The Köpenick City Hall didn’t become popular throughout Germany’s borders because of its impressive architecture, but because of the cheap trick of a false captain of Köpenick at the beginning of the 20^th century. Wilhelm Voigt, who had spent many years of his life in jail, arrested mayor Dr. Langerhans and cashier von Wiltburg. He demanded the closing of the cash accounts, for he had “taken over the city’s administration”. The cash balance was 4.002 Marks and 37 Pence according to the cash book. After Voigt had signed an acknowledgment he disappeared with 3.557 Marks and 45 Pence. In order to achieve this trick he had bought a uniform from an officer of the imperial guard at a flea market in Potsdam. On October 16, 1906 he ordered official soldiers coming from their sentry in Berlin, to go to Köpenick with him and occupy the city hall. The whole world was amused. Unintentionally, Voigt exposed the Prussian obedience as part of the Wilhelminian subservience. He was arrested ten days after the coup and sentenced to 4 years in jail. Voigt was amnestied by the emperor after two years in prison.

Less tragic than on stage and in movies was Wilhelm Voigt’s real life after his early dismissal from jail. He earned money by selling his biography “Mein Lebensbild” (my picture of life), released by a publisher in Leipzig in 1909. In Mai 1909 he got the right to live in Luxemburg. During the following years he travelled to France, Canada, America and Great Britain. On April 30, 1910 he moved into an apartment in Rue du Fort Neyperg belonging to the Blum family. He banked the money he had earned during his trips at the Circus Barnum & Balley by playing the captain of Köpenick and lived decent but honest only on income return until he died on January 3, 1922. His grave is located at the “Liebfrauencemetary” (Cimetière Notre-Dame) in Luxemburg near the graveyard wall.