In this episode of HHH, we explore the chilling rise of Irma Grese — one of the most infamous female perpetrators of the Holocaust. Born into poverty and emotional turmoil in rural Germany, Irma’s troubled childhood and early exposure to Nazi ideology helped shape her rapid transformation from farm girl to feared SS guard. We follow her teenage radicalization, her ambition-driven entry into the concentration camp system, her relationships with SS officers, and her ascent to power at Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, where survivors described her brutal beatings, selections for the gas chambers, and sadistic treatment of prisoners. At just 22 years old, Grese became the youngest woman executed for war crimes, leaving behind a legacy that forces us to confront how ordinary people can become instruments of extraordinary evil.

In this episode of HHH, we dive into the chilling true story of William Palmer, the Victorian doctor infamously known as “The Prince of Poisoners.” Born into respectability, Palmer built a double life fueled by gambling addiction, mounting debt, and calculated betrayal. We explore his troubled upbringing, reckless young adulthood, suspicious family deaths — including his wife Ann, his brother Walter, and multiple children — and the infamous poisoning of his close friend John Parsons Cook. From manipulated evidence and destroyed poison bottles to one of the most sensational murder trials in British history, this episode uncovers how Palmer used medicine as a weapon, how he nearly escaped justice, and why his case forever changed forensic toxicology and criminal investigations.

Mao Zedong rose from a rural childhood to become one of the most powerful — and destructive — figures of the 20th century. As the founder of the People’s Republic of China, Mao reshaped an entire nation through revolution, ideology, and absolute control. But his grand social experiments, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, led to catastrophic famine, widespread violence, and the deaths of tens of millions. In this episode, we trace Mao’s rise to power, his manipulation of loyalty and fear, and the devastating human cost of a leader who believed history itself would bend to his will.

Mao Zedong rose from a rural childhood to become one of the most powerful — and destructive — figures of the 20th century. As the founder of the People’s Republic of China, Mao reshaped an entire nation through revolution, ideology, and absolute control. But his grand social experiments, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, led to catastrophic famine, widespread violence, and the deaths of tens of millions. In this episode, we trace Mao’s rise to power, his manipulation of loyalty and fear, and the devastating human cost of a leader who believed history itself would bend to his will.

Queen Ranavalona I ruled Madagascar for more than three decades through fear, isolation, and uncompromising authority. Rising from relative obscurity after the sudden death of her husband, she seized the throne by eliminating the rightful heirs and consolidating power with ruthless efficiency. Her reign was marked by violent suppression of Christianity, devastating military campaigns against coastal rivals like the Sakalava, widespread forced labor, and the deadly use of poison trials that claimed tens of thousands of lives. While her policies preserved Madagascar’s independence during a peak era of European imperialism, they also led to severe population decline and immense human suffering. Ranavalona remains one of history’s most polarizing rulers — a protector of sovereignty to some, and a tyrant whose legacy is written in blood to others.

In this episode of HHH, we dive into the life and crimes of Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer—one of the most prolific serial murderers in American history. We explore his troubled childhood, his escalating violence throughout the 1980s, and the decades-long investigation that struggled to identify him as he blended seamlessly into suburban life. From his disturbing methods and chilling confessions to the breakthrough DNA evidence that finally exposed him, this episode traces Ridgway’s path from an unremarkable truck painter to a predator responsible for dozens of deaths. Ultimately, it’s a story about the victims he targeted, the system that failed to protect them, and the forensic advances that finally brought their killer to justice.

In this chilling episode of HHH - Horrible Humans in History, we dive into the blood-soaked legend of Sawney Bean, the infamous Scottish cannibal said to have led a 48-member family of murderers who terrorized the countryside for decades. From his supposed beginnings as a petty criminal to the gruesome tales of ambushes, butchery, and a secret coastal cave filled with human remains, Sawney’s story blurs the line between history and horror. Was he a real man — or a political myth born from English propaganda? Join us as we uncover the origins of this centuries-old legend, explore the historical tensions that kept it alive, and examine why tales like Sawney Bean’s still haunt our imaginations today.

This episode explored the life of Shiro Ishii, from his privileged childhood in Japan to his rise as the leader of Unit 731, the Japanese biological warfare program responsible for some of the worst atrocities of World War II. We examined the early influences that shaped his worldview, the crimes and murders he oversaw, and the shocking post-war deal that allowed him to escape justice. Ishii’s legacy remains one of the most disturbing examples of scientific ambition gone wrong, a chilling reminder of how easily human lives can be sacrificed in the name of power, secrecy, and war.