Some of the pyramids discovered in Poland are older than the Egyptian ones - where are the Polish pyramids and what do archaeologists say about them?

 The pyramids are associated with the desert landscape of Egypt or the jungle of Central America. However, to see the oldest of them, we don't have to go on an exotic trip. Stone age tombs, known as the "Polish pyramids", can be found in Kujawy and Greater Poland. It's not everything. Amateurs of Egyptology ordered tombs with a characteristic shape to be erected in several noble estates. Here are stories related to the Polish pyramids and tips on where to find them.

Prehistoric tombs in Kujawy and Greater Poland

Why the pyramids?

The tombs from 5500 years ago, known as the Polish pyramids, can be seen in Gaj Stolarski, Wietrzychowice, and Sarnów in Kujawy. Looking at the small hills, today's tourists may not see the resemblance to the monuments of ancient Egypt. Is the term "Polish pyramids" just a trick intended to attract tourists? Not necessarily. Although after years of extracting stone from them and growing overgrown by forest vegetation, the native tombs do not resemble the pyramids, they have many features in common with Egyptian buildings.

Kujawy-type tombs were built in the shape of an elongated triangle. They were raised from the ground and reinforced with stone blocks. Buildings are oriented east-west. Although they look much more modest than the works of Egyptian architects, they can testify to the fairly developed culture of the local inhabitants. They probably had to use simple levers, for sure a good organization of work was needed. Orientation according to the directions of the world suggests that it had some customary or ritual significance.

Buildings and their builders

As I mentioned, the Polish pyramids were made of earth and reinforced with stone blocks. Their height is 3 meters (according to some sources, up to 5 meters). The most impressive is its width (approx. 10 m) and length (approx. 100 m).

Particularly important representatives of the community of that time were buried in the tombs. Most often men, although archaeologists also discovered the tomb of a 70-year-old woman.

We still don't know much about the builders of the Polish pyramids from 5500 years ago. Recently, their settlements were discovered using drones. They probably dealt mainly with cattle herding and only to a small extent with agriculture. It is still a mystery where ordinary representatives of this culture were buried.

Archaeologists count the builders of megalithic tombs to the so-called Funnelbeaker culture. Its representatives produced high-quality ceramic vessels, bone and flint tools. (Czekaj-Zastawy A. et al., 2013: pp. 197-198) Unfortunately, we do not know the culture of that period in detail yet, and tourists are left to admire the tombs and excavated artifacts. The rest must complete your imagination.

The Pyramids of Greater Poland

When talking about the prehistoric pyramids in Poland, it is impossible not to mention the so-called Greater Poland pyramids. They are much younger than the Kujawy tombs and slightly younger than the Great Pyramid of Giza. They were created in the Bronze Age, in the period around 1700-1500 BCE. (Unietic culture). Like the Kuyavian ones, they were made of heaped earth and stones. They are the tombs of important people in the local community. The Greater Poland pyramids are also called barrows.

The builders of the Greater Poland pyramids were well versed in metallurgy. In addition to copper and bronze, they also used gold and amber. (Zgurecki W.P., 2014: p. 6) The princes of Unietic culture were buried not only with funeral gifts but with horses.

It is worth remembering that this is a period of dynamic changes in Eurasia. Chariots are beginning to be used in the Middle East and Egypt. The Chinese are beginning to use pictographic writing. The Minoan culture (Knossos Palace) and the Mittani state are at the peak of their development. Did the lost traveler have a chance to connect the worlds of Unietic culture and, for example, Minoan culture? Who knows? Although the inhabitants of the Mediterranean basin of that time preferred to follow the sea routes.

The tombs of Greater Poland in question can be seen near the village of Łęki Małe in Lubuskie (they are marked on the Google map to the north of the village's buildings).

Pyramids - tombs and monuments of the modern nobility

The first pyramid in the modern period?

From the nineteenth century until the 1930s, building pyramid-shaped tombs was fashionable in the circles of the wealthier nobility and enthusiasts of Egypt. However, the oldest tomb of this type in Poland (not counting the prehistoric ones) was built much earlier, in the first half of the 17th century. It probably contains the body of Paweł Orzechowski, chamberlain of Chełm, who was an Arian. The tomb is located in Krynica in the Lublin Province (Krasnystaw district).

What prompted Orzechowski to build such a grave for himself? As a "heretic", he could not be buried in a Catholic cemetery. Polish Brethren, also known colloquially as Arians, was a radical faction of Protestantism. First of all, they rejected the Trinity dogma. They were considered heretics and persecuted much more than Lutherans or Calvinists. No wonder that the Arian Orzechowski had to arrange for himself a place of eternal rest. Or is it just a monument?

The pyramid is not only of historical value. It is an interesting architectural object. It is shaped like a pyramid on a cube. The lower part of the Arian Pyramid is a kind of stone and brick chamber plastered from the outside. It has windows and two entrances. A brick pyramid with an elongated shape was built on it. The pyramid itself is 15 meters and the whole is 20 meters. (Śliwa J., 2005: p. 350) The tomb is situated on a hill in a young pine forest.

Egyptology and the fashion for pyramids in the 19th century

The first correct measurements of the great pyramid at Giza were published by the English mathematician John Greaves in his work Pyramidographia (1646). From the beginning of the 18th century, more and more Western travelers reached Egypt. At that time under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the country was fascinated with its long history and mysterious architecture. Napoleon's expedition to Egypt (1798), followed by the discovery and reading of the inscriptions on the so-called The Rosetta Stone (1823).

All over Europe, interest in the monuments and culture of the ancient African state began. On the wave of these interests, the fashion for building pyramids was born. They were believed to be a symbol of victory over death. The triangular shape of the pyramid also referred to alchemical and Masonic symbolism, which meant that it had additional mysterious connotations, which aroused even greater interest.

In addition, in the mid-nineteenth century, the writer and publisher John Taylor and astronomer Charles Piazzi Smyth propagated the idea of ​​deliberate use of the so-called golden proportion in the construction of the pyramids.

All this contributed to the popularity of the prism-shaped Egyptian structures. If someone could afford it, he wanted a monument or tomb of this shape. Hence the flood of pyramid tombs in the nineteenth century, until the first half of the twentieth century.

Military and travelers pyramids

It should come as no surprise that most of the modern pyramid builders (or at least the principals) of the pyramids are people who have probably seen the original with their own eyes. Some have not been to Egypt themselves, but have heard equally exciting stories about it. Here are the most interesting modern pyramids in Poland:

The pyramid in Różanów - The first builder of the pyramid after Paweł Orzechowski was the general of the Prussian army and the owner of the Różnów lands, August Freiherr von Eben und Brunnen. The pyramid in Różanów in the Opole region is 9 meters high and was to be a copy of the Great Pyramid in Giza. It was established in 1780. An interesting fact is that it was designed by the creator of the Brandenburg Gate - Karl Landhaus. (Pyramids in Poland ..., 2021, https://www.national-geographic.pl/traveler/artykul/piramidy-w-polsce-ile-ich-jest-i-gdzie-ich-szukac-skad-wziely- Aug-polish-pyramids, accessed August 30, 2021).

