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.
See also The Galapagos Affair, 2013 film
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