386:  America's Nazi POW Murders w/ William Geroux

386: America's Nazi POW Murders w/ William Geroux

Author: Blue Ewe Media April 19, 2025 Duration: 1:10:21
The American government was faced with an unprecedented challenge: where to house the nearly 400,000 German prisoners of war plucked from the battlefield and shipped across the Atlantic. On orders from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Department of War hastily built hundreds of POW camps in the United States. Today, traces of those camps—which once dotted the landscape from Maine to California—have all but vanished. Forgotten, too, is the grisly series of killings that took place within them: Nazi power games playing out in the heart of the United States. My guest today is William Geroux, a World War II expert and author of "The Fifteen: Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America". He discusses the origins of the German prisoner-of-war camps, the daily lives of the men held there, and the deep divisions between hardline Nazis and less political prisoners—tensions that ultimately led to a series of murders and the prosecution of fifteen POWs. The author's publisher page: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725017/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Step back in time and explore the darkest corners of the past with Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast. This isn't just another crime show; it's a deep dive into the historical context that shaped infamous acts and the figures behind them. From the ruthless gangsters of the Prohibition era to the chilling methods of Victorian-era murderers, each episode unpacks a story rooted in its specific moment in history. Host Erik Rivenes acts as your guide, conducting thoughtful interviews with authors and historians who have dedicated years to researching their subjects. These conversations move beyond sensational headlines to deliver nuanced narratives filled with detail and scholarly accuracy. You'll hear about forgotten tragedies, legendary outlaws, and societal disasters, all presented with a focus on understanding the why and how within the framework of the past. Tune in for a compelling blend of education and narrative, where every story is a piece of historical truth, often more fascinating and complex than fiction. This podcast from Blue Ewe Media connects the dots between crime and history, offering a rich, thoroughly researched listening experience for anyone curious about the shadows cast across different centuries.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast
Podcast Episodes
American Criminal: Machine Gun Kelly [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:50
Growing up in Memphis, George Kelly Barnes starts dabbling in crime from a young age. First he blackmails his father, then he grows a successful bootlegging business for himself. But how did this small-time crook earn on…
424:  The Black Dahlia: Another Suspect w/ William J Mann [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:05
My guest, William J. Mann, has spent years writing about Hollywood, and in his new book "Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood", he takes a fresh look at Los Angeles's most notorious crime -…
423: The Nazi & the Psychiatrist w/ Jack El-Hai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:34
On this episode of Most Notorious, I speak with author Jack El-Hai about his book "The Nazi and the Psychiatrist: Hermann Göring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII". He talks about th…
422:  The Wreck of the Circus Ship Royal Tar w/ Jane Parks Gardner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:32
On October 21, 1836, crowds lined the docks of Saint John, New Brunswick, to watch the steamship Royal Tar depart for Portland, Maine - this time carrying an entire circus. Cages filled with exotic birds, snakes, lions a…
421:  The Killer of Little Shepherds w/ Douglas Starr [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:01
At the close of the nineteenth century, serial killer Joseph Vacher terrorized the French countryside for years, eluding capture while murdering more victims than Jack the Ripper. His sprawling crime wave ultimately drew…
420: The 1788 Doctors' Riot w/ Andy McPhee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:34
On April 13, 1788, outrage erupted in New York City when word spread that students from the local medical school were stealing corpses from nearby graveyards, at the direction of their instructors, for classroom dissecti…
419: Serial Killer Pee Wee Gaskins w/ Dick Harpootlian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:10
Among the many murder cases handled by South Carolina attorney Dick Harpootlian, one continues to stand apart: the prosecution of Donald “Pee Wee” Gaskins. A serial killer and sexual predator, Gaskins claimed to have tak…