Dignidad: A Nazi Cult in Chile

Oct 26 2021 15 mins 2
Dignidad: A Nazi Cult in Chile Podcast artwork

Deep in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, a cult run by former Nazis perpetuated a cycle of horror and destruction. In operation for decades under the leadership of Paul Shafer and influenced by Evangelical Revivalist Christianity, Colonia Dignidad was endorsed by the military dictatorship in Chile.

Like many cults, it began with a promise of living off the land and being closer to nature, and far from potential convictions of Nazi crimes. For Paul Shafer, Colonia Dignidad became a pedophile’s paradise, and haven for torture.

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Episode 4: Villa Baviera

Oct 26 2021 19 mins  
What happened to the former leaders of Colonia Dignidad? What happened to the members of the colony? What happened to the Colony itself? Today, there are guided tours of the place where Shafer abused and raped dozens and dozens of boys. Beers are poured above the floorboards where hundreds of enemies of Pinochet, and members of the colony to stay subservient were tortured in the bu

Episode 3: Torture Camp

Oct 13 2021 13 mins  
When the coupe led by Pinochet overthrew the democratic government in 1973, the bonds between the colony and the government deepened. Each needed something from the other - Colonia Dignidad needed protection to do what it wanted, and Pinochet’s military dictatorship needed a place to carry out unspeakable deeds against enemies of the state.

Episode 2: A Fortress in the Forest

Oct 07 2021 19 mins  
Located 220 miles south of Santiago in the Province of Linares, Colonia Dignidad is separated and secluded from any major city. The location was chosen and constructed so that even if anyone managed to escape the barbed wire fence that surrounded the compound, the armed guards and dogs, there was nowhere to run. What else is hiding within the walls of the commune?

Episode 1: The Bad Shepherd

Sep 29 2021 15 mins  
In operation for decades under the leadership of Paul Shafer and influenced by Evangelical Revivalist Christianity, Colonia Dignidad was endorsed by the military dictatorship in Chile. Like many cults, it began with a promise of living off the land and being closer to nature, and far from potential convictions of Nazi crimes.