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Zbrodnia w raju. W poszukiwaniu utopii na Galapagos

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Nazywali ich "Adamem i Ewą z Floreany". Gazety na całym świecie rozpisywały się o parze kochanków, Friedrichu i Dore, którzy wiedli samowystarczalne życie na jednej z bezludnych wysp Galapagos. On – niemiecki lekarz, egoista i brutalny despota. Ona – ślepo zapatrzona w ukochanego, przekonana, że nic nie zakłóci im szczęścia w głuszy.

Szybko jednak na wyspie pojawili się intruzi. Przybywali skuszeni niezwykłą przyrodą i zamglonym wulkanicznym krajobrazem, a przede wszystkim wizją odosobnienia. Najpierw małżeństwo Wittmerów, a jakiś czas później – ekscentryczna baronessa Eloise Wagner de Bosquet z dwoma młodszymi kochankami. Uważała, że arystokratyczne pochodzenie daje jej prawo do władania wyspą, i zamierzała wybudować na Galapagos luksusowy hotel.

Konflikty między mieszkańcami narastały, aż wreszcie baronessa i jej kochanek zniknęli bez śladu. Co się z nimi stało? A może raczej: kto się ich pozbył? Każdy mieszkaniec wyspy miał powód, by skrzywdzić arystokratkę. To jednak nie koniec – krótko potem dwie osoby zmarły w podejrzanych okolicznościach.

Zbrodnia w raju to niepokojąca opowieść o grupie ludzi pragnących u progu XX wieku uciec przed cywilizacją, a przede wszystkim – szczegółowa rekonstrukcja wydarzeń, które doprowadziły do tragedii.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

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John Treherne

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Joanna.
263 reviews319 followers
March 26, 2025
Najciekawsze, najbardziej nieprawdopodobne historie pisze samo życie, a “Zbrodnia w raju” jest najlepszym przykładem na potwierdzenie tej tezy. John Treherne swoim reportażem funduje czytelnikom emocjonującą, a przy okazji i najtańszą wycieczkę na Galapagos. Jak się okazuje “tanio” i “dobrze” może iść w parze, ale są haczyki! Nie liczcie na wakacje rodem z broszur biur turystycznych, żadne all-inclusive czy całodzienne wylegiwanie się na leżaku. Wieczorne imprezy spędzone w wybornym towarzystwie? Zapomnijcie! Towarzystwo owszem jest, ale składające się niemal wyłącznie z wybitnie antypatycznych oryginałów. Rozrywki? Jeśli dla kogoś survival równa się wyśmienita zabawa to na brak przyjemności narzekać zdecydowanie nie będzie.

Treherne przybliża czytelnikom mało znaną i zapomnianą, a iście fascynującą i niewiarygodną oraz pełną tajemnic historię pierwszych “stałych” mieszkańców należącej do archipelagu Galapagos wyspy Floreany. Jak na ironię urocza nazwa wyspy jest kompletnym zaprzeczeniem wydarzeń, których ta była świadkiem w latach 30 ubiegłego wieku. Czy pokojowa współegzystencja charyzmatycznych silnych charakterów, ekscentrycznych oryginałów miała szansę się udać? Zapewne wszyscy mamy w głowie jedyny możliwy obraz takiej sytuacji. Ale chwila moment! To, co w rzeczywistości działo się na wyspie, faktyczny przebieg wydarzeń - nawet w najbardziej obłąkańczych snach będących wynikiem gorączki sięgającej 40 stopni by Wam się nie objawił. Kradzieże i przywłaszczenia, manipulacje, pyskówki i kłótnie “godne” dzisiejszych pato-celebrytów, polowania na wszystkie możliwe rodzaje zwierząt - tak, w tym i na ludzi, otrucia, (prawdopodobnie i) morderstwa.

Plejada głównych bohaterów jest nie mniej barwna - bucowaty przemocowiec wannabe-wizjoner filozofii ze swoją zalęknioną i uległą partnerką, fałszywa baronessa - wichrzycielka, intrygantka, nimfomanka, złodziejka, mitomanka, histeryczka ze swoją świtą dwóch rywalizujących ze sobą kochanków oraz wypadająca “blado” na tle tego towarzystwa zubożała niemiecka rodzina z dwójką małych dzieci.

