About Friedrich Ritter
Lived 1886 – 1934 (aged 47–48). Friedrich Ritter was a physician.
Friedrich Ritter (1886-November 21, 1934) was a German physician and a self-professed philosopher and theosophist. In 1929, seeking a utopian "Robinson Crusoe" life away from civilization, he moved to the uninhabited Floreana Island in the Galapagos with his companion, Dore Strauch.
He was a key figure in the "Galapagos Affair", a mysterious series of events involving other settlers that included disappearances and deaths.
Death He died in November 1934, officially from food poisoning (likely from poorly preserved chicken , despite being a vegetarian), though some suspected Dore Strauch of poisoning him.
Legacy The movie Eden directed by Ron Howard tells the story of Ritter and the events surrounding the mystery of the Galapagos Affair. In the film, he is played by Jude Law.
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Important facts
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Friedrich Ritter's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Friedrich Ritter?
floreana Island settler
When was Friedrich Ritter born?
Friedrich Ritter was born in 1886.
When did Friedrich Ritter die?
Friedrich Ritter died in 1934.
What was Friedrich Ritter's occupation?
Friedrich Ritter was a physician.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Friedrich Ritter (physician)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Friedrich Ritter. https://biography.guide/friedrich-ritter-physician/
MLA: "Friedrich Ritter." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/friedrich-ritter-physician/.
Chicago: "Friedrich Ritter." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/friedrich-ritter-physician/.
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