‘The Devil Next Door’ on Netflix: The True Story of Ivan the Terrible

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Devil Next Door on Netflix.

Netflix has no shortage of fascinating and upsetting docuseries. Last month it was Unnatural Selection, and this month it’s The Devil Next Door, a five-episode limited series that debuted on the streaming service on Monday. It’s a series that’s full of twists and turns, and even if you’re already familiar with the subject matter, you’ll be on the edge of your seat. For the unfamiliar, The Devil Next Door tells the true story of John Demjanjuk, a Ukranian immigrant who lived in Cleveland, OH as a retired autoworker in the 1980s. He was identified by Holocaust survivors as Ivan the Terrible, a Nazi war criminal who was notoriously brutal, and who tortured and killed millions of Jewish prisoners.

Despite his claims that it was a case of mistaken identity, in a 1988 trial in Israel a court ruled that Demjanjuk was indeed Ivan the Terrible. He was sentenced to death. But then, after an appeal in 1993, the court overturned its previous decision in light of new evidence that suggested Demjanjuk was not Ivan the Terrible. The series—which was directed and produced by Daniel Sivan and Yossi Bloch, attempts to break down all the details of this strange story via interviews with Demjanjuk’s lawyers, Mark O’Connor of the U.S. and Sheftel Yoram of Israel; Demjanjuk’s son-in-law Ed Nishnic, former director of the Office of Special Investigations Eli Rosenbaum; and more.

The Devil Next Door is a comprehensive and empathetic overview of a complex and upsetting story, and certainly worth a watch if you want the full story. But if you want a quick primer on the true story behind the doc before you watch, here’s a basic overview:

Who is Ivan the Terrible? What is Ivan the Terrible’s true identity?

“Ivan the Terrible” of the Treblinka extermination camp was a cruel Nazi guard who tortured and killed Jewish prisoners in World War II. The name came from the 16th-century Russian tsar Ivan IV, who is the “Ivan the Terrible” you might have learned about in your world history classes.  This Ivan the Terrible, according to Holocaust survivors, was a Ukranian guard at Treblinka who operated the tank engines that fed the deadly gas chambers. He cut off ears of workers for fun, tortured victims with pipes, murdered them, and many more despicable, unforgivable crimes. His true identity was never conclusively discovered, though his real name is thought to be “Ivan Marchenko.” In 2019, he would be over 100 years old, and is presumed dead.

Who was John Demjanjuk?

John Demjanjuk was a Ukranian American who was a guard at a Nazi extermination camp. He was born Ivan Mykolaiovych Demianiuk, and changed his name after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1958. He gained national attention in 1986 when he was deported to Israel to stand trial for war crimes, having been identified as Ivan the Terrible by Holocaust survivors.

Demjanjuk and his lawyers claimed it was a case of mistaken identity, but the court concluded he was indeed Ivan the Terrible and was sentenced to death in 1988. Then, in 1993 new evidence was discovered that suggested Demjanjuk was not Ivan the Terrible. Files found in archives of the former Soviet Union included the testimony of former guards who said that Ivan the Terrible’s real name was Ivan Marchenko. Despite strong evidence that Demjanjuk was still a former Nazi guard, even if he was not Ivan the Terrible, the court overturned its decision and reluctantly released Demjanjuk back to his home in Cleveland, OH.

For years, American law enforcement attempt to charge Demjanjuk on the grounds that he had served as a Nazi guard at extermination camps. He was eventually formally charged in 2009 in German court with over 27,900 counts of acting as an accessory to murder. He was convicted in 2011, appealed the decision, and then died at the age of 91 before the German court could reach a final verdict. By German law, because he died before a verdict was reached, this meant Demjanjuk’s conviction was annulled and he died an innocent man.

Who was Ivan Marchenko?

Ivan Marchenko was the real name of Ivan the Terrible, according to documents uncovered in Soviet archives. Confusingly, and perhaps suspiciously, John Demjanjuk said his mother’s maiden name was “Marchenko” in a 1948 U.S. visa application. His lawyers argued that Demjanjuk forgot, that “Marchenko” was a common Ukranian surname, and produced a marriage certificate showing the real maiden name was Tabachuk.

It’s not exactly a satisfying or happy ending to this harrowing true story, but it’s hard to tear your eyes away from it. All five episodes of The Devil Next Door are now streaming on Netflix.

Watch The Devil Next Door on Netflix