. Blick (in Swiss High German). 11 April 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Müller, Myrte; Donghi, Ralph; Dammann, Viktor (13 April 2021). "Vierfachmörder Günther Tschanun (†73) genoss als Claudio Trentinaglia das süsse Rentner-Leben im Tessin: Er liebte Merlot, Nordic Walking und sein Velo" [Quadruple murderer Günther Tschanun (†73) enjoyed the sweet retired life in Ticino as Claudio Trentinaglia: He loved Merlot, Nordic walking and his bicycle]. Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Müller, Patrik (12 April 2021). "Bericht enthüllt: Vierfachmörder Günther Tschanun war Mitglied der SP – ein SVP-Journalist zieht daraus seine Schlüsse" [Report reveals: Quadruple murderer Günther Tschanun was a member of the SP - an SVP journalist draws his conclusions from it]. Aargauer Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ "Die schlimmsten Bluttaten: Eine Chronologie von Amokläufen in der Schweiz" [The worst acts of bloodshed: A chronology of rampages in Switzerland]. Blick (in Swiss High German). 27 January 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Hinrichtung im Amtshaus" [Execution in the office]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 22 January 2006. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ a b c "Mörder Günther Tschanun seit über sechs Jahren tot" [Murderer Günther Tschanun dead for over six years]. blue News (in Swiss High German). SDA. 11 April 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- ^ Dammann, Viktor (8 February 2016). "BLICK-Reporter Viktor Dammann erinnert sich an den Fall Tschanun: Der Mörder zeigte nur einmal Gefühle" [BLICK reporter Viktor Dammann remembers the Tschanun case: The killer showed emotions only once]. Blick (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ Künzi, Hans-Peter (9 February 2016). "Fall Tschanun: Ein Buch rollt die Bluttat nochmals auf" [The Tschanun case: A book revisits the bloody deed]. SRF (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ Volk, Stefan (7 April 2014). "Aus den Fugen geraten". Berner Zeitung (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ Cihan Inan (Video). Aeschbacher (in Swiss High German). SRF. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- ^ "Günther Tschanun – the silent neighbour". SWI swissinfo. 10 November 2023. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
Further reading
edit- Lindt, Nicolas (2016). Von Schuld und Unschuld: Geschichten und Reportagen aus meiner Zeit als Gerichtskolumnist [Of Guilt And Innocence: Stories and Reports From My Time As a Court Columnist] (in German). Frankfurt am Main: Edition Fischer. ISBN 978-3-86455-867-2.
News articles
edit- "Walter Beller (67) überlebte Günther Tschanuns Hinrichtung vor 30 Jahren «Nach dem Schock kam die Todesangst»" [Walter Beller (67) survived Günther Tschanun's shooting 30 years ago "After the shock came the fear of death"]. Blick (in Swiss High German). 10 April 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
- Gasser, Benno (10 February 2016). "«Tschanun war unsympathisch»" ["Tschanun was unsympathetic"]. Tages Anzeiger (in Swiss High German). Archived from the original on 11 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
Documentaries
edit- Pletscher, Marianne (21 September 1988). Schalttag – die unfassbare Bluttat des Günther Tschanun [Leap day - the inconceivable bloody deed of Günther Tschanun] (Television production) (in Swiss High German). SRF. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- Blutbad im Zürcher Bauamt – Der Fall Günther Tschanun [Bloodbath in the Zurich Building Authority - The Günther Tschanun Case] (Television production) (in Swiss High German). SRF. 23 July 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- Bernasconi, Fulvio (13 August 2023). Günther Tschanun - Der stille Nachbar [Günther Tschanun - The silent neighbor] (Television production) (in Swiss High German). SRF. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
Videos
edit- Stadträtin Koch zum Amoklauf in Zürich [Councillor Koch on the rampage in Zürich] (Video) (in Swiss High German). SRF. 22 April 1986. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
- Prozess gegen Günther Tschanun [Trial of Günther Tschanun] (Video) (in Swiss High German). SRF. 29 February 1988. Retrieved 29 February 2024.