Editing Fritz Haarmann (section)

==Early life==
===Childhood===
Fritz Haarmann was born in [[Hanover]] on 25 October 1879, the sixth and youngest child born to Johanna (''[[née]]'' Claudius) and Ollie Haarmann.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 18">{{cite book|first1=Thomas|last1=Lessing|first2=Karl|last2=Berg|first3=George|last3=God|title=Monsters of Weimar|year=1993|publisher=Nemesis Publications|location=Berlin, Germany|isbn=1-897743-10-6|page=18}}</ref>

Haarmann was a quiet child, with few friends his own age or gender, and who seldom socialized with any children outside of school, with the exception of his siblings. From an early age, Haarmann's behaviour was noticeably [[Effeminacy|effeminate]], and he was known to shun boys' activities, instead playing with his sisters' dolls<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 23">Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} p. 23</ref> and dressing in their clothes. He also developed a passion for both [[needlework]] and cookery,<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 23"/> and would develop a close relationship with his mother, who spoiled her youngest child.<ref name="Real Life Crimes 2650">Real Life Crimes, p. 2650, {{ISBN|1-85875-440-2}}.</ref>{{refn|group=n|From his early childhood Fritz developed a bitter hatred and rivalry towards his father, which would continue until his father's death in 1921.<ref name="ReferenceB">Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} p. 21</ref>}}

Reportedly, Haarmann's father married his mother when she was 41 years old and seven years his senior, largely due to her wealth and the substantial [[dowry]] their marriage would eventually bring him. Haarmann Sr. was known to be [[argumentative]] and short-tempered and conducted several affairs throughout his marriage. Via his [[infidelity]], he contracted [[syphilis]] in his later years.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 23"/> Despite his father being an authoritarian who had little time for his children and a notorious [[Promiscuity#Male promiscuity|womanizer]], Haarmann's parents remained together until his mother's death in April 1901.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 23"/><ref name="ReferenceB">Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} p. 21</ref>

In 1886, Haarmann began his schooling; he was noted by teachers to be a spoiled and mollycoddled child who was prone to daydreaming. Although his behaviour at school was noted to be exemplary, his academic performance was below average, and Haarmann had to repeat a school year twice. On one occasion, when he was about eight years old, Haarmann was [[child molestation|molested]] by one of his teachers, although he never discussed this incident in detail.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 24">Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} p. 24</ref>

Haarmann grew into a trim, physically strong youth. With his parents' consent, he finished his schooling in 1894. Upon leaving school, Haarmann briefly obtained employment as an apprentice locksmith in [[Neuf-Brisach]] (now part of France) before opting at age 15 to enrol in a military academy in the town of [[Breisach]].<ref name="Real Life Crimes 2650"/> His military training began on 4 April 1895.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 23"/>

===Adolescence and first offences===
Haarmann initially adapted to military life and performed well as a trainee soldier. However, after five months of military service, he began to suffer periodic lapses of [[consciousness]] which, although initially described by a medical professional as being sudden signs of [[anxiety disorder|anxiety neurosis]], were subsequently diagnosed as being "equivalent to [[epilepsy]]" in October 1895. The following month, Haarmann discharged himself from the military and returned to Hanover, where he briefly worked in a cigar factory his father had established in 1888.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 24"/>

At age 16, Haarmann committed his first known sexual offences, all of which involved young boys whom he would lure to secluded areas—typically cellars—before proceeding to [[child sexual abuse|sexually abuse]] them. He was first arrested for committing offences of this nature in July 1896. Following further offences, the Division for Criminal Matters opted to place Haarmann in a [[Psychiatric hospital|mental institution]] in the city of [[Hildesheim]] in February 1897.<ref name="Monsters of Weimar p. 24"/> Although briefly transferred to a Hanover hospital for [[Psychological evaluation|psychiatric evaluation]], he would be certified as being "incurably [[Psychosis|deranged]]"<ref>Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} p. 25</ref> and unfit to stand trial by a [[psychologist]] named Gurt Schmalfuß. Schmalfuß ordered Haarmann to be confined at the mental institution indefinitely. He was returned to the institution on 28 May 1897.<ref>Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} pp. 25–26</ref>

Seven months later, in January 1898, Haarmann escaped the mental institution and, with apparent assistance from his mother, fled to [[Zürich]] in Switzerland. Here, he lived with a relative of his mother and obtained employment as a handyman in a shipyard. Haarmann remained in Zürich for sixteen months before he returned to Hanover in April 1899. Early the following year, he seduced and subsequently became engaged to a woman named Erna Loewert,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/history/haarman/5b.html|title=CrimeLibrary.com|access-date=26 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023150958/http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/history/haarman/5b.html|archive-date=23 October 2014}}</ref> who soon became pregnant with his child.{{refn|group=n|Haarmann's fiancée would later arrange for this first pregnancy to be [[abortion|aborted]].}} In October 1900, Haarmann received notification to perform his compulsory military service.<ref>Monsters of Weimar {{ISBN|1-897743-10-6}} p. 26</ref>