Unknown newspaper,  Year 61 , No. 170, page 3 from the archives
of the family Mannl

The execution of  Grete Beier.
 

The last act in the great tragedy of the Beier family took place this morning. The head of  Grete Beier fell  under the blade of the Guillotine . The  father , dead,  with the suspicion of  perjury , the mother in the penintentiary, the daughter on the scaffold.

The drama of  this family was no longer capable of  a further increase, and the whole shaking tragedy, which fell over the concerned persons, was again remembered this morning in the northern yard of the Freiberg regional court building. Those who were witnesses of  these dark moments, over which   laid a  depressing  silence, will never forget it.

In the yard  of the regional court building about  200 gentlemen, under them numerous officers of the local  battalion, law officers, different members of the jury, teachers of the local  high school, physicians etc. had gathered

In the corner at the wing centre the Guillotine had been erected. The lateral door in the wing of the public prosecutor's office opened five minutes before 6.30 p.m., and, led from the public prosecutor. Dr. Mannl, who was in charge of the public accusation in the murder trial against Grete Beier, the judges under her chairman Dr. Rudert, as well as the twelve witnesses (to the major part  gentlemen of the local highschool) , Mr.  Oberstaatsanwalt Bernhard, the mayor Blueher and some other gentlemen came out. The public prosecutor as well as the judges carried robe .

Some fearful  seconds passed, the public prosecutor spoke still few words with the national executioner, who was waiting dressed in black together  with its two assistants at the stairs of the Guillotine.
 

At precisely 6.30 a strident bell sound gave the signal to the start of the prisoner's  last way. Everyone's look was directed to the  backside from where , through flowering gardens, the condemned was supposed to appear.
 Slowly she came along , at her side her defender in the robe, Mr. Rechtsanwalt Dr. Knoll from  Dresden, to her  left the prison parson in the ornat, Mr. Pastor Schmidt, which gave  to the condemned woman words of courage and comfort.
Grete Beier kept the hands folded and looked to the ground , but she walked upright the head slightly inclined forward.

Like  during the two-day trial , nothing in her face betrayed the feelings of the murderess , she was completely calm - and this stony calmness looked  almost frightful.

Slowly, almost hesitating she walked forward. On her black dress, the  neck was exposed .
Thus she approached  her prosecutor and the judges. The public prosecutor Dr. Mannl stepped forwards, with elevated voice spoke he the following: " Maria Margarete Beier from Erbisdorf was condemned to death by the regional court Freiberg. The judgement has become valid. His majesty the king did not feel compelled to make use from its power of pardon .The judgement is to be carried out therefore. Mr. Landesscharfrichter Brandt, I transfer the delinquent to you."

In the meantime te clergyman and the defender had withdrawn.
 The executioner and an assistant slowly led the condemned  to the scaffold and the five steps up.

Grete Beier approached the scaffold, whose board had been provided with an supplementary step, in order to adapt it the small stature of the condemned .

Which followed now, took place very fast. The buckles closed behind the back of the delinquent. The board was tilted into horizontal position.

Then the murderess called out ! It sounded fearful, anguished, like a long retained despair; " Father, into Your hands I lay my soul - - -Father!!"
then the  ring at the neck closed and the blade rushed down.

The executioner took off his hat and announced to the public prosecutor:
" Herr Staatsanwalt , the judgement is executed. "

The last act  , from the instant when the  delinquent left the prison building up to the execution took only 3 minutes .

The public prosecutor requested the people who were present at the execution  to depart calmly. When the witnesses of the execution left by a side way, in which already waited the flower-decorated hearse, which will bring the body of  Grete Beier to Dresden, a huge crowd waited outside.

The body will be buried beside the grave of the father.

Grete Beier remained until her death an unresolved mystery. Until her last minutes she showed a self-control , which in the same condition  , a man would hardly  have proven.

Please note that the website I  refer to is exclusively in German !