r/Documentaries • u/klicknack • Oct 26 '24

Mysterious The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden: full documentary [2:00:42] (2013)

https://youtu.be/k95r8-WHWVs?si=MjGbLFRFf4YKrE85
119 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

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39

u/klicknack Oct 26 '24

Submission statement: In the 1930s, the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, famed for Darwin's expedition, were thought of as the last great pristine territory, unspoiled by human habitation. In Europe, some hardy souls – disenchanted by what the first world war had revealed about humanity – decided to settle there. A German doctor called Friedrich Ritter, who had a passion for Nietzsche, left his wife and went there with a married woman, Dore Strauch.

A visiting American scientific party was fascinated by these modern-day Robinson Crusoes and effectively publicised their lives for the press back home, and Ritter was horrified when other would-be settlers turned up too. A stolid, bourgeois family, the Wittmers, arrived, and then a bizarre fantasist and adventuress who styled herself the "Baroness" Eloise von Wagner Bouquet. This sexually alluring siren caused all sorts of tensions, which led to disappearances and rumours of foul play. Actors including Cate Blanchette read from these people's diaries and published reminiscences.

(I suck at writing, so this is from this Guardian Article)

8

u/cannotfoolowls Oct 26 '24

Isn't there are movie about this whole thing from this year? Honestly you could make a seperate movie from each perspective of all involved. It's weirdly fascinating.

6

u/klicknack Oct 26 '24

Yes, the movie is called Eden.

I'd love to know more about the articles tabloids were writing about them. Apparently they made up stories about how they had stopped wearing clothes once on the island, hence dubbing them Adam and Eve. Or how they had pulled all their teeth prior to prevent dental issues and were now forced to chew their food with a pair of iron dentures. It's wild

7

u/isometric_haze Oct 26 '24

This is so cool, thanks a lot.

5

u/InSearchOfMyRose Oct 26 '24

Neat! Thank you!

10

u/essexjan Oct 26 '24

This is fantastic, and the episode of My Favorite Murder where they discussed this is one of the funniest things I've ever heard. Well worth listening to the podcast first - it's episode 129 - and then you'll get the full benefit of watching the documentary.

7

u/erwtje-be Oct 26 '24

There's a movie coming out soon about this story: Eden starring Jude Law and Ana de Armas.

1

u/SwedishSaunaSwish Oct 27 '24

This looks amazing! Reading the reviews, the director ( Ron Howard) had to dial it back a bit because the truth is too crazy.

2

u/boothash Oct 27 '24

Thanks! I did a homestay on Floreana Island a few years back, and find this story is intriguing.

1

u/klicknack Oct 27 '24

Oh interesting! Did you know about the story before deciding to go there?

Did you meet any of the descendents from the documentary?

3

u/boothash Oct 27 '24

Didn't know the story at all before visiting. Floreana was stop on an island hopping tour that visited multiple islands. The tour company arranged the homestays and several meals on the island. Our guide gave us a short version of the story and pointed out some locations at the time during our hike to explore the interior. We didn't meet any of the descendants in person.

The island is beautiful and rugged with very few people on the island and a tortoise sanctuary. There's a really nice black sand beach with lots of sea turtles and I even went snorkeling with penguins on the island - it was a highlight of my trip. I looked up the story after to learn a lot more details.

1

u/klicknack Oct 27 '24

Sounds like an awesome trip. Thanks for sharing!

1

u/hellotomorrow2020 Oct 29 '24 edited 28m ago

lord of the flies german edition.

1

u/boothash Nov 26 '24

Just leaving this here - if anyone is interested in this story, there's a new book released this month on this topic called Floreana by Midge Raymond. I just got it but haven't read it yet.

BTW free on amazon first reads this month if you have Prime.