Crime History: Der mordende Polizist - Bluttat im Rausch
Summary
This episode of Crime History investigates the 1924 double murder of a mother and daughter in Berlin by police officer Bruno Gerd. Hosts Jana Falkenstein and Florian Prokop, with historian Regina Stürico, analyze police records revealing Gerd’s impotence and violent upbringing as key motives. The story covers the investigation, Gerd’s confession, and his controversial trial involving expert testimony from Magnus Hirschfeld.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The gruesome discovery of two bodies in Kreuzberg
Victim profiles and the nightlife culture of 1920s Berlin
The night of the murder: Pub crawl and the police officer
Witness testimonies and the identification of the suspect
Investigation: Identifying Bruno Gerd and finding evidence
Gerd's confession: The struggle and the murders
Details of the crime: Strangulation, stabbing, and mutilation
Bruno Gerd's biography: Abusive childhood and WWI trauma
Public shock and the history of police training in the Weimar Republic
The trial: Medical experts and the insanity defense
Verdict, institutionalization, and Gerd's tragic fate
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