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The FOX True Crime Podcast w/ Emily Compagno

Disappearance In The Galápagos: The Mystery Of Floreana

The FOX True Crime Podcast w/ Emily Compagno

Fox News

True Crime

4.8708 Ratings

🗓️ 3 December 2024

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the early 1930s, a group of Europeans set out for the Galápagos Islands, hoping to start a new life on the island of Floreana and take advantage of all the riches it had to offer. Though life at first was seemingly peaceful, tensions soon boiled. After the strange disappearances of some of the island's settlers, the illusion of paradise was soon shattered as Floreana became shrouded in conflict, suspicion, and mystery. Author Midge Raymond has studied the bizarre history of the island and shares the fascinating story of the settlers as reimagined in her new novel, Floreana. Follow Emily on Instagram: @realemilycompagno If you have a story or topic we should feature on the FOX True Crime Podcast, send us an email at: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:33.4

Born of volcanic eruptions deep from within the Pacific Ocean, the island of Floriana sits at the southern point of the Galapagos Islands.

0:43.1

Surrounded by Sapphire seas, the island caught the attention of an unconventional group of settlers,

0:49.0

each of whom saw the destination as a utopic Garden of Eden, untouched by man.

0:57.8

In 1929, two lovers from Germany,

1:04.3

Dr. Friedrich Ritter and Doris Drauch became the Adam and Eve of Floriana. The couple fled their lives and respective partners in Berlin to escape to live freely with each other on the island.

1:10.4

Three years later, another family followed suit.

1:13.3

World War I veteran Heinz Vitmer sought a warm environment for his sickly son, Harry.

1:18.8

Heinz, along with his son and his pregnant wife, Margaret, moved to Floriana.

1:23.8

The settlers of Floriana were hospitable for some time.

1:27.0

However, the arrival of a dramatic trio soon disrupted the peace of the island. A woman who called herself the Baroness arrived to Floriana accompanied by her two young lovers, Robert Philipson and Rudolf Lorenz. The bold and brash lifestyle of the older baroness and her entourage tested the patience

1:45.7

of the previous settlers. The illusion of paradise was soon shattered on Floriana as the island was

1:52.3

shrouded with tension, conflict, suspicion, and ultimately a mystery of the missing.

2:04.8

I'm Emily Campano, and this is the Fox True Crime podcast. Thank you. In March of 1939, the Baroness mysteriously vanished, along with one of her lovers, Philip.

2:43.1

The islanders' accounts of their disappearances vastly differed, and still today, we are nowhere

2:48.9

closer to having an answer.

2:51.2

Margaret Vitmer claimed that the pair escaped the island on a passing yacht headed for Tahiti,

...

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