Attack in Krakow

Mother of Two Killed: “We Are Speechless and Angry”

Deep grief and sheer horror in Krakow. People weeping, burning candles, and silent condolences characterize the scene following the deadly attack.(Bild: AFP/WOJTEK RADWANSKI)

Deep shock in the small Marchfeld community of Lassee (Lower Austria): Huberta F., a mother of two, was killed in the attack in Krakow. Her husband is in the hospital. Neighbors and friends cannot believe what has happened.

In Lassee, in the district of Gänserndorf (Lower Austria), thick fog hangs low over the ground two days after the horrific attack in Poland. The mood is somber; here and there, children can be heard playing. Among the adults, people speak in hushed tones, shaking their heads and wearing expressions of horror. Everyone is talking about her—Huberta.

The 51-year-old was deeply rooted in the village of just under 3,000 residents. On Saturday, the mother of two lost her life—in a horrific hail of bullets in the heart of Krakow. “I only knew her by sight, but Huberta was always friendly. I can’t believe what happened,” a local resident tells the “Krone” through tears during a visit to the scene.

In a small town like this, everyone knows each other. People run into one another while shopping, on the street, or out for a walk. The 51-year-old was a familiar face to many. She is remembered by everyone as a kind woman. A retiree—whom the “Krone” happened to meet on the street—also knew the lovable mother.

The two would often have pleasant conversations whenever Huberta was out and about on her bike. Many admired her for that, by the way. It’s said that the 51-year-old herself “hadn’t been in top shape or completely healthy for quite some time.” She is said to have suffered from a chronic illness. But she didn’t let it get her down. “Unbelievable,” a baker also commented on the woman’s tragic fate. She regularly visited the bakery—and it is precisely these everyday encounters that connect people in the community of Lassee.

I can’t believe what happened.

Eine Einheimische unter Tränen zur „Krone“

A short vacation together ended fatally for Huberta
It’s all the more terrible that this woman passed away far too soon. After all, it was supposed to be just a nice short vacation for the married couple, Huberta and Rudi. This time, they traveled to Kraków, Poland. But no one could have anticipated that Michał O. would carry out his cruel plans that Saturday. Her husband was also seriously injured. He remained in a hospital in Poland until yesterday but has since been transferred to Austria. For the family, nothing is the same as it once was.

What remains are memories of Huberta’s face, which was simply part of the familiar landscape in Lassee. Memories of the mother of two daughters, Rudi’s wife—and of a person whose life tragically ended while on vacation. One woman sums up the mood: “We’re simply speechless and angry!”