Poza centralną historią burzliwych losów mieszkańców autor wspaniale, wybitnie obrazowo opisuje przyrodę, całą geografię archipelagu Galapagos, a w szczególności wyspy Floreany - zarówno jej piękną, zapierającą dech w piersiach stronę jak i tę surową - wulkaniczną, błotnistą, dla człowieka nieprzyjazną i śmiertelnie niebezpieczną. Film przyrodniczy BBC w wersji książkowej! Pierwszorzędnie oddany jest klimat ciągłego niepokoju wynikającego i z nieprzyjaznego towarzystwa i ze zdania się, niemal kompletnej zależności człowieka od sił natury, izolacji od „cywilizowanego” świata. Cały czas czuć, że tragedia wisi tu w powietrzu. Momentami czyta się ten reportaż jak najstraszniejszą, rasową powieść grozy.

Reporterski warsztat autora także jest bez zarzutu. Treherne jeszcze przed właściwą lekturą, we wstępie przyznaje się czytelnikom, że jego reportaż nie jest kompletny, totalny - bowiem opisuje wydarzenia mające miejsce parę dekad wcześniej, których jedynymi świadkami były osoby będące jednocześnie i współuczestnikami, do tego mocno ze sobą skonfliktowane, a gdyby tego jeszcze było mało - to wielokrotnie w czasie zmieniające zdanie i wersje historii. Ideał wiarygodności. Mimo tych przeszkód Treherne postarał się o napisanie jak najbardziej obiektywnego reportażu - z kart książki nie da się wyczuć czy wziął którąś ze stron - wszystkie zdarzenia relacjonuje na podstawie najwiarygodniejszych, możliwie najliczniejszych źródeł. W przypadku wątpliwości, występowania kilku równie prawdopodobnych wersji - autor o tych niejasnościach informuje. Jak na tak starą, tajemniczą, pełną sekretów historię to i tak rzetelne odtworzenia ówczesnych wydarzeń jest godne podziwu.

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Profile Image for Nancy Oakes.
2,022 reviews934 followers
Read
May 24, 2016
read in April

I've posted about this book, along with the two others mentioned here (which should actually be read together for a more complete picture) at my reading journal. If, however, you're at all interested, Treherne's account will still make sense without having to read the others, since he quite deftly summarizes both memoirs without leaving out anything important.

After he had read various accounts about the strange mystery of the disappearing Baroness that took place on the small island of Floreana in the Galapagos archipelago in the 1930s, the author decided that he would "set out to follow the clues and solve the mystery." Using accounts by two women who were there at the time (Floreana, by Margret Wittmer and Satan Came to Eden: A Survivor's Account of the "Galapagos Affair", by Dore Strauch, the author also turns to outside, independent accounts to try to figure out what actually happened. He also examines whether or not the death of Dore Strauch's lover Friedrich Ritter was an accident or a murder. It's a sordid and twisted set of tales, and definitely a book worth reading if you're into historical true crime.