Baron Friedrich von Fahrenheid's pyramid in Rapa in Masuria. The body of his three-year-old daughter was to be buried here in 1811, and then other members of the von Fahrenheit family. From an architectural point of view, the object is the resultant between the pyramid and the chapel. The base is more like a Catholic sacred object with a four-sided base. There is a small cross above the arched entrance. It is only on the roof of this building that the pyramid rises. The side of the stone base is over 10 meters long. The pyramid itself is 16 meters high. Currently, it is a well-kept facility with a smooth road leading to it. It is located 9 km north of Bania Mazurskie. The pyramid is not only an attraction for architecture lovers. Various local legends are connected with the strange object. The bodies laid in the coffins have been mummified (as predicted by Fahrenheit), but have no heads. Legend has it that the local peasants cut them off, believing that the "unnatural" corpses of former masters were the cause of cattle plague and other misfortunes.

Pyramid in Wągrowiec - no less interesting is the building located at the other end of Poland, in Greater Poland, northwest of Gniezno. It was built at the request of the Napoleonic captain, Franciszek Łakiński in 1845. Apparently, he was supposed to say that Poland would regain independence when the pines planted around the pyramid overgrown its top. The prophecy has come true. It is worth noting that the captain's beloved horse was also buried nearby. In this way, perhaps unknowingly, Łakiński referred to a tradition dating back over 3,000 years. I have already mentioned that the "princes" of the Greater Poland pyramids built in the Bronze Age were also buried with horses.

Pyramids in the 20th century

The fashion for exotic tombs did not end in the 19th century. The youngest Polish pyramids come from the 1930s. One was established in Małopolska at the request of the Skrzyński family in Zagórzany. The tomb designed by the famous Galician architect, Teodor Talowski, is very eclectic. Although it visually resembles the Cheops pyramid, which is supposed to be a copy, it is built on a triangular base. The biggest dissonance is a large cross, clearly dominating the whole, despite the fact that the pyramid itself is as much as 10 meters.

We end our journey through the Polish pyramids in Międzybrodzie, near Sanok. There is a pyramid here, commissioned by a real archaeologist and art historian - Jerzy Kulczycki of the Sas coat of arms. The tomb is a 1:50 scale model of the Cheops pyramid with minor modifications, a stone Maltese cross is placed above the plate with inscriptions in Ukrainian and Polish. The structure is 3 m high and is made of sandstone blocks. It was created in the 1930s. First, the archaeologist's father, Witold Kulczycki, was buried there. Jerzy Kulczycki himself was buried here in 1974. The author of the project was Kulczycki's niece, Irina Dobriańska.

The number of pyramids in Poland is sufficient to visit every corner of the country. Even in this article, I was able to describe only a select few. The history of these buildings is also part of the history of our country - from the mysterious inhabitants of Kujawy from the Stone Age to the 20th-century Egyptologist Kulczycki. If you have a vacation or vacation, it is worth reserving some time to visit these amazing places.

Bibliography:

Agnieszka Czekaj-Zastawy et al., The genesis of the Funnel Beaker culture in the context of cultural changes in Northern Europe in 5,000 BC, in: Przegląd Archeologiczny, Vol. 61, 2013, pp. 189-213

Joachim Śliwa, The oldest Polish pyramid. Arian tomb in Krynica near Krusty, in: Meander Vol. 60 (2005) pp. 350-355

Wojciech P. Zgurecki, Analysis of the sources for research on the funeral rite of the Unietic culture, Vol. 1, Warsaw 2014

Poland has its own pyramids. Not as grand as in Egypt, but just as intriguing. Where to look for them ?, in: https://www.national-geographic.pl/traveler/artykul/piramidy-w-polsce-ile-ich-jest-i-gdzie-ich-szukac-skad-wziely-sie-polskie - pyramids, accessed August 30, 2021

The Ghost Hospital in Legnica - why is it abandoned in the middle of the forest?

 One of the most fascinating, abandoned buildings in Poland is located in Legnica in Lower Silesia. It is a post-Soviet hospital located exactly in the Złotoryja Forest on the outskirts of Legnica. The complex, built in the mid-twentieth century, was used to treat soldiers of the Wehrmacht, and then it was taken over by the Soviet army. The hospital passed into the hands of Poles only in 1993. Today it is a formidable, huge object that is falling into more and more ruin every day.

Abandoned post-Soviet hospital in Legnica - a short history of the facility

Before the hospital fell into the hands of Poles ...

The abandoned post-Soviet hospital is located in Legnica, in the Złotoryja Forest to be precise. The hospital was built by the Germans in 1929. During World War II, wounded soldiers of Wehrmacht were treated here, and favorable conditions for convalescence were created for them. There were many different departments in the hospital, such as a psychiatric ward, and an infectious and surgical ward. Without a shadow of a doubt, at the time it was one of the best-equipped hospitals within a few hundred kilometers. About 650 patients could be treated in the building at once. When the war ended, German troops left the hospital, which was then occupied by the Soviets. At that time, the Command of the Soviet Army Group was located in Legnica. It is worth adding that there were many more positions for PGW in Lower Silesia.

The Soviets only left the hospital in 1993. The building then passed into the hands of the Bug River inhabitants - citizens displaced in the years 1944-1952 from the areas of the former Polish Eastern Borderlands. The term "Zabużanie" was later used to describe all persons who were entitled to compensation for property beyond the Bug River - the property that had to be left behind by the Bug River inhabitants for the time of resettlement. The citizens of the former Eastern Borderlands wanted to sell a huge complex of buildings but failed to do so. People could not afford to maintain the facility, which caused the hospital to deteriorate in the eyes day by day. To this day, the complex stands in the middle of the Złotoryja Forest, surrounded by a concrete wall. There is chaos in the hospital, a terrifying atmosphere, and a sinister emptiness.

What can you find today in the abandoned Ghost Hospital?

Until mid-2019, the post-Soviet hospital was guarded by security. However, there was not enough money to pay for the security company that watched the area and made sure that no one came through the hospital walls uninvited. From time to time, groups of daredevils, of course, managed to enter the complex, especially when seekers of unusual adventures came to an agreement with a security guard. It was thanks to their accounts that it was possible to find out and see what was inside the post-Soviet hospital. It's good that the remaining documentation is in the form of photos of bloggers and movies of urbex fans - today most of the things are stolen and the rooms are devastated. Recently, the hospital was also… set on fire again.

The main building of the hospital is huge. It extends over many different corridors that lead to patient rooms or operating theaters. Some of the photos taken by tourists in the hospital show the remains of the Soviets and their activities (e.g. papers, information boards, medicine bottles, and test tubes). In addition to the main building, on the territory of the post-Soviet hospital, there is also a small chapel, a swimming pool, a dissecting room, and several additional hospital wings. Many people wonder how the potential of such a fantastically functioning facility could be wasted. The complex that today stands abandoned in the middle of the Złotoryja Forest. The building is allegedly more and more interested in the Building Inspection and Councilors of the City of Legnica - especially since there is a real risk of the building collapsing. The post-Soviet hospital is regularly visited by groups of young people who are looking for extreme adventures here. Therefore, it is not difficult to find a tragedy in a decaying facility.

