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WW2 Serial Killer Even the Nazis Wanted Dead - Dr. Satan

The Infographics Show・25 minutes read

Dr. Satan, also known as Marcel Petiot, was a highly educated psychopath who evaded capture while committing heinous crimes, including administering lethal doses of morphine to his victims. Despite claiming to aid the French Resistance, Petiot lured people to his house, promising safety, only to murder them, leading to his arrest in 1943 and eventual execution in 1946.

Insights

  • Marcel Petiot, known as Dr. Satan, was a highly educated psychopath who managed to evade capture despite exhibiting psychopathic tendencies, escalating criminal activities, and committing heinous crimes, including administering lethal doses of morphine to victims.
  • Despite claiming to aid the French Resistance and justifying his actions as targeting "enemies of France," investigations revealed that Marcel Petiot's stories of patriotic acts were fantasies, with no evidence of his involvement in resistance activities. His reign of terror ended when he was recognized, arrested, and eventually executed, facing charges of killing 27 people, though experts believed he may have murdered up to 150 individuals.

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Recent questions

  • Who was Dr. Satan?

    Marcel Petiot

  • What led to Marcel Petiot's arrest?

    The Gestapo devised a plan.

  • How did Marcel Petiot meet his end?

    He faced a guillotine execution.

  • What was Marcel Petiot's background?

    Born in Auxerre, exhibited delinquent behavior.

  • How did Marcel Petiot evade capture for so long?

    Skilled manipulator, counterfeited documents.

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Summary

00:00

"Paris' Nazi-Fearing Maniac: Dr. Satan's Reign"

  • In the early 1940s, Paris was under Nazi control, but even they feared a maniac with a potential body count of 150, known as Dr. Satan.
  • Dr. Satan, whose real name was Marcel Petiot, was a highly educated psychopath who proved elusive to capture.
  • Born in Auxerre on January 17, 1897, Petiot exhibited delinquent behavior from a young age, including threatening a girl with a gun at 11.
  • Despite being evaluated by professionals and diagnosed with mental illnesses, Petiot managed to join the French Army during World War I.
  • Petiot's mental health deteriorated after being gassed and wounded in battle, leading to a complete breakdown and subsequent psychiatric hospitalization.
  • Released in 1919, Petiot pursued a medical degree, establishing a practice in Villeneuve sur Yonne, where he exhibited psychopathic tendencies, including stealing and prescribing morphine recklessly.
  • Petiot's criminal activities escalated, with suspicions arising around the disappearance of Louise Delaveau, a young woman he was involved with.
  • Petiot's ambition led him to become the town mayor through deceitful means, engaging in theft and corruption while in office.
  • Accusations of theft and involvement in a murder case further tainted Petiot's reputation, leading to his resignation as mayor and subsequent legal troubles.
  • Petiot's move to Paris marked a turning point, where he established a fraudulent medical practice on Rue de Caumartin, dispensing morphine liberally for various ailments, solidifying his reputation as a dangerous criminal.

10:44

Petiot: Master Manipulator and Serial Killer

  • Petiot was a skilled manipulator, counterfeiting documents to secure a job despite his criminal past.
  • He used his position to commit heinous crimes, such as administering lethal doses of morphine to victims like Raymonde Hanss.
  • Despite suspicions raised by victims' families, investigations often failed to hold Petiot accountable.
  • Petiot's criminal activities escalated, including shoplifting, assault on a police officer, and tax evasion.
  • With the outbreak of war in 1939, Petiot exploited the chaos to engage in further criminal activities.
  • He began a scheme to provide fake medical certificates to help people escape Nazi occupation, charging exorbitant fees.
  • Petiot claimed to be aiding the French Resistance, but in reality, he lured victims to his house, promising safe passage and then murdering them.
  • The Gestapo caught wind of Petiot's activities and devised a plan to capture him, leading to his arrest in 1943.
  • Petiot's house of horrors was discovered in 1944, revealing a gruesome scene of body parts and human remains.
  • Despite attempts to evade capture and adopt new identities, Petiot was eventually recognized and arrested in Paris, ending his reign of terror.

21:29

Petiot: France's Killer or Patriot?

  • Defense argued in court that Petiot only killed "enemies of France" and claimed the bodies found were not his doing, attributing them to collaborators killed by his network. However, investigations revealed his stories of patriotic acts were fantasies, with no evidence of his involvement in resistance activities.
  • Petiot was charged with killing 27 people and amassing 200 million Francs in valuables, though experts believed he may have murdered up to 150 individuals. Despite admitting to 63 killings, he nonchalantly faced his execution on May 25, 1946, declining a priest's visit, and calmly smoking a last cigarette before his guillotine execution at 5.05 am, where he smiled for the last time.
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