A Shift in Priorities

[Josephus]

Hans Beckert?

[rast]

Originally Posted by Josephus

Hans Beckert?

Well, yes - concerning the overall setting; but the actual killer is not a child slayer.

[SavoyTruffle]

Cool. A crime thriller this side of victorious Germania.

[Peabody-Martini]

This is the era in which criminology became a science, building a profile of this killer and gathering what evidence is available is the right way to go about it. Other than that its a matter of waiting for this guy to make a mistake, often police catch a serial killer because a friend or relative turns them in. They also can get sloppy and leave something identifiable behind.

Does anyone else pick up on the irony of Arthur Nebe being on the track of a mass killer.

[Jotun]

What I like about this particular scenario is the -admittedly still embryonic- profiling approach. IOTL's Germany of that era, pseudo-sciences like phrenology (applied to suspects) and racially and sociologically biased approaches would likely have been employed in the hunt for the killer.
So criminal profiling could become mainstream about 40 years early. Cool!
I particularly liked the nod to the movie "M"

[rast]

Die Jäger der verlorenen Mohrenköpfe.
(The hunters of the missing chocolate-coated marshmallow treads)

In German, a chocolate-coated marshmallow tread was called a Mohrenkopf (Moor’s head) or Negerkuß (Negro’s kiss); and Arthur Nebe, who was desperately searching for the missing heads of Ignaz Zwo’s victims, had jestingly been labeled Der Jäger der verlorenen Mohrenköpfe by his colleagues.
This morning, beheaded body number thirteen had been found in Wedding: Emilie S’kego, born near Muansa on the shore of Lake Victoria in 1911, student of economic law at the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Universität and part time prostitute. Again, the unmistakable hallmark of Ignaz Zwo’s painstaking work was clearly visible.

“He’s becoming faster.” remarked Helene Deutsch. “Initially, there was a pause of six weeks between the individual murders; now, he’s down to one week. The kick of killing is wearing off rapidly now. – This means he will act more hastily – and more carelessly? – in future, when he needs a new stimulus after few days already.”
“Or is he only getting more efficient?” asked Nebe. “Again, the victim did not have sexual intercourse before being killed. He’s not fucking the hustlers, he’s just slaughtering them.”
“He’s taking satisfaction from killing; can you image him ejaculating into his underpants when the head comes off?”
“Not really… - You think that’s what makes him kill? – Would that explain why he’s getting faster? He wants an orgasm more often? Every day?”
“It may end like that – if we don’t catch him. – In the beginning, he could masturbate six weeks on the emotional recall of the murder. Now, it’s wearing off quickly, and he needs a new stimulus within few days.”

“But why only Negresses?”
“Well, which power fantasy does require you to kill Negro women?”
“Wouldn’t it be normal to kill Negro women? – if you are a Negro yourself…”
“Maybe… - But I’m not convinced that Ignaz is a Negro. I think he’s a white man, and he doesn’t dare to kill white woman, because his mother was white. Hence, he assaults black women…”
“Mh, I don’t know… - this sounds crazy, Helene.”
“He is crazy, Arthur, stark mad; don’t take him for a normal being. – He fears and hates women; he most probably never had normal sex with a woman.”

“So, hang it all! What does he do with the heads?”
“If I knew that, Arthur, I could tell you where to look for the guy…”
“But you do not believe with my jar theory?”
“No, I think he talks to the heads, wants them to see him pose naked and masturbate in front of them.”
“Ghoulish! – But they don’t last long; they rot – and they don’t smell good after a short time… - In a jar, they would remain sound.”
“But he can’t touch them and kiss them. “

“For what are we looking then? – A shy guy, who is afraid of women?”
“Yes, that would fit. – Someone whom his environment never would take for a killer. A weak person, probably a guy judged by others as mentally retarded.”
“How old?”
“Not much older than his victims, I would think. He may deeply hate his age group, who never took him serious – and always made fun of him.”

“So, we have to find a shy butcher fellow regarded goofy by his peers?”
“Not so sure about the butcher, Arthur. That wouldn’t fit. Most butchers are brutal fellows. - Perhaps someone who has learned meat cutting by killing animals? “
“Yes, that makes sense. – I’ll have my men check mysterious cases of killed or disappeared animals.”
“He might even be notorious for that, but may not have been punished because of his alleged debility.”

It took seven more days – and another young Negress, Maria Langele from Groß Togoland, butchered – until Nebe’s staff had singled out a suitable suspect. Then, things happened rather fast.
A tenement search revealed the gory environment of Ignaz Zwo: Three severed female heads in different phases of decay, and eleven more buried in the backyard.
The killer, a carriage driver of the Berlin litter service, had been known to local policemen as gormless dumbhead, who in the past had killed several goats, but had not been persecuted because of his well known debility. He confessed all fourteen murders without reservation – and validated almost all aspects of Helene Deutsch’s profiling.

