Colonia Dignidad S01E01

In the aftermath of World War II, Paul Schäfer, a man who called himself a preacher, gathered a group of followers in Germany. Together, they established a youth home near Cologne. However, in 1961, Schäfer was forced to escape, prompting many of his devotees to accompany him to Chile. In a remote location 350 kilometers south of Santiago, they began constructing Colonia Dignidad, envisioning it to be a utopian village complete with various facilities for work and agriculture. Sadly, what was meant to be a paradise swiftly transformed into a nightmare as reports of forced labor, brutality, and sexual abuse emerged. Following the military coup in 1973, Schäfer aligned himself with the new regime, allowing figures like secret police chief Manuel Contreras and dictator Augusto Pinochet to visit the colony, where dissenters of the oppressive government were subjected to torture and execution in underground chambers. Through a comprehensive examination of unearthed archives and firsthand testimonies, this compelling 4-part documentary series delves into the intricate 50-year saga involving the perpetrators, victims, sympathizers, and adversaries connected to this infamous site that symbolizes pure malevolence.