Wandering around the Widmo Hospital in Legnica - is it haunting here?

What does a post-Soviet hospital actually look like?

Almost all windows are now glazed. The interiors of the hospital were "decorated" with various paintings, and most of the items were stolen or destroyed. Vandals even took railings at balconies and stairs and cast-iron manholes, the lack of which poses a real threat to the buildings exploring the complex. In general, it is not recommended to come here alone, mainly due to the huge area of ​​the hospital and the lurking dangers. You can get lost here or fall into a manhole, so it will be wiser to visit the place in a larger group. The largest building is the main building, which is divided into several single hospital wings. The main corridor measures over 200 meters and consists of three floors. There is also a spacious basement under the building. Most of the main building is devastated, not resembling the former hospital. When going to the basement, you should take a flashlight with you, although today it is better not to risk going into the underground parts of the building at all.

There is also an indoor swimming pool within the hospital, which can be found behind the main building. There are also former shower rooms next to the pool. However, you should be very careful when exploring this part, because the floor is heavily damaged and full of holes. In addition to the pool, there is also a chapel with a mortuary, which was probably prepared for four bodies - as there are only four shelves in the hospital mortuary. In the mortuary, there used to be a large table and a lamp, which were a showcase of the post-Soviet hospital in Legnica. Unfortunately, they have also been stolen. The remaining buildings of the hospital are, for example, a residential house for hospital staff, a former restaurant, laundry room, hospital shop, or a car hall.

Ghost Hospital, which will soon turn into ruin

Even though the facility is already badly damaged, there are still many people willing to explore the hospital. Every year, however, there is less and less to watch here. The building is still devastated and there is no sign that anyone will clean it up. At the beginning of May 2021, several fire brigades were extinguishing a fire started in the hospital. Fortunately, no one was inside.

The post-Soviet abandoned hospital is still dark and haunted. Unfortunately, day by day it turns into more and more ruin. Almost everything that was possible was brought out of the interior. Is this a sign that the history of the post-Soviet Widmo Hospital in Lasek Złotoryjska is ending? The current condition of the building indicates that the history of the hospital ... is long over.

Bibliography:

Tadeusz Gumiński, Edward Wiśniewski: Legnica and its surroundings. Legnica-Wrocław Guide, Atut Publishing House, Wrocław 2001

Kidger Rebecca E .: Ghosts. Stories about haunted places and people, Rea Publishing House, Konstancin-Jeziorna 2012

The haunted house in Jaśkowice - is it really haunting here? Scary stories in the Opolskie Voivodeship

 An abandoned house has been standing for several years in Jaśkowice near Byczyna in Opole. In 1947 there was a terrible tragedy that changed the history of the building once and for all. The history of the house in Jaśkowice gives the shivers of many a tough guy. The inhabitants of a small town talk about this house ... only in a whisper. What happened in the building haunted today? What tragedies happened in the area? This is the story of the house in Jaśkowice, which is avoided by most people.

The history of the house in Jaśkowice near Byczyna. Is the building haunted?

House in Jaśkowice - a murder that shocked the neighborhood

Oftentimes, it is not easy to get to abandoned, haunted places. First, some of them are closely guarded. Secondly, some of them are already in such a deplorable condition that there is no way to enter them. And thirdly, the stories of many of these places are so terrifying that they effectively scare away tourists. Some people like to look into buildings that once witnessed dramatic stories. One of the spookiest places in Poland is definitely a house in Jaśkowice - a small town in the Opole Voivodeship. The tragedy that happened here was always remembered by the inhabitants of Jaśkowice.

When entering the Catholic cemetery in Byczyna, it is impossible not to notice the old, damaged gate. Right next to it, you can find the grave of a couple from Jaśkowice, who was brutally murdered in 1947. The inhabitants of Jaśkowice speak of this crime in low voices. Even before the outbreak of World War II, Jan P. and his wife Wiktoria lived in a small house in Jaśkowice. At first, the man lived in a house near Olesno, but he fell in love with Victoria and decided to move to another place with the woman. He built a house on the outskirts of Jaśkowice on his own. It was supposed to be a shared oasis of marriage. A house where they will live to a peaceful old age.

On October 2, 1947, Wiktoria went to her neighbor. Her friend hosted a stranger who stayed with her for a few days - he was looking for a place to stay because he had nowhere to go. The mysterious man overheard the women's conversation. He learned that Wiktoria and her husband lived in a house nearby. When night fell, the stranger entered the house of the couple, who were asleep at the time, through a window in the workshop. He murdered Jan and Victoria with an ax, leaving them lying on the bed. He robbed his marriage, took his bicycle and family photos from the house, and then escaped.

What happened after the terrible crime in Jaśkowice?

The mysterious man was stopped in Polanowice by the civic guard, who noticed the suspect's strange behavior. The murderer landed at the police station in Byczyna. It was then established that the man had escaped from the nearby prison - he had landed there earlier for stealing various valuables from the inhabitants of the village of Roszkowice. The policemen became especially interested in the photos of the couple that the detainee had with him. After interrogating the suspect, the policemen went to the house in Jaśkowice. The man swore that the people in the photo were his family, with whom he stayed overnight. What the policemen saw on the spot made their knees buckle under them. The bodies of Jan and Victoria lying on the bed were in such a condition that it was difficult to identify the marriage. The mysterious murderer was sentenced to rubbish. The execution took place in January 1949.

What happened next? Has the house in Jaśkowice been abandoned since then? Well, no, many people later lived in the house of a brutally murdered couple. However, no family managed to stay in it for long. In the evenings, the figures of Jan and Victoria appeared in the bedroom, going to bed each night. The house was also extremely cold, despite the constant burning in the stove. The groans of the dying couple were also clearly heard every evening. No wonder no family has been able to stay home longer. The building has been up for sale for many years. However, no one is interested in buying an abandoned, haunted house. Even though a terrible crime was committed here more than half a century ago, the house still stands deserted and terrifying.

Unlucky Jaśkowice? See what has happened in the vicinity of the Opole town over the years

The cruel murders of Nazi criminals

When World War II broke out, a huge number of murders took place in the vicinity of Jaśkowice, which the Nazis committed on local children. Before the Germans invaded the village, however, a huge panic broke out among the people. Everyone was horrified by the stories of cruel Nazis who killed children and adults who opposed Germany. The inhabitants of the neighboring villages were spreading among themselves that the Nazis were killing children in front of their parents. To avoid a similar fate, panicked young couples began ... murdering their own children. Later they committed suicide, unable to live on. This is exactly what happened in a small grove near Byczyna.

In October 1939, the village of "Mrówka" was located near today's Byczyna (in the Opolskie Voivodeship). A woman with three children lived there. One morning, when she heard loud gunshots coming from a nearby forest, she dressed her children in pajamas and ran out into the field with them. She was running towards Byczyna, assuming that she might not have time to hide. However, she did not want to let the Germans organize a bloody game with the participation of her children. On the way, she found a small grove. It was there that she pulled out a knife and slit the throats of her older children. She took the youngest baby in her arms and then hung it on a shawl on the nearest tree. Moments later, she committed suicide by slitting her own veins. When, after some time, one of the locals made a macabre discovery in the vicinity of the grove, the woman and her children were buried there. Their graves are said to be there to this day - although you have to search carefully to find them.