Profile Image for Carolyn Walsh .
1,923 reviews562 followers
June 30, 2015
3.5 stars. Last week I watched an excellent documentary film, The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden. I had read this book twenty years ago while visiting the Galapagos as well as some other books about the unusual people and bizarre events that occurred there involving the earliest settlers to the dry volcanic island of Floreana. I wanted to re read the book as the film showed photos of the inhabitants I had not seen, as well as short film taken at the time, also interviews.
The settlement started in 1932, and of the 9 people who originally lived in 3 separate areas, by 1934 four were dead by mysterious means. Others who had come to visit and to bring gifts and supplies to the inhabitants often were forced to flee the island.
The first two families did not get along. The first settlers were a German couple, Dr. Ritter and his mistress Dora Strauch who left their married spouses to find solitude. Dr. Ritter fancied himself a philosopher and believed women should be subservient. There was a lot of hostility and later emotional and some physical abuse of Dora. Sensational press stories drew more people to the island. The next settlers were the Wittmers , a father, his pregnant wife and a a sickly teenaged son. The two families did not get along. Yachts and scientific vessels often dropped off gifts and supplies for these people and reporters were anxious to interview them.
The next to settle was a woman who claimed to be a Baroness, who arrived with 3 lovers (slaves, servants?) She carried guns and a whip and soon claimed to be Empress of Floreana. Some coming to shore to hunt and study the vegetation were run off at gun point after being told she owned the deserted fishing shelter and all the animals. She made life miserable for the original families, stealing their supplies, opening their mail, and making threats. She even took shipwrecked honeymooners and the ship crew prisoner at gun point. It was obvious she was mistreating the man who was her favourite, Lorenz, by whipping, starving and forcing him to do most of the work. He was replaced in her affections by a second man, Philippson, who helped her mistreat Lorenz, but he also started showing up with wounds.
Dr. Ritter was frightened and wrote to the Governor for help regarding the 'Baroness' who seemed to be out of control and was regarded as a sex maniac. After several pleas to the Governor he finally arrived on Floreana with an interpreter named Arends. The Governor instead of helping the two families took the 'Baroness' on a holiday to another island much to everyone's dismay. Soon Arends moved in with the Baroness and her other men.
There was a hunting party set up by the 'Empress'. A German journalist was on the island with his brother Linde, who was considered very handsome. Apparently the 'Baroness' planned to shoot Linde in the leg, as she bragged that is how she tamed animals by nursing them back to health, and it would be a good way to capture men. The gun misfired and Arends was badly wounded and she looked after him instead.
In 1934 the 'Baroness' and Philippson vanished leaving their belongings behind. It was believed they were murdered. Everyone had motives and told conflicting stories about their knowledge of events surrounding the disappearance. Even minor events of their time on the island were described very differently by participants. Lorenz was suspected of the murders by the both families, but he was so sick and weak at the time it doesn't seem likely. Dora Strauch and Margaret Wittmers seemed to know something but their stories were contradictory or evasive. Not long after Dr. Ritter died of poison. Again Dora and Margaret's stories of his last hours were very different.
The book shows that everyone or anyone could be guilty. The narrative seemed rather disjointed but it leaves us with a fascinating mystery.
Profile Image for Heather.
76 reviews18 followers
June 7, 2010
So, people were completely crazy even back in the 1930s. I'll go with what Paul Theroux had to say about this book.
"This is a brilliant tale of mystery...It has a sex-mad baroness, a crackpot philosopher, a number of pirates, some pioneers and some nudists. It also has deaths and disappareances; and mayhem; and a man who believes it is possible to live exclusively on figs."
If you've visited the Galapagos Islands, you will want to read this.
Profile Image for cellomerl.
634 reviews1 follower
December 9, 2019
I suspect that the odd characters in this book have been obscured by the momentous events that immediately followed their escapades, making them merely footnotes in world history.
I can’t say anything more profound about this book except that I hope never to meet anyone remotely resembling any of the denizens of this island.
Profile Image for Tony.
1,038 reviews1,921 followers
April 4, 2011
Floreana is one of the islands in Judith Schalansky's Atlas of Remote Islands, the scene of murder, suicide, or some unexplained events. "The Galapagos Affair" she called it. That rang a bell. And, yes, I had indeed purchased The Galapagos Affair during a Darwinian phase I went through. It had been waiting patiently and unread on a shelf.

Ever get in the mood where you've had enough? Enough traffic? Enough supervision? Enough rules, regulations, unsolicited mail, government? Enough, well, people?

In 1929, Friedrich and Dore had had enough. Friedrich was a doctor and dentist with a pretention to becoming the next great philosopher, a neo-Nietzsche. Dore, a teacher with Multiple Sclerosis, went to him for treatment. Unconventionally, Friedrich 'cured' her by training her power of will. Or so she believed. Friedrich had a dim view of people and things. He convinced Dore to chuck it all and flee with him to a remote island in the Galapagos where they could have their own Utopia. They left their respective spouses and families and off they went.

