The Von Erich Family's Nazi Curse Explained

The tragedies that plagued one of wrestling's most iconic families would seem like something only Hollywood could imagine to those not familiar with the Von Erichs. A wider audience outside of the wrestling fandom will soon be exposed to just that when A24's "The Iron Claw," starring Zach Efron, is released on December 22.

The movie follows the lives of the Von Erich brothers as they navigate their way into the world of professional wrestling, only to experience misfortune and tragedy. The "Iron Claw" trailer shows the family dealing with these various tragedies, including the multiple deaths that left only one brother alive to see the film's release. 

There's something the movie may not explore explicitly, however, due to its controversial nature. Rumors and gossip throughout history have given birth to what is now known as the "Von Erich curse," which stems from a gimmick portrayed by patriarch Jack Adkisson, also known as Fritz Von Erich, as he rose to fame during his time in the industry. The man who started the Von Erich dynasty chose to portray a Nazi, wanting to stand out as a heel. According to the superstitious rumor, that gimmick cost Fritz Von Erich dearly.

This article contains mentions of substance abuse, self-harm, and suicide.

Jack Adkisson, a former football player turned wrestler, wanted to portray a bad guy and chose the Nazi character to attract more heat from crowds. He was first noticed by Stu Hart for his size and "stereotypical German features," according to Oxygen, which published a piece on the family's "curse." The man who would soon be known as Fritz Von Erich actually had no history or connection to Germany.

The Nazi gimmick ran its course as the Von Erich sons entered the wrestling world and became more family-friendly, household names. While the Nazi-inspired side of the gimmick went away, it created many myths about what would eventually happen to the Von Erich sons.

Author David Shoemaker wrote about the curse in his book "The Squared Circle: Life, Death, And Professional Wrestling," writing the most widely disseminated story was that a ghost of a Holocaust survivor putting a curse on the real-life Adkisson as revenge for making light of Nazism. Shoemaker wrote that the ghost said that they had lost all seven sons in the death camps of World War II Germany and that the spirit "sincerely hoped nothing like that would happen to Fritz." The spirit's alleged words seem ominous now, as the man who portrayed a Nazi buried five of his sons before his own death.

The first tragedy to befall Fritz Von Erich was the death of his six-year-old son, Jack Junior. On a snow day in 1959, the child was electrocuted and drowned in a puddle in Niagara Falls, Canada. During an episode of Vice TV's "Dark Side of the Ring," Kevin Von Erich said his father would often break down in fits of violent rage following his passing.

David Von Erich was found dead in a hotel room at the age of 25. It was rumored within the wrestling sphere that he had overdosed, but the second Von Erich son to pass actually died of a gruesome medical condition. David died of a heart attack caused by acute enteritis, a condition where ruptured intestines filled his body with blood.

Three years later, in 1987, Mike Von Erich died of an overdose of tranquilizers near his childhood home. Chris Von Erich, who was also wrestling full-time alongside his brothers, also took his own life in 1991. Kevin Von Erich found his body outside the family's farm with a gunshot wound in his head.

Kerry Von Erich, perhaps the most successful brother at this point of the family's history, died by suicide at 33 years old in 1992 following a motorcycle accident that cost him his right foot. Kerry developed an addiction to painkillers prior to his death, which occurred just a week or so after his birthday.

Having buried five sons in his lifetime, Fritz Von Erich died of both brain and lung cancer at age 68. His health declined rapidly over the years following the deaths of his sons, as well as a divorce from his wife, Doris, after 40 years of marriage. The man who once portrayed a Nazi in front of wrestling fans, who was rumored to be cursed by a Holocaust survivor to see such tragedy in his lifetime, died in 1997.

The rumored "curse" on the family seems to have been "lifted" with Fritz Von Erich's death for those who choose to believe in the supernatural. His only surviving son, Kevin Von Erich, lives with his family in Hawaii and, according to The Dallas Daily News, is reported to be attending the world premiere of "The Iron Claw."

Despite the controversy behind the patriarch's beginnings, the Von Erich family was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009. Kevin was in attendance to accept the honor. The family's history with professional wrestling does not end with the induction, however, as Kerry's daughter, Lacey Von Erich, avoided the "curse," and had herself a successful run in TNA. Kevin's sons, Ross and Marshall, also followed in the family's footsteps and wrestled for Major League Wrestling.

It remains to be seen what aspects of which tragedies will be explored in "The Iron Claw" when it debuts this winter. While the numerous deaths within the family will certainly be touched upon, the "curse" caused by Fritz's portrayal of Nazism is not implied in the initial trailer. However, the film's story will become clearer when it arrives in theaters next month.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.