The residents of Byczyna say that you can meet a woman and her children in the vicinity of the grove every day. They usually stand as ghosts on a nearby road, sadly hanging down their heads. Sometimes it happens that the road passes through it. You can also hear a baby crying in the vicinity, coming from the grove. In order to calm the spirits, the inhabitants of Byczyna sometimes leave various toys at the edge of the field. Supposedly, you can still find damaged doll fragments lying there in the mud.

Burning a witch - the terror of the inhabitants of Byczyna

Did anything else happen in the vicinity of Jaśkowice and Byczyna in Opole? It turns out… yes. Before the outbreak of World War II, and even World War I, a witch hunt was organized in the surrounding areas. In the 15th century, a young woman was burnt alive between Byczyna and the village of Nasale. It was believed that the girl who lived with her mother at today's ul. Floriańska in Byczyna is ... a witch. The origins of the young woman have never been established. It was known, however, that she worked as a servant and was an exceptionally beautiful lady. It was the girl's beauty that caused her trouble. The old lady for whom the girl worked accused her of enchanting her husband - the man fell in love with the maid. The young and innocent woman was considered a witch who casts love spells on the local men. Therefore, she was sentenced to be burned alive at the stake. The trial took place on a nearby hill. The witch was transported there in a cage so that she could not escape.

Before the girl burned, however, in front of the whole village, she managed to shout that she would return. That is why there is a cross on the hill that blocks the devil's power and the witch's curse. In the vicinity of the cross, you can hear the disturbing murmur of trees and moans that come out from under the ground. The legend of Byczyna says that if the cross was destroyed or fell, the woman burned at the stake would certainly return to the city.

Bibliography:

Kidger Rebecca E .: Ghosts. Stories about haunted places and people, Rea Publishing House, Konstancin-Jeziorna 2012

Robert David Chase: The Visitation. True Stories, Replika Publishing House, Poznań 2019

Haunted House in Connecticut. Did the demons really possess him? We check the facts

 Connecticut's haunted house is a place that once aroused much controversy among people. It is said that the house was possessed by evil powers that plagued the tenants for a long time. Did supernatural phenomena really take place in the building? Find out what the true story of a Connecticut Haunted House is.

Haunted House in Connecticut - History, Highlights

Terrifying visions of Philip Snedeker

The Snedeker's moved into Hallahan House, Connecticut, in 1986. A happy marriage with six children - three sons and three daughters - thought they would be very happy in this place. Hallahan House was many years old. The Seekers, however, did not know what was inside it before. It is not explained in the historical records why the Snedeker's had no idea what the history of the house was. This building used to be ... a funeral home.

The married couple may not have had time to delve into the historical details of the house. They wanted a building quickly, so they were guided by need, not taste or sentiment. They bought the house from the previous owners for a very reasonable price, which was what they really wanted. The eldest of the boys (Philip) struggled with a terrible tumor of the lymphatic system, Hodgkin's disease. This is why the Snedeker's had to move close to the hospital where they treated their son. Thanks to this, they saved the time that played the most important role in their lives.

Even though Philip's physical condition improved very quickly, the teenager began to experience terrifying visions. Parents and doctors explained his behavior with the still progressing disease. The doctors said that the disease could have had a very bad effect on the boy's behavior. Over time, it became more and more apparent that Philip's emotional state was deteriorating. The teenager's psyche was collapsing, and Philip changed his behavior to worse and worse. Over time, the household began to feel strange things at home. Various inexplicable events took place at Hallahan House, such as the knocking of windows and the penetrating cold despite the hot summer.

Supernatural phenomena at the Hallahan House

The haunted house was decided to be explored by Ed and Lorraine Warren - the most famous demonologists in the United States, who were summoned by the Snedeker's. The case of the ghost-possessed building grew very loud. The Seekers, at first, were nervous about the whole situation. Over time, however, they decided to speak out publicly about their home. More and more people were interested in the haunting of Hallahan House, so more and more rumors arose around the history of the house. Some of them seemed unlikely, but others made more than one hair stand on the skin.

Supernatural phenomena at home in Connecticut were translated in many different ways. The former owners, who sold the house to the Snedeker's, also joined in the dispute over the truthfulness of the house's history. They believed that everything was fine in the house because nothing had ever happened in the house for many years. Was it really so? Or were the previous owners delousing the eyes of haunted theorists? What if they lied so that the family that bought their home from them would not accuse them of lying to reality? It is not known which version is true. It is known, however, that various strange things were actually happening in Hallahan House - inexplicable and scary, like a haunted house near Dzialdowo

Is the story of Connecticut's haunted house true?

Philip was the first person to be possessed at Hallahan House

Whatever force haunted the Connecticut home, it was known to be no good. Philip had terrible visions, and sometimes a ghost was felt in the home. Objects moved by themselves - sometimes at dizzying speed, destroying the interior of the building. The evil powers, however, did not stop there marking their presence. The spirits destroyed all the sacred symbols in the home that were supposed to protect the family from their effects. Hallahan House was therefore sacrificed. An exorcism was also performed there. Thanks to the actions of the clergy, the dark forces left Philip and they did not harm the house anymore.

Historical records indicate that Philip Snedeker was the first person to be visited by a ghost at the Hallahan House. However, expert psychiatrists explained it in one simple way - Philip was rubbing against death every day, so he simply succumbed to supernatural powers more easily. The previous family who lived in Hallahan House did not believe in the existence of ghosts - maybe that's why they never experienced their presence? The Snedeker family opened up to supernatural phenomena thanks to their child and his behavior. Perhaps it made them believe that the house was haunted by evil forces. For the Snedeker's, the Connecticut home was mysterious and terrifying.

Ed and Lorraine Warren believed that Philip, being in a weak mental condition, could become a kind of ghost magnet. He was on the border of both worlds - the dead and the living. That is why he could attract evil spirits, which he drew into the real world in such quantity that they began to be a problem for all the tenants of Hallahan House. This may explain why previous homeowners did not experience paranormal phenomena in the building. Expert scholars of spiritism believe that people who do not believe in ghosts may not notice their presence at all - even though the ghosts will be right there. The former owners of the facility did not believe in them, so therefore they did not see the ghosts.

Did demons really possess a home in Connecticut?

Many home historians believe that the building's past may be responsible for the mysterious events at Hallahan House. As I have already mentioned, there used to be a funeral home there. Strange supernatural phenomena at Hallahan House usually took place in places where funeral preparations or care for the dead were taking place. What, however, would be the connection between the former funeral home and its haunting by ghosts? After all, funeral homes are not places of death or the rest of the dead. Years later it turned out that there was still ... a cemetery in front of the funeral home.

The haunted house in Connecticut hit theaters when the movie The Tormented (2009) was released. The film tells the story of a young marriage with a child suffering from cancer. The couple auctioned the house in order to be closer to their son's therapy center. Soon after, inexplicable things began to happen in the building. While the plot of the movie sounds like many other horror movies, this one is nevertheless unique. Once, that movie can actually arouse fear in the viewer. And two, the story is based on the events at Hallahan House in Connecticut. Of course, there are still plenty of people who don't believe the building's haunting story. Regardless of whether we believe in it or not, one must admit - the story is really interesting. Watch The Tormented and ponder what might have happened at one time in a Connecticut home.