[Kelenas]

As ghastly as this series of events was, their outcome will no doubt be quite beneficial to Deutsch's career, and undoubtedly make sure that she - and others with similar qualifications - will be called upon in the future for other cases.

- Kelenas

[Peabody-Martini]

The hunter of the lost Moors head?

Nice to know that cops are the same around the world. I've listened to police tell jokes and stories when they think no one can overhear who's not in the know that would horrify the general public.

After reading the first part of this post last night just before work I spent most of the night thinking about the likely identity of the suspect. (it was a slow night) It was obvious that he, its almost always a he, would be young. The choice of victims, prostitutes, tend to be the target of those with Mommy issues. As for the shyness, it seems like every time one of these guys gets nabbed there's the neighbor on the 6 o'clock news talking about what a nice quiet young man they were. The thought that he could be African or mixed race did cross my mind but that seemed a little too pat, it was more a question of availability within the pattern. I would have suggested searching for lesser crimes of a particular verity, animal mutilations and rape. I have dealt a couple of times with people who I was certain were on an escalating pattern, it's plain as day if you know what to look for.

This will advance the fields of forensics and criminology to a level of acceptance not reached for decades in OTL. Considering the current political climate of TTL its probably much better that this happened in Berlin as opposed to a major American city.

[nerdknight01]

¡ Hi ! ¡ JUSTICE AT END !.
Yep, the good news for Germany and the world is the creation of how to say, profiles, csi, criminalistic science, you know, and in some years or decades a lot of inocent lives be salved and protected, the scary thing about that evil monster, is that he looks so common and so ordinary, and police and neighbouring ignore or don´t wan´t to see how to say, the signal of dangers, warning, of that daemon.
Finnally, what posibilities exist in that magnificent timeline of creating a radio show, or or a B/w movie of that case, inmagine if Fritz Lang made one movie about that episode.
Peace and good luck.

[rast]

I think our governments will remain virtuous for many centuries, as long as they are chiefly agricultural.
(Thomas Jefferson)

Sheriff Roscoe T. Bannerman of Eddy County, North Dakota, watched the red pickup pass: Another farmer family that was leaving; hunched figures crouching in the cab, some pathetic belongings stocked in the cargo bay, covered by a tarpaulin.
Until now, 1932 wasn’t quite as dry as 1931 had been, but, in February, sleet had destroyed most frail seeds planted too late in September last year – and many farmers were facing ruin, unable to get new bank loans and unable to survive from the scarce crops their fields were promising.

Moving away was only one form of quitting. Aaron C. Bauman had hanged himself in the barn, leaving behind a distraught wife and four kids. Charles A. Svenson had tried to arrange a mortal accident, intending the insurance company to pay his family the contracted sum, but was living on as a lame cripple – without any money. Daisy, his adolescent daughter, was said to have gone to St. Paul, working as a hooker and sending home money. Harry B. Firestine had drunk himself to death, dying from alcohol poisoning. And Laura, his wife, had simply run away. Their children had been handed over to a children’s home at Fargo.

His sheriff’s contract was ending by the end of the month; and the county council had already decided that no new contract would be offered. So, the Bannermans were looking forward to relocation as well. Edna, his wife, proposed to go to California because of the weather and the jobs allegedly available; Tommy, his son, was dreaming of New York; and Wendy, his daughter, wanted to stay here in New Rockford. Bannerman himself was also contemplating California; the Central Valley was a major agricultural area – and one not threatened by drought. He had applied for a sheriff’s office in several counties – but not yet received a reply. Well, Oregon and Washington were possibilities too. If no post as sheriff was obtainable, he also could work as lumberjack or mechanic – or whatever was offered.

The Republican National Convention was being held in Chicago this week. Bannerman hoped that Congressman John J. Blaine from Wisconsin would make it, a progressive Midwest man and former governor, champion of the farm workers and enemy of excessive public spending. Blaine’s greatest rival was East Coast man John C. Coolidge, formerly governor of Massachusetts – and a known enemy of subsidies to the agricultural sector.

For the blasted Democrats, President McAdoo had announced to run for a second term; and it was generally expected that the team McAdoo – Hearst would be confirmed in the Democratic National Convention at the end of June. Bannerman expected them to lose the elections in November; only some incorrigible southern states could still vote for these men, who had pushed the US into a foolish war – and now were unable to solve the economic dilemma caused by it. It was obvious that they hoped to win votes through the gigantic armaments programme they had launched and the jobs it created, but Bannerman was sure that most US citizens were full of distrust concerning exaggerated public profligacy – even for national defence. – Once these weapons had been built, what were they going to do? Build even more weapons in order to save the jobs?

