A Podcast on Nazi Berlin serial killer Paul Ogorzow: The S-Bahn Murderer
Berlin, the capital of Nazi Germany during the early 1940s, witnessed a series of horrific crimes that are chilling even by today's standards. Known as the S-Bahn Murderer, Paul Ogorzow was able to go undetected due to the Nazi’s inability to suspect one of their own, and Joseph Goebbels’ ban on the press reporting on the story. Ogorzow murdered several women in and around Berlin’s commuter train system, the S-Bahn, using the blackouts of WWII for cover.
Paul Ogorzow, his murders and the story of the detective, Wilhelm Lüdtke, who eventually caught him, are the subject of episode 3 of History Flakes - The Berlin History Podcast hosted by me and the excellent Pip Roper! Listen below, and subscribe to History Flakes for more Berlin stories.
For more information on the S-Bahn Murderer, read on!
The Berlin S-Bahn as it looks today, near Warschauer Strasse station. Ogorzow’s murders took place a little East of here.
The Berlin S-Bahn
Before delving into the gruesome details of Ogorzow's crimes, it's essential to understand what the S-Bahn is. The S-Bahn, or Schnellbahn (although the meaning of the “S” is disputed), is one of Berlin’s two local train networks, the other being the bright yellow U-Bahn. The S-Bahn known for its distinctive beige and burgundy colour scheme, and has been transporting Berliners around the Hauptstadt since the middle of the 19th Century.
The Crimes of Paul Ogorzow
Paul Ogorzow, employed by the Reichsbahn (the national railway), was a seemingly ordinary signalman and a member of the Nazi party's Sturmabteilung, more commonly known as the SA, or the Storm Troopers. Beneath this mundane exterior lurked a violent predator who exploited the wartime blackouts to carry out his attacks. What began as harassment would escalate to brutal physical violence and eventually murder.
Ogorzow’s method was ruthless and calculated. He targeted lone women traveling on the S-Bahn, often during late hours, using the cover of darkness provided by blackouts meant to keep Berliners safe from WWII air raids. His attacks began with assaults and quickly escalated to throwing his victims from the moving trains, leading to multiple deaths.
Investigation and Capture
The rise in violent crimes on the S-Bahn did not go unnoticed. The Nazi propaganda machine, headed by Joseph Goebbels, was keen to maintain public morale. As a result the press were banned from mentioning the murders at all. This gave Ogorzow significant cover for his attacks, and of course put more women in danger. The situation escalated to such a level that eventually the Nazis had to acknowledge the situation. The criminal police, or Kripo, led by SS officer Wilhelm Lüdtke, took charge of the investigation, though identifying Ogorzow was far from simple.
The breakthrough in the case came when Ogorzow’s pattern of not being present at his workplace during the crimes was noticed. Under interrogation, Ogorzow tried to deflect blame but eventually confessed to his crimes when confronted directly with evidence. After a short trial he was executed by guillotine in July 1941, 24 days after his final attack.
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