German true crime podcast Mordlust marked its eighth anniversary with an intimate live recording at Berlin’s Funkhaus, as hosts Paulina Krasa and Laura Wohlers joined the Spotify Legends Club, a series celebrating German-language shows that have surpassed 100 million streams.
Launched in 2018 as an after-hours project alongside full-time television jobs, Mordlust has accumulated over 400 million plays across 243 episodes. It ranks as the most-streamed true crime podcast in Germany and Europe, and 17th globally on Spotify.
The anniversary event at Funkhaus Berlin brought together dedicated listeners for a live recording. The video episode is available on Spotify starting today.
From Side Project to Full-Time Mission
Krasa and Wohlers described the moment the podcast outgrew its hobby status. “Taking that leap was exciting and terrifying, but it was also when we realized that Mordlust had grown into something much bigger than we had ever imagined,” they said, referring to their decision to leave permanent television roles.
That transition allowed them to build a company, Partner in Crime, with a dedicated team. “We started Mordlust as a passion project alongside our full-time jobs, so we would research, write, and record episodes in the evenings and on weekends. At the time, it never crossed our minds that it could one day become our full-time career.”
A Victim-Centered Approach
The hosts emphasized a deliberate focus on those affected by crime rather than perpetrators. “From the beginning, we were especially interested in the victims and the people whose lives had been affected by these crimes,” they explained. “Our goal is never to sensationalize their experiences.”
They frequently speak with victims, families, and others directly involved before telling a story, and sometimes include those voices in episodes. “No one can describe what they experienced more honestly or more powerfully than they can.”
Maintaining Journalistic Standards
Both hosts come from journalism backgrounds, and they said accuracy and thorough research remain central to the production. “Building Partner in Crime gave us the opportunity to work with experienced editors, legal experts, and other specialists,” they noted. “Every episode goes through a rigorous editorial process before it’s released to make sure the story is as accurate and fair as possible for everyone involved.”
Krasa and Wohlers said the growing audience has reinforced their sense of responsibility. “We never want to take our audience’s trust for granted, and we want every episode to live up to the standards they expect from us.”
