Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer is a three-part true-crime documentary series released on Netflix. It is produced by Beetz Brothers Film Production along with Third Eye Motion Picture Company and directed by Jan Zabeil & Caroline Schaper. Each episode has a runtime of about 34-37 minutes.
Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer investigates a series of brutal murders that shook the Berlin party scene in 2012, causing widespread alarm. The perpetrator, who had evaded capture, was finally identified after one of his intended victims managed to survive the attack.
The documentary series features Katrin Faust, Patrol Berg, Lucia Lu, Matthias, Andreas Voges, Dr Sven Hartwig, Anka Hilgert, Monika Laschke, Miroslaw Wawak, Christian Schulz, Regina Luck, Doreen, Ulrike Pohle, Dr Nahlah Saimeh, Birgit, Silke and others.
-This Article Contains Spoilers-
Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer Review
The documentary takes up the case of a mysterious death in a Berlin Nightclub called Grosse Freiheit 114. Berlin’s wild party scene is no secret and various dangerous elements are always a part of ‘having fun’, by experimenting with drugs or getting acquainted with a stranger who might have a twisted personality. For an unidentified dead body to turn up at a popular gay club’s darkroom struck fear and dread in Berlin. Especially criticising the queer people and the nightlife activities they took part in.
What was really mind-boggling for the investigators – was the lack of any evidence that could point to the cause of death. Nor could the forensic find any trace that could lead them to a potential perpetrator. The only point of hope was tracking the stolen phone and credit card, which revealed that the perpetrator tried to use it to buy train tickets. John Doe was soon identified as 32-year-old Nicky, however, there was no clue about the person who took his life.
On the same night, another man turned up at the hospital with high doses of liquid ecstasy or GHB in his body. How he was attached to the murder was the fact that his card was used to buy the same train ticket, a while later at the same ticket kiosk. Miroslaw’s statement and the whole account of how he came across a stranger at a train station and had a drink with him – became the crucial lead to identifying the anonymous killer. In order to connect the nightclub murder to Miroslaw’s attempted murder, the forensics did more tests and found the same level of the GHB drug in Nicky’s system as well.
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Tracing Miroslaw’s steps around the train station with the alleged killer, the investigators were able to get an image of the man on the CCTV. Due to bad resolution, it was still difficult to identify the man from the pixelated footage. All one could take notice of the chained dark jacket that he was wearing. With no other clue in hand, the police had to publicly broadcast all the details and start a sort of a manhunt, asking the public’s help to identify the man on the footage.
Expecting to find a way to the killer, the police didn’t expect it to become a case of a serial killer. Soon information started pouring in with a lady informing them of the death of his grandson Alexander, in his apartment, almost 9 days before Nicky’s. Even his cause of death wasn’t certain, apart from the high level of GHB in his blood. Also, his belongings, like his phone, debit card and backpack were missing, even though the victim died in his own home.
Another dead body with similar circumstances showed up after 11 days of the ongoing nightclub investigation, which eventually led to the real Killer. Although brought in on suspicion for questioning, according to the last contact made by the deceased, Dirk ended up accepting his crimes and shared how he killed them by poisoning. But what made everyone fearful of this man and his brutal monstrosity was the lack of any motive to kill his victims. The victims, seemingly chosen at random, were drugged with an unfamiliar substance or GHB, that would make them unconscious instantly and slowly killing them of high dose poisoning.
As the identity of the killer is revealed, the creators also bring Dirk’s aunt on board, sharing his life history. Although he worked as an elementary school teacher in Berlin, Dirk received training as a nurse practitioner, giving him enough knowledge of drugs and how many doses can become lethal. His aunt, Birgit shares how they practically grew up together since the age gap between them was only 10 years and reveals some gruesome details of abuse at her mother’s hand. She reveals how after her father’s death, her mother became weirdly close to Dirk, hinting at sexually abusing him from a young age.
Coming from a religious family and being an active member of the church, Dirk coming out with his sexuality was looked down upon. Birgit recalls how her mother referred to him as disgusting, after getting to know about his homosexuality. This could have been one of the factors for his move to Berlin but also the start of his lethal obsession with doing something forbidden. While it’s not definite but Dirk’s grandmother could be the first victim of his drug-led killing, since the same doses were found in her body on re-examination. Objectively, being sexually used by his grandmother but getting disowned/looked down on for his sexuality could have caused feelings of contempt or revenge to take over.
He could have killed her out of hurt but it also gave him a sense of thrill that he sought by randomly killing people in Berlin. In his testimonies, he is heard saying that he killed people for the thrill of doing something forbidden. Even though he stole their wallets and phones, he said to have had no intention of using them for material gain. This particular reason makes any person extremely dangerous since their brain is trying to get the same satisfaction as the first kill and could go to any extent and kill any number of people, with absolutely no remorse.
Even though the investigators were not able to find out the exact motives behind each killing and why he chose them, the evidence and his testimony were enough to convict him – eventually getting imprisoned for life. On one hand, one could empathise with him on some level that his exploitative childhood experience could have been the root cause behind his lethal actions. It’s quite saddening to see how his aunt was aware of the abuse yet never helped him and blindly questioned what could have led to him getting twisted in the head like that.
On the other hand, his crimes can not be forgiven. The lives he took can’t come back, leaving an empty hole in their friends and families’ lives. From his testimony, it sounds like he was quite aware of his nefarious intentions and knew better that he needed help. Yet acting on those impulses makes him akin to a monster and could be the reason why he took his own life as well, unable to break out of the loop of hurt, pain and impulses.
Rating: 3.5/5
Crime Scene Berlin: Nightlife Killer is available to watch on Netflix.
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