Bibliography:

Gerald Brittle: Ed and Lorraine Warrens. Demonologists, Esprit Publishing House, Krakow 2016

Robert David Chase: The Visitation. True Stories, Replika Publishing House, Poznań 2019

A haunted house near Działdowo. Is it really a haunted house in this house?

 The haunted house near Działdowo is considered by many to be the Polish Amityville. The Pokropski family from Turza Wielka in the Działdowo commune believe that paranormal phenomena occurred in their apartment and that the place is inhabited by evil spirits. Is the story of the house near Działdowo true? Or maybe the haunted house is an idea created especially for the media? One thing is for sure. The mysteries of the haunted house in Turza Wielka intrigued the whole of Poland.

Haunted house near Działdowo - the most obsessed house in Poland?

It all started with the purchase of a sofa bed ...

A few years ago, the haunted house in Turza Wielka was one of the hottest topics in our country. All the media in Poland wrote about the ghost-haunted place, so Turza Wielka was still visited by reporters and journalists. At first, the Pokropski family who lived in the haunted house did not believe in ghosts. However, when she began experiencing their presence, she changed her mind quickly. True, one cannot believe in the supernatural. One may also believe that science is the best explanation for strange supernatural phenomena. However, one should certainly not ignore what happened in a former German house near Działdowo. Even the Ouija board and the Connecticut haunted house seem to be… calmer with it.

On November 23, 2017, the ghost that haunted the Pokropski family's apartment made itself known for the first time. It all started when the family bought a couch from their good friend. On the second day, the Pokropskis began to hear strange noises from outside. They also heard a knock on the door, but when they opened it, they saw no one behind them. As many as three families lived in the social building, which was built after the old school. The six-person Pokropski family lived in the attic of the old house. The neighbors have never encountered the paranormal phenomena described by the Pokropski family. Therefore, they believed that history could be created by Mrs. Krystyna Pokropska and her family. The whole was to be fueled by local media. How much truth is there and on whose side is it right? Hard to say. What is certain, however, is that the story does not end there yet. For the ghosts kept making themselves known.

A priest comes with the help ...

The knocking on the door wasn't the only sign from the ghosts. In the evenings, various items began to fall from the shelves at the Pokropski's. The family decided to wait out the paranormal events. She figured that someone might be making fun of them. However, history began to repeat itself. It was getting worse every day. Various things began to levitate around the apartment, such as coins, batteries, padlocks, and toys. One afternoon the Pokropskis also found knives that had been placed in the toilet at the sign of the cross. One day, water also started dripping from the ceiling, even though the roof was repaired and nothing was leaking from it. The Pokropski family, fearing for their lives and their children's lives, called the local parish priest, Father Mirosław Culepa from the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, to the house. The clergyman sacrificed the apartment, but it was completely useless. Objects were still flying around the apartment, and the spirit made itself known every day.

The Pokropski family again asked the priest to come to their apartment. Father Mirosław celebrated Mass for the family. After the recited prayer, one of the padlocks suddenly rose into the air and hit the priest directly in the head. After a while, blocks scattered around the apartment flew towards the priest, and the cross hung over the door turned. The clergyman escaped from the apartment of Mr. Kazimierz and Mrs. Krystyna. The priest ordered the family to leave the haunted apartment. The family obeyed him and went to sleep with their in-laws.

The secrets of a haunted house near Działdowo - the most important information

Exorcisms in the Pokropski haunted apartment

The situation in the Pokropski house was getting worse day by day. The evil spirit had a bad effect on both the psyche of the couple and their four children. There was no dry thread left on the twelve-year-old daughter of Kazimierz and Krystyna. Her peers pointed their fingers at her, and the girl had to give up school for several weeks. The Pokropskis decided to call the exorcist priest Leszek Korzeniecki - the pastor of the Christian Church ZOE from Węgorzewo to their apartment. The exorcist referred to himself as a Protestant, so the Catholic nomenclature did not refer to what he was doing. The pastor claimed that he had had the opportunity to experience similar cases before.

Did the exorcist's visit change anything in the life of the Pokropskis? Not really. Even though Korzeniecki talked to his family and prayed with them for the welfare of the house, objects still moved around in all rooms. The exorcist ordered the family to get rid of the sofa bed they purchased, but it still did not bring the desired results. The neighbors also began to notice that the lights in the Pokropskis' apartment were constantly on in the evenings - even though the family ran away again, this time finding refuge in Caritas.

Haunted house near Działdowo - truth or lie?

Journalists did not manage to talk to the priest who was the first to say the prayer in the Pokropski house. The village mayor (Marek Waśkowiak) said that he had not seen with his own eyes what all of Poland was debating. However, he was told about the whole situation by his family and the priest whom the mayor trusted and believed. After delving into the history of the house, it was possible to obtain information that there was a school in the house of the Pokropski family almost a hundred years ago. Even earlier, the German heir Stern lived in this building. The oldest inhabitants of Turza Wielka believe that Stern gave the village land for the construction of a church and a cemetery. His only request was that people be buried in it for free.

This is not the only story around the house near Działdowo. Some residents believe that the Soviets murdered the German heir in the flat of the Pokropski family - it is possible because behind the haunted house there are still remains of tombstones, possibly belonging to Stern and his family. Still, others linked the history of the house with the possession of a little girl, which took place in Turza Wielka a year earlier. Apparently, she was playing summoning ghosts who decided to possess the girl. The family later moved outside the county and no one else saw them again. But what happened to the Pokropski family? They received a deposit of PLN 900 from the commune to rent a new flat. The Pokropski family insists that they will not return home to Turza Wielka because some spirit does not want them there.

Is the story of the haunted house near Działdowo true? It turns out that two other families live in the building where the ghost was haunted by the Pokropskis. Neither of them has ever experienced similar inconveniences that allegedly befell the Pokropski family. Neighbors in the same building believe that the ghost has never been heard or seen. Perhaps the ghost decided to haunt only one part of the house, and more specifically the attic where the Pokropski family lived?

Some inhabitants of Turza Wielka think that Kazimierz and Krystyna made up the story and it was said that… it was not their first lie. The Pokropski family allegedly deceived everyone in order to get a better apartment from the commune, because the "haunted" apartment simply did not meet the standard. Still, others confirm these words, saying that they saw the family trying to set fire to the building in order to get nicer social housing. It's hard to say who is right. However, it should be remembered that, as the famous saying goes, "each stick always has two ends."

Bibliography:

Kidger Rebecca E .: Ghosts. Stories about haunted places and people, Rea Publishing House, Konstancin-Jeziorna 2012

Robert David Chase: The Visitation. True Stories, Replika Publishing House, Poznań 2019 

Ogrodzieniec Castle - the Polish film "The Witcher" was shot here!

