The mysterious carnival murder

February 1967 in Arnsberg was marked by the bright colors and cheerful atmosphere of carnival. The city was filled with laughter, music, and festively decorated streets as the celebrations reached their peak. But just one day after Altweiberfastnacht, on February 3, the merrymaking was abruptly interrupted. A terrible crime took place on Klosterstraße that would throw the entire city into turmoil. On that day, 71-year-old pensioner Elisabeth Iven was found brutally murdered in her apartment. Her sister Martha, who was out shopping at the time, returned home to find the blood-covered body of her beloved sister. This discovery would change not only Martha’s life, but also the entire community forever. Elisabeth, who relied on two canes due to a walking disability, lay lifeless on the floor, seriously injured and with no chance of help. Investigators later discovered that the murder weapon was a poker, but at the time of the initial investigation, the circumstances of the crime were unclear. Was it a robbery-murder? Initial assumptions pointed to this, but the fact that the two women’s apartment was untouched—cupboards not ransacked, cash and jewelry untouched—quickly cast doubt on this theory. Or had the perpetrator been suddenly disturbed before he could take cash, jewelry, and valuables? Minor clues, such as a “beige-red” moped seen near the apartment building at the time of the crime, did not lead investigators any further. The trail went cold, and the fear of an undiscovered murderer hung over the town. Fifty years after the murder, Mechtild R. came forward. She was 17 years old at the time and had a special connection to the Iven sisters, as they often came to her parents’ restaurant, “Waldeslust,” in Wenningloh to drink coffee. Mechthild quickly came under police scrutiny because a tenant had seen her in the stairwell. On the day of the murder, Mechthild had visited the apartment building on Klosterbergstraße shortly after 3 p.m. to see the two sisters. Since the front door was ajar, Mechthild ran to the attic and rang the doorbell of the two sisters’ apartment. A total of three times. This was the familiar ring tone for friends. But no one opened the door, even after repeated knocking, so Mechthild made her way home. “When the police called my parents and asked if I had been in Arnsberg, I already had a queasy feeling,” she recalls. The officers soon arrived at her parents’ house in a car. “They wanted to know everything in detail: what I was doing there, where I had come from, and how I had gotten into the house. I felt like a suspect, even though I had only come to visit Elisabeth and Martha.” The conversation with the police was long and agonizing, and finally they had to break the sad news to Mechtild that Elisabeth Iven was dead. Mechtild was taken to the police station for a confrontation with a neighbor. Soon, the police had a new suspect, 50-year-old Gertrud K., a former nurse. She had wanted to visit the sisters on the day of the murder. When she arrived at Klosterbergstraße at around 4 p.m., she noticed a shadow behind the curtain in the sisters’ apartment from across the street. Upon entering the apartment, she found Elisabeth lying dead in the living room. Almost two years later, on November 5, 1968, the trial began against Gertrud K., who was charged with the murder of Elisabeth Iven out of greed. During this time, the memory of Elisabeth Iven’s death and the terrible circumstances remained vivid in Mechtild’s mind. “I received a summons to appear as a witness and it was a nightmare,” she recalls. She felt very uncomfortable in the courtroom as the questions rained down on her like a storm. In the end, the trial did not go in favor of the prosecution, and Gertrud K. was acquitted on December 12, 1968, due to lack of evidence. Although Gertrud K.’s statements were not always credible, they could not be refuted in court. Gertrud K. was ultimately acquitted due to lack of evidence and went into hiding after the trial. The years passed, and the memory of that terrible day not only faded from Mechtild’s memory, but also left a lasting impression on the community. Martha Iven continued to visit the Wennigloh restaurant “Waldeslust,” where she often spoke about her sister’s murder. Her horrified expression and the tears in her eyes testified to a grief that would never truly end. For many citizens of Arnsberg, the murder of Elisabeth Iven remained an unsolved mystery that hung in the air like a dark shadow. The murder of Elisabeth Iven will always be a part of Arnsberg, a memorial to the horrors that lurk in the shadows. But it also serves as a reminder that life goes on despite all the darkness, carried by the memories we preserve. And while the city celebrates Carnival and life takes its course, the story of Elisabeth Iven and her sister Martha will never be forgotten.