No, it was time for a change. John J. Blaine stood for an America that concentrated on America and returned to the true values of America: Private initiative and ample opportunity for everyone. One had to win back the audacity of hoping for a better future.

[wietze]

Originally Posted by nerdknight01

Finnally, what posibilities exist in that magnificent timeline of creating a radio show, or or a B/w movie of that case, inmagine if Fritz Lang made one movie about that episode.
Peace and good luck.

I could see Lang make a movie that incorporates ideas from the movie The Golem http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0011237/ and setting to the metropolis background and creating a new modern urban monster along the lines of Frankensteins monster. A person looses all moral inhibitions and more less his soul by modern technology and society treating him as a depersonified character without face and importance and goes on a bizarre killing spree as a result.

Think of it as a horror version of Chaplins "Modern Times"

[Peabody-Martini]

Considering the likely players in future American politics, policy and priorities, not to mention the whole Mexican thing, we shall see how deep the Great Depression can get.

[Monty Burns]

Originally Posted by Peabody-Martini

Considering the likely players in future American politics, policy and priorities, not to mention the whole Mexican thing, we shall see how deep the Great Depression can get.

The stage is set for a Depression which is economically worse than IOTL.
And the very measures that helped overcome the Great Depression seem to be already discredited in the US. Plus the US have an earlier - and bigger - version of Vietnam on their southern border. Plus an increasing drug problem. Plus terrorism.

The only thing I can think of to make it worse is some sort of religious turmoil added to the mix.

[Peabody-Martini]

Originally Posted by Monty Burns

The only thing I can think of to make it worse is some sort of religious turmoil added to the mix.

On cue Father Coughlin enter from stage right.

[Nivek]

Originally Posted by Peabody-Martini

On cue Father Coughlin enter from stage right.

Oh I forget about him(even if kaiserreich make learn about him), a Catholic Anti-jew in a more anti-jew US... that will be interesting(more if ironically that help to united both catholic and protestan in US)... His radio show still have the ingredient to exist(racism from the protestan) but in some way.. you can him a 'frustrated Socialist'(he support FDR initially...)

[Monty Burns]

Originally Posted by Peabody-Martini

On cue Father Coughlin enter from stage right.

True, yet I didn't refer to antisemitism.

Antisemitism isn't that new ITTL US. In particular since there shouldn't be that many Jews left - rast thankfully pointed out in one of his last posts that there are Jews from the US living in Germany today. Many more should be in the Heymshtot. And as soon as something really dangerous happens in the US, I'm sure that the heymshtot secret service will act accordingly.

Which would be cool.

[Expat]

Some version of the Bonus March is likely at any time now. Vets have gotten service bonuses since the Revolution. Perhaps the government will argue that the Latin American theater represents an "occupation" rather than war-time service and try to cheat vets out of a bonus.

The situation could morph in lots of ways, but a powerful and suffering veteran population (minus the criminals) is probably about to explode. after all, we've had a lot more veterans than just the 1916-18 classes; the wars have raged constantly for the last 15+ years.

[Peabody-Martini]

I used just one example of a potential religious extremist from the 1930s. Believe me there are plenty more in the woodwork just waiting for a chance to get fame and money by spreading the word of god for and against their fellow Americans.

Also an antisemite doesn't need Jews, there are plenty of other targets for their wrath, haters just hate. Period.

[nerdknight01]

¡ Hi ! to Wietze: ¡ I LIKED YOUR IDEA !
Peace and good night.

[nerdknight01]

¡ Hi ! ¡ SCARY, REALY SAD AND VERY SCARY !
As for myself when common people sufer and have pains like that, how to say, is my definition of what is a loses/defeat situation. And Finnally that sheriff Roscoe are beggining to "open their eyes", you know.
And i have that the ugly feeling that Hearst it be relected to the White House for how to say, the support of the lines of comunication as press, newspapers, radios, etc....
About USA, yep, there are so many problems as the Dust Bowl, the economic crash, the enviromental disaster, the poors, the war veterans, the war on the south border (if i understand correctly your magnificent update Rast, how to say, now are beggining to start the protest to the southerns wars), the resourses wasted for helping the war industry, etc... and some kind of Great Depresion in steroids, in any way, what i try to say is that exist to damm problems and the answers of that problems are completly wrong, that magnificent country really need the voice of warning and reason for advise and fixed that problems, if not, well, we see some "very dark interesting times"
Peace and good luck