They became celebrated, despite their flight. People thrilled to stories of Adam and Eve in their nudist idyll. So, others followed: another German family and then a 'Baroness' with two lovers.

It may seem obvious in retrospect, but people who will flee society to live in solitude will not get along with other people sharing the same vision.

Bad stuff happens. Was it murder, suicide, accident? The author does a better job of telling the story than of unraveling the mystery.

After it all, Dore returns to civilization, which in her circumstance was Nazi Germany. What would Darwin have thought about that?
Profile Image for Zella Kate.
408 reviews21 followers
June 22, 2025
This is an earlier book on the bizarre Galapagos story that Eden Undone also covers. I really enjoyed this book too. Treherne is readable and relays the facts while also reasoning, quite realistically, in my opinion, what actually happened. I agree with him that the Wittmers seem like more reliable witnesses than the Ritters.
Profile Image for Libby.
1,327 reviews
Read
July 24, 2025
(P-Lib) I watched the documentary of this story with Joe, Janet & Hank, but I decided to read the book to see how it compares. I didn't really learn anything new by reading this, and I hate that we will never really know what happened to the Baroness and her lover. I don't think Dore purposely killed Ritter with the poisoned meat, but I might be in the minority about that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mary.
9 reviews
November 2, 2013
Read while sailing around the Galapagos Islands, fascinating....
16 reviews
July 2, 2016
This book proves we are our own worst enemies. Let's reproduce everything we were trying to get away from thousands of miles away.
86 reviews
July 5, 2023
This is a crazy story, I’m surprised there was never a Hollywood movie based on it.
14 reviews
May 25, 2024
Historia o oderwanym od rzeczywistości lekarzu, jego biednej kompance. Prawej rodzinie Wittmerów oraz totalnie niezrównoważonej baronessie i jej kompanom bardzo mnie wciągnęła. Do tego motyw bezludnej wyspy, prob oswojenia natury no i zagadka kryminalna! Jak tu sie nie wkręcić? Jednak wydawało mi się, że autor przedstawiał historię dość chaotycznie.
100 reviews4 followers
December 29, 2020
Interesting story. I was told of it when I went to the Galapagos a few years ago. I just got around to reading it as I am headed back there in April (hopefully!). Most interesting is the life these people eked out on this island. The drama the Baroness added made it interesting. No one knows what really happened….
Profile Image for James S. .
1,458 reviews18 followers
March 31, 2020
Interesting, but a little too detailed and long.
Profile Image for Susan.
313 reviews2 followers
July 7, 2024
I read this during my trip to the Galapagos. The first part gave me an interesting history of human habitation on the islands. The latter part of the book devolves into pure speculation.
138 reviews
August 7, 2024
A bizarre but apparently true story that is presented quite well and documented extensively throughout.
Profile Image for zuzia.
116 reviews
June 30, 2025
klimatyczne i interesujące ale czegoś mi brakowało (roxwiazania¿)
47 reviews1 follower
September 25, 2025
Dobre dopełnienie filmu „Eden”. Zaciemnia podaną w nim tezę a zarazem pozwala morałowi wybrzmieć wyraźniej.
364 reviews7 followers
January 16, 2026
The story of very odd and at the time sensational events involving three groups of European settlers on the island of Floreana in the Galapagos. Moderately interesting, if a little rambling.
47 reviews1 follower
April 6, 2011
I'm trying to follow my friend's lead and rate each book according to Goodread's standards. 3 stars - "I liked it". Even though I was anticipating "really liking" or even thinking "it was amazing". I may have to check out more books in the Robinsonade genre soon.
Profile Image for Carol-Anne.
60 reviews7 followers
April 10, 2015
This is an odd little story of a group of people living on the Galapagos in the 1930's. Stranger than fiction the book details the drama on the island of different personalities with their own vision of Eden. It was an engaging read.
Profile Image for Carrie.
114 reviews1 follower
May 28, 2011
This is truly a stranger than fiction book. Simply unbelievable and written in a very engaging style.
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