 Ogrodzieniec Castle is located in the Kraków-Częstochowa Jura in the village of Podzamcze. It was built between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and still stands proudly on Góra Zamkowa. The ruins of the castle can be visited by taking a walk along the tourist Trail of the Eagles' Nests, which runs through the Lesser Poland and Silesia provinces. It is also worth visiting the castle because the scenes of the famous series "The Witcher" were filmed here! Check out what the history of Ogrodzieniec Castle looks like and find out if there are any… ghosts in this place at night.

The history of Ogrodzieniec Castle - see what it really looked like

Who built the castle and came into the possession of Ogrodzieniec?

A wooden stronghold used to stand in the place of the castle. However, it was probably destroyed by the Tatar invasion in 1241. The brick castle was built by King Casimir the Great, who then leased it to Przedbor from Brzezie. Many historical documents indicate that Przedbór spent a large amount of money on strengthening the castle fortifications. Later, Władysław Jagiełło came into possession of the castle, and then it was taken over by the Włodek (Sulimów) family, who ruled in Ogrodzieniec for almost a hundred years. The castle was sheltered by high rocks, and the entrance to it ran through a narrow gap between them. Therefore, it was a building perfectly composed of the surrounding area, which many eager merchants were fondling about.

Ogrodzieniec was further sold in 1470. It then passed from the Sulim family to the Salomonowicz family. The castle was also looked after by the brothers of Jan Feliks Rzeszowski, who also owned the Ogrodzieniec estate. In the following years, the castle passed through the hands of Jan Pilecki and his son, and later it went to Mikołaj Chełmski. Seweryn Boner and his two sons - Jan and Stanisław - then came into possession of the castle. It is worth adding that Seweryn rebuilt and expanded Ogrodzieniec with an additional wing. It is thanks to him that Ogrodzieniec ceased to be a medieval stronghold and a renaissance castle.

Ogrodzieniec is in the hands of new owners. Castle fire

In 1562, the owner of Ogrodzieniec became Jan Firlej, the son-in-law of Seweryn Boner. A dozen or so years later, Archduke Maksymilian, who was a candidate for the Polish throne, conquered the castle. The Swedish army partially burned the building down in 1655, occupying Ogrodzieniec for almost two years. The castle was then taken care of by Stanisław Warszycki, partially rebuilding the damage done by the Swedish army. Ogrodzieniec later fell into the hands of the Męciński family.

1702 was the time when the army of Charles XII set the castle on fire again. Ogrodzieniec was almost half burnt. Nobody wanted to rebuild it, because it was a very time-consuming and costly job. The castle from the Męciński family was bought by Tomasz Jakliński, who led Ogrodzieniec to total ruin - he was completely unconcerned about the technical condition of the building. The castle went to Ludwik Kozłowski, who did nothing with the ruins. On the contrary. He began to destroy the castle walls in order to obtain good material for the construction of other facilities. He sold the equipment of the castle to Jews. The last owners of Ogrodzieniec were the Wołczyński family.

The facility was nationalized after 1944. Conservation works were carried out to keep the castle in the form of a permanent ruin. The works were carried out in the years 1949-1973. Then, Ogrodzieniec was made available to tourists for sightseeing. When visiting the castle, it is worth taking a look at the market square in Podzamcze, where there is a chapel built of castle elements. Inside, you can find the original remains of the former Ogrodzieniec, such as a cannonball, vault keystone or a Renaissance statue of the Virgin Mary.

Ogrodzieniec Castle - "The Witcher" and castle legends

Ogrodzieniec Castle as the set design for the series "The Witcher"

"The Witcher" was one of the most anticipated Netflix productions in 2019. The serial screening of Andrzej Sapkowski's novel was shot partly in Hungary and the island of La Palma. However, some scenes were also recorded in Poland, at the Ogrodzieniec Castle in Podzamcze. It is not surprising, however, that the creators of the famous series decided to bet on this object.

The ruins of Ogrodzieniec are huge and beautiful, which can be exactly seen in the battle scene for Sodden Hill in "The Witcher". At that time, the castle served as a fortress, being the key to conquering the northern kingdoms. In the series, Ogrodzieniec was therefore a fortress that guarded the narrowest section of the Yaruga from the dawn of time - a river of great strategic importance that blocked the Nilfgaardian troops from further expansion to the north.

Is it true that Ogrodzieniec Castle is haunted?

There are many legends and fantastic stories around Ogrodzieniec. Here are a few of them that testify to the fact that ghosts live in the castle. How much truth is there in them? Everyone has to judge it for themselves on the spot. Preferably after dark.

1. The legend of the black dog

At night, a huge black dog appears to appear at the castle, guarding the facility and clinking with three-meter chains. You can also hear his growling, which effectively drives people away. Stanisław Warszycki - one of the buyers of the castle - was reportedly transformed into a dog. He was kidnapped by devils during his lifetime for his reprehensible behavior. Warszycki loved torture, especially against wives. He was to lash one in public and brick the other alive. For his actions, he was changed into a black dog who wanders around the castle at night and looks after the treasures hidden in it.

2. Olimpia - the White Lady of Ogrodzieniec

Stanisław Boner had a daughter, Olimpia, who was a virgin of exceptional beauty. The girl, however, gave her heart to Stanisław Kmita, whom Boner did not like. They were separated by a huge… religious gulf. Kmit was a Catholic, and Boner a follower of Protestantism. Olimpia, when she was persecuted by her father, gave up her love for Stanisław and gave her hand to another. This one, out of despair, threw himself into the mountain abyss. Boner's daughter could not stand the loss of her beloved, so she also committed suicide - she jumped out of the tower in Ogrodzieniec. Today she wanders around the castle at night, dressed in a white dress, and looks for her beloved Stanisław.

3. The legend of boners

The castle was ruled by two brothers who were very greedy. They were called "bonarki", which was the then term for misers. The more treasures they had, the bigger they became squeamish. To become filthy rich, the brothers hurt a lot of people. One day the boners died on the same day simultaneously. Before their death, however, they managed to ask to be buried in a deep grave with all their valuables gathered. The tomb was to be guarded by knights, who would chase away phantoms stretching out their hands to the brothers with swords dipped in holy water. In the evenings, the ghosts of the knights are said to still fight the wraiths in the castle - and more precisely, the ghosts of all people who have been harmed by greedy brothers.

4. Iron door

When Seweryn Boner was the owner of the castle, he often traveled on business. During this time, his wife was playing with the soldiers. One time she went to pray to the castle chapel to be forgiven for her sins. Suddenly a gale arose and the chapel slammed shut. The iron door was hard to open. When they were finally balanced, Seweryn's wife was found. She was lying dead on the steps in front of the altar. After the funeral, unknown robbers raided the castle. However, they managed to take only the iron door, still lying by the chapel. To this day, they are located in the church in Ogrodzieniec, closing the sacristy there.

5. Well and Anzelm from Józefów

As you can see, most legends definitely concern the Boner family. Anselm from Józefów once lived in the castle, he was doing military service in Ogrodzieniec. He missed his wife a lot, but he was conscientiously following Seweryn Boner's orders. Two years later, he wanted to visit his wife, to which Boner reluctantly agreed. He set a condition for the man - he ordered him to dig a well, and then Anselm could go to his beloved. Unfortunately, it took the man many years to see the water at the bottom of the well. Seweryn, as promised, dismissed the old man from the service. However, he no longer had the strength to return home. He died trying to get to the surface of the well. At the same time, the water from the well disappeared. Legend has it that Anselm from Józefów took her with him in retaliation.

