The hit Showtime show Yellowjackets has viewers hooked on the story of a group of high school girls stranded in the wilderness after their plane crashes. As the girls struggle to survive, they are forced to make some difficult choices, including resorting to cannibalism.
While cannibalism is a rare occurrence in the modern world, it has been a part of human history for centuries. In fact, there are many real-life instances that are even more chilling than anything that happens on Yellowjackets.
The Donner Party
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The Donner Party is one of the most famous cases of cannibalism in American history. In 1846, a group of pioneers set out for California in a wagon train. However, a freak October snowstorm forced them to take shelter in the Sierra Nevada mountains. As their food supplies dwindled, the members of the Donner Party began to turn on each other. They ate the bodies of those who died of natural causes, but in at least one case, two Native American guides were deliberately killed and eaten.
Armin Meiwes
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Known as the “Rotenburg Cannibal,” Armin Meiwes was a German man who gained international notoriety for his online advertisement in 2001 seeking a willing volunteer to be killed and eaten. Shockingly, Bernd Brandes answered the ad, and the two engaged in acts of consensual cannibalism. Meiwes filmed the entire event and was later convicted of manslaughter after storing the leftovers in the freezer for 20 months.
Alexander Pearce
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Alexander Pearce, an Irish convict, escaped from a penal colony in Australia in 1824 with seven other prisoners, but they became lost in the harsh wilderness. As desperation set in, they were forced to eat each other one by one. After 100 days, Pearce was captured alone and confessed to his crimes. His shocking actions earned him the infamous nickname “The Pieman.”
The Siege of Leningrad
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During World War II, the residents of Leningrad endured a horrific siege by German forces. As supplies dwindled, reports of cannibalism emerged. Starving citizens resorted to consuming human flesh, leading to unimaginable atrocities during this brutal period. Two thousand one hundred-five cannibals were arrested by the end of the siege and divided into two legal categories: corpse-eating (trupoyedstvo) and person-eating (lyudoyedstvo). Corpse-eaters went to prison; people eaters were shot.
Issei Sagawa
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Issei Sagawa, The Kobe Cannibal, was a Japanese man who murdered and cannibalized a Dutch woman named Renée Hartevelt in Paris in 1981. Sagawa was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial if France and was subsequently institutionalized and deported to Japan. In Japan, he was found mentally competent and released from the asylum, but the charges couldn’t be refiled due to a legal technicality. Sagawa remained a free man until he died in 2022 at the age of 73.
The Andes Flight 571
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In 1972, a Uruguayan rugby team’s plane crashed in the Andes mountains. The survivors were stranded on the mountain for 72 days, and they were forced to eat the flesh of their dead teammates in order to survive. The story of the Andes Flight 571 is a harrowing one, but it is also a story of survival and hope.
The Sawney Bean Clan (15th-16th century)
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In the Scottish folklore, the Sawney Bean Clan was said to be a family of cannibals who lived in a hidden cave in the 15th and 16th centuries. Over the years, they allegedly killed and ate hundreds of unsuspecting travelers. While the veracity of this story is debated, it has endured as a chilling tale of cannibalistic horror.
Jeffrey Dahmer
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Perhaps the most well-known case of cannibalism, Jeffrey Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, terrorized the United States in the late 20th century. Dahmer was responsible for the murder, dismemberment, and consumption of at least 17 young men between 1978 and 1991.
Final Cut on Chilling Real Life Cannibals
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These are just a few examples of real-life instances of cannibalism. While it is a rare occurrence, it is a reminder that humans are capable of great cruelty and barbarity.
If you’re a fan of Yellowjackets, you might want to take a break from the show and read up on some of these real-life stories. It might make you appreciate the show a little bit more.
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