Beate Schmidt was born as Wolfgang Schmidt on October 5, 1966, in Lehnin, East Germany. Assigned male at birth, Schmidt was the eldest of three children in a modest working-class household. From an early age, Schmidt displayed troubling psychological behaviors and deeply rooted sexual compulsions. At just seven years old, Schmidt began wearing women’s underwear, not just in secret, but with a disturbing twist, urinating and defecating in them on purpose. This behavior, according to Schmidt, brought an “overwhelmingly pleasant feeling,” marking the beginning of a life consumed by paraphilic rituals.

When Schmidt’s mother discovered the soiled garments hidden in a barn, she responded by locking up all family clothing. This only pushed Schmidt further into isolation and obsession. She began scavenging dumpsters and landfills for discarded bras, panties, and stockings. By age eight or nine, Schmidt had already started masturbating and layering these acts with increasingly disturbing habits, smearing herself with feces, defecating into bras, and wearing soiled underwear backward.

These secret behaviors grew stronger through adolescence. Schmidt avoided school, skipped social events, and became fixated on expanding her collection of stolen or discarded women’s garments. 

Beate Schmidt is a German serial killer responsible for the murders of five women and one infant between October 1989 and April 1991. The first victim was 51-year-old Edeltraut Nixdorf, who was killed on October 24, 1989. The next victim was 45-year-old Christa Naujoks, who was raped and strangled to death on May 24, 1990.

On March 13, 1991, Schmidt murdered 34-year-old Inge Fischer, stabbing her in Beelitz. Later that month, on March 22, Schmidt killed 44-year-old Tamara Petrowskaja, strangling her to death. Schmidt also attacked Petrowskaja's young son, striking him against a tree stump. The final victim was 66-year-old Talita Bremer, who was strangled to death on April 5, 1991. Schmidt raped Bremer’s corpse after her death.

Schmidt earned several nicknames due to these crimes. She was called the "Pink Giant" because of her size and supposed liking for pink lingerie. The crimes took place in the Beelitz area, leading to the additional titles of "Beast of Beelitz" and "Beelitz-Murderer."

On August 1, 1991, Schmidt was apprehended after two men discovered her in a compromising situation while she was wearing a bra under a jacket. Following her arrest, Schmidt was sentenced to 15 years in prison and was also placed in a psychiatric hospital in Brandenburg an der Havel.