Bibliography:

L. Kajzer, J. Salm, S. Kołodziejski: Lexicon of castles in Poland, Arkady Publishing House, Warsaw 2001

Kidger Rebecca E .: Ghosts. Stories about haunted places and people, Rea Publishing House, Konstancin-Jeziorna 2012 

Ed and Lorraine Warren - the story of the most famous pair of demonologists

Ed and Lorraine Warren are the world's most famous paranormal researchers. The Warrens have for many years uncovered terrifying stories related to supernatural forces. Visits and possessions were not alien to them. Throughout their lives, demonologists have met with ghosts through seances, becoming an inspiration for many books and filmmakers. What is the biography of a famous couple? Which matters involving them are considered to be the most chilling in the veins? This is the amazing story of Ed and Lorraine Warren.

Ed and Lorraine Warren - the most famous researchers of paranormal phenomena

The beginning of Ed and Lorraine Warren's activities. Biography of a famous couple

Edward Warren (1926-2006) was born in Bridgeport. Even as a child, he experienced numerous paranormal phenomena that often happened even in his home. As Ed said, he had always noticed strange spherical shapes around him. He also often heard screeching noises in the apartment that other household members did not hear. In the evenings, Ed felt someone walking around the house and breathing hard. He also felt a bitter cold in his room, even though the window was closed. During World War II, Ed served in the Navy, from which he returned as one of the few survivors. He later worked in the police, meanwhile attending art school. All the time, however, he experienced inexplicable supernatural phenomena that began to fascinate him more than frighten him.

When Edward was 16, he met Lorraine Moran (1927-2019). The couple quickly became friends with each other. It turned out that Ed and Lorraine had a lot of common topics to talk about. Lorraine confessed to Ed that she could contact the spirits. She could see things invisible to others, which made her a medium. She also heard noises that didn't seem human. Ed sensed and saw similar things, which is why he approached a woman like him. In 1945 Ed and Lorraine got married and in 1950 they had a baby girl, Judy. In 1952, Mr. and Mrs. Warren decided to establish the New England Society for Psychological Research. They decided that they should combine their extraordinary skills and help people who were attacked by supernatural forces. The Warrens, through séances, decided to support, among others exorcisms that were carried out on possessed people.

Demonologists on the trail of paranormal events 

The history of Mr. and Mrs. Warren began with the founding of the Society. More people who witnessed supernatural phenomena came to the demonologists. Many of them needed immediate help from the Warrens who were willing to provide it. The couple cleverly dealt with strange cases, taking their work very seriously. For a time Ed was even the only secular demonologist the Vatican recognized. Lorraine, on the other hand, had a priceless gift of clairvoyance, thanks to which the couple managed to contact the "other party".

Ed and Lorraine have published numerous publications about the cases they investigated. They also often lectured at various universities. When Ed died in 2006, Lorraine was with the Society for the rest of her life. The couple also ran their private Museum of Occultism. The Warrens collected mysterious photographs, items for summoning spirits (like the Ouija board), toys haunted by demons, and other strange things. One of the already iconic exhibits is the Annabelle demon doll, the story of which I will now try to present.

Exorcisms, Possessions, and Paranormal Phenomena - The History of the Warrens

Demonic "Rag Ann"

The end of the 1960s turned out to be dramatic for two nurses from England. In 1968, one of them (Donna) was given a birthday present by her mother. In the package, there was a rag doll named Raggedy Ann - which in Polish means "Rag Ania". It was not a very beautiful toy, but Donna decided to keep it - mostly because of her mother. The nurse set her on the bed in her room and a moment later called for her roommate, Angie. Colleagues from work decided that the doll fits the decor and it will be a perfect place for her.

In the following days, the nurses began to notice that the doll was constantly changing its position. Donna put her on the bed every morning in a completely different pose than what she found when she came back from work. The doll sat differently every day, which began to seriously worry Donna and Angie. One day they left Rag Ania with their arms crossed. Upon returning home, they found that the hands were spread. Another time, the doll completely changed position - instead of on the bed, it was sitting on a chair. Later, she wandered from room to room, which terrified the roommates. Instead of in Donna's room, she appeared in Angie's room, for example. The friends were even more scared when… bloodstains appeared on Regeddy Ann's clothes. 

Ed and Lorraine stepped in, summoned by the terrified nurses. Lorraine looked distractedly at the apartment and the doll. She explained to the girls what really happened in this place. The ghost of 7-year-old Annabelle Higgins, who once died in this apartment in tragic circumstances, lives in a rag toy. The doll was used by Annabelle to contact the world of the living. The nurses had a hard time believing the story told by Lorraine and refused to seek further help from the woman. They left the doll at home, but it still made itself feel.

One day, Annabelle caught up with Lou, a friend of Donna and Angie. The attacked man screamed, fell to the ground in front of the doll, and began to bleed. It turned out that claw marks appeared on his chest. Had the demonic Annabelle left them? Lorraine was right. Soon after, an exorcist appeared at the nurses' home, who, accompanied by the Warrens, blessed the apartment and performed the exorcisms. Ed and Lorraine took the doll and placed it in their private occult museum. For security reasons, however, they locked it in a sealed glass case with the inscription Do not open!

It's hard to believe, but the ragdoll story really happened. The terrifying case of possession has inspired the creators of the horror film series "Annabelle". Three parts of a horror movie about a ghostly doll have already been screened in cinemas:

Annabelle - 2014

Annabelle: The Birth of Evil - 2017

Annabelle Comes Home - 2019

Amityville Horror - Warren's loudest investigation

In 1976, Ed and Lorraine Warren's most famous investigation took place. A couple, Kathy and George Lutz, and their children have moved to the haunted house. The couple bought a house at 112 Ocean Avenue on Long Island (Amityville) for $ 80,000, which was infamous for fame. A terrible story happened here - even more, terrible than the Anneliese Michel exorcisms. On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo murdered his entire family in this house - his parents and four siblings. Not long after the young couple moved into the house, Kathy and George began to sense strange things in him. It was as if someone else was living in the house.

Every now and then the crosses on the walls of the house turn around by themselves. Kathy's chest was marked with strange red marks. George also found a hidden room in the house that was not on the building plan. All the walls were painted red. Soon after, the Lutz family began to experience terrifying visions. Frightened, they decided to summon Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were the only ones who could chase away the evil forces from the house. The Warrens did sense the ghostly spirits in the Amityville home that remained after the cruel killing of DeFeo. In the infrared image that the demonologists took, the demon boy was captured. The photo was first published during the promotion of the Ghost House movie The Amityville Horror (1979). 

Was the story of the most famous pair of demonologists true?

There is no doubt that Ed and Lorraine were real. Lorraine died not so long ago, on August 18, 2019. Until the end of her life, she ran and guarded the Occult Museum, where the Warrens locked the Annabelle doll, the Ouija board, and other dangerous exhibits. Scary horror films were filmed about many of them, such as The Presence (2013), The Devil's Board Ouija (2014), or The Nun (2018). But did these films actually reflect the events in which the Warrens took part? It has been known for a long time that pop culture has its own rules. So sometimes you have to add spice to certain stories to arouse the interest of your audience.

