For nearly 40 years, a secretive colony in the Chilean countryside hid unspeakable horrors: child abuse, torture, and a twisted legacy of Nazism. Colonia Dignidad, led by ex-Nazi Paul Schäfer, thrived not just as a cult but as a brutal tool of oppression during Chile’s Pinochet regime. How did this enclave evade justice for so long—and why did the Chilean government turn a blind eye, or worse, offer its support?

In a story that goes right to the heart of the German and Chilean governments, what justice can the victims themselves hope for?

In this episode:

• Winfried Hempel, (@WinfriedHempel), Lawyer and Colonia Dignidad Survivor
• Evelyn Hevia, (@evelynheviajordan), Colonia Dignidad Researcher

This episode was written and produced by Anna Staufenberg and hosted by Halla Mohieddeen.

Executive Producers: Ney Alvarez and Sandra Ferrari.

Production Managers: Archan Mohile and Bronte Baskin.

Senior Producer: Marthe van der Wolf.

Post-Production Supervisor: Andrés Rivera

Assistant Producers: Leo Danczak, Sophie McNulty, and Catherine Nouhan.

Fact-checking by Ruby Zaman.

Translation by Diana Larrea Maccise.

Audio editing by Alan Leer.

Music composition by Tom Biddle.

Lead of Engagement: Aya Elmileik.

Engagement Producers: Adam Abou-Gad, Munera AlDosari, and Vienna Maglio.

Al Jazeera’s Head of Audio: Ney Alvarez.

Connect with us:

@AJEPodcasts on Instagram, X, Facebook and YouTube