Urban Legends: Hippo Eats Dwarf

Image belongs to Stephan Steinbauer

In 1988 The National Lampoon Magazine would post an article. In the article, an Austrian circus dwarf would die in front of 7,000 people. Franz Dasch was jumping on the trampoline for the show but accidentally went sideways. He landed in the mouth of Hilda the Hippo, and because of the animal's gag reflex, she swallowed him. This horrified others who were in the circus, but the crowd cheered and clapped thinking it was a part of the show. The magazine would claim that they had gotten the article from the Las Vegas Sun. This would begin to spread around.

The thing is, this story was made up. In the 1990's this same story appeared again, but this time it happened to a Thailand performer called Od. Newpapers would start posting this story as truth, being tricked. This urban legend would then be spread about and believed.

SOURCES:
Snopes
Wikipedia

July 4, 1999 Marchegg, Austria John Doe

 

On July 4, 1999, the body of a man was found in Marchegg, Austria. It's possible he drowned to death. 

John Doe was 20 to 40-years-old. He was 167 cm (5'6") and 60 kg (130 lbs). He had an athletic build. He had dark brown hair about 4 cm long. He was missing teeth and had signs of early caries. He was wearing a blue stonewashed button-up denim Cars Jeanswear (part of "Sportswear Eryilmaz Collection) jeans size 12 31x32 - both legs were rolled up about 7-8 cm, a possible size XL Victoria sportswear collared shirt with red, green, blue, and black horizontal stripes, a black leather belt engraved with Levi's, Wrangler, and Lee Cooper with three each 10 cm wide rivets sections, each with a star in the 18 cm wide space, and a pair of size 7.5 white leather Puma training shoes with white-yellow soles and white shoelaces.


SOURCES:
Bundesministerium für Inneres

Doe Network