A German former nurse serving a life sentence for murder went on trial Tuesday on charges that he received upon  admitting to killing 100 patients at two hospitals in Germany, making him one of the country’s deadliest post-war serial killers.

Niels Hoegel, 41 years old, confessed to “play god” by killing his patients-between the ages of 34 and 96-at two hospitals in northern Germany between 2000 and 2005

Hoegel was accused of supposedly giving his victims various non-prescribed drugs, in an attempt to show his resuscitation skills to colleagues and fight off boredom.

On the first day of his trial at a court in Oldenburg, northwest Germany, Hoegel said the murder allegations against him were correct. He is already serving a life sentence for six convictions, including homicide and attempted homicide.

Those convictions led authorities to investigate hundreds of deaths and exhume bodies of former patients in the clinic where he worked. Earlier in the year he was charged with another 97 murders.

Prosecutors said Hoegel stated he felt euphoric when he managed to bring a patient back to life, and devastated when he failed. They also shared that Hogel acted out of boredom and the desire to show off his resuscitation skills.

Police said the final number of murders may never be known because some possible victims were cremated. A police file based on statistics provided by the Delmenhorst Hospital shows that between 2003 and 2004 the death rate was twice as high as in previous years.

During the same period, the use of medication for cardiac ailments soared, and in most cases when a patient died, Hoegel was on duty.

Through his proven unjustifiable case, the many victim’s families attended the trials searching for answers and a way to gain closure.

An anonymous family stated, “He is a sad guy who gave himself God’s powers”.

In a sense, Hoegal inadvertently played God through his ordeal ultimately afflicting the well being of others.