Ed and Lorraine Warren were eminent specialists in haunting, possession, and ghosts. Marriage has had and continues to have a great influence on contemporary popular culture. Fascinated by magic and the occult, they consider the Warrens as their heroes. Is the rich documentation Ed and Lorraine left behind still enough to make people believe in their abilities? Did the paranormal phenomena they experienced really happen? Or maybe Ed and Lorraine were just acting for… money? Some issues will remain a mystery forever.

Bibliography:

Gerald Brittle: Ed and Lorraine Warrens. Demonologists, Esprit Publishing House, Krakow 2016

Robert David Chase: The Visitation. True Stories, Replika Publishing House, Poznań 2019

Anneliese Michel - was subjected to many exorcisms. Is it effective?

 Anneliese Michel was subjected to numerous exorcisms in the 1970s. Her story has inspired me to write books and make many horror films. What was the possession of Anneliese Michel like? Did the exorcisms help chase the demons out of her? Why was the possession of Michel the most outrageous at the time? Check out what the demonic possession of Anneliese Michel really looked like.

Anneliese Michel - a possession that terrified all of Germany

Anneliese Michel's dark past. Epilepsy, depression, and anxiety

Anneliese Michel was born on September 21, 1952. She grew up in the German town of Leiblfing and came from a very religious family. Her parents were involved in the activities of religious communities that bordered on heresy - for example, they rejected the Second Vatican Council. Anneliese was one of the four daughters of the Michel family. She was the only one who was often sick but was not troublesome for her parents. She did not complain about her health and went to school with joy. She studied well and her friends liked her very much. However, they did not know how much Anneliese's parents influence their daughter's life. As staunch religious fanatics, they taught her many of the practices by which Anneliese was to atone for all her sins. For example, they made her fall asleep on the hard, cool floor, so that she would be cleansed of her sins.

In 1969, Anneliese began to feel worse and worse. She fell into strange anxiety states which seemed to be very disturbing to the girl's parents. Soon after, Anneliese began to suffer from regular seizures of epilepsy, which was confirmed by neuroscientists. The girl was increasingly running away from her peers, falling into depression. Over time, Anneliese completely isolated herself from the outside world and stopped her pedagogical studies. She felt that she could no longer deal with her own person. In the evenings, Michel felt a strange force that prevented her from breathing. At night, she woke up screaming loudly for help.

Anneliese Michel's even stranger behavior. Was it demonic possession?

Anneliese often complained to her parents that something was making noise in her room. The frightened ones sent her to an ENT specialist. They were convinced that their daughter had hearing problems. However, the doctor did not detect any auditory disturbances. Soon after, the Anneliese family also began to hear strange noises in the house - knocking from wardrobes, scratching walls, hitting ceilings. Frightened, they began to pray regularly in front of the holy figurines. Every time they did so, Anneliese's face twisted in a strange grimace. Her eyes took on a dark, frightening color. The girl felt worse and worse. She complained that she was surrounded by dark apparitions everywhere. She began to fear for her own life.

The parents wanted to take their daughter to the Psychiatric Clinic in Wurzburg, but Anneliese refused treatment. Parents kept praying and even invited clergymen to their homes to support them in their prayers. Anneliese became increasingly depressed and had several suicide attempts. She was accompanied by daily hallucinations and hallucinations. The girl's mother pleaded with a local priest to perform an exorcism but was refused twice. Anneliese felt worse and worse. She would often go under the table and pretend to be a dog. She ate spiders and flies, bit off the heads of dead birds, cursed in the presence of priests, and kept screaming horribly. Doctors searched unsuccessfully for the causes of the girl's strange behavior.

Anneliese's aggression increased day by day. When the clergymen came to Michel's house, the girl destroyed the crosses and rosaries they had brought. She poured out the holy water, spit out the host, and laughed in everyone's face. She often put her head in the toilet bowl, scratched the walls, ran up and downstairs, and suffered from insomnia. Parents tried to console their exhausted daughter, saying that they would surely find a good doctor. And this one will heal her eventually.

Are the Anneliese possessed by demons? The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel

Exorcisms, terrifying tapes, and stigmas

In 1975, Anneliese's mother decided to ask the clergy for help for the third time. She wanted the exorcists to investigate her daughter's case. Anneliese's parents believed that performing an exorcism would be the last resort for their beloved child. This time it worked. In September of the same year, the bishop of Wurzburg (Josef Stangl) finally gave his consent to exorcism. He handed over the dismissal to priest Arnold Renz. He also forbade anyone to tell about the exorcisms that were to take place at Michel's house. Father Renz was accompanied by the parish priest Ernst Alt.

Upon arriving at the Michels' apartment, the clergy knew immediately that they were dealing with possession. What were the exorcisms really? With a solemn prayer during which the clergy ordered the evil spirits to leave the body of Anneliese - in the name of Jesus Christ. The prayers lasted for hours without rest. However, the clergy managed to reveal the names of the demons who inhabited Anneliese's body. Six names fell from the girl's lips - Nero, Lucifer, Kain, Judasz, Fleischmann, and Hitler. After the first exorcism session, Michel stopped eating and was in danger of starvation. In the meantime, the course of the exorcism was recorded on a tape recorder, thanks to which it was possible to carefully analyze the recordings later. In total, 51 tapes with recordings of exorcisms were collected.

In subsequent sessions, the exorcists forced the demons to leave the girl's body. They referred to words from the Holy Scriptures, still invoking the holy names. Anneliese was screaming and was already exhausted by it all. She answered the clergy's constantly asked questions, but not with her voice at all. Anneliese fell on her knees many times during the exorcisms, which she seriously injured herself. There were also non-healing wounds on her feet and hands, which the exorcists considered stigmata. The clergy performed exorcisms for 10 months - once or twice a week. One session lasted about 4 hours.

The last exorcisms of Anneliese Michel and the death of Anneliese Michel

The last exorcism was performed by the clergy on June 30, 1976. Anneliese was then absolved by Father Renz. She then went to her bed and fell asleep. Anneliese's death came a day later - on July 1, 1976. The girl died in a dream. After an autopsy, Anneliese found that starvation and dehydration may have been the cause of death. Anneliese Michel weighed only 30 kilograms on the day of her death. She also damaged her knee joints by constantly kneeling. Numerous wounds and scars, considered by exorcists as stigmas, were also noticed on her body.

The criminal trial for Anneliese's death lasted many months. Ultimately, it was established that starvation was the cause of death. Experts did not believe in Anneliese's possession, maintaining that the girl simply suffered from epilepsy. Their behavior was attributed to Anneliese's upbringing in a family of religious fanatics. Has the criminal trial ended without being found guilty? Well no. The parents of the girls as well as the clergy were blamed for the manslaughter of Anneliese. The court sentenced everyone to six months' imprisonment, suspended for three years. 

What was the Anneliese Michel story really like?

The story of Anneliese Michel's possession and exorcism has inspired him to write numerous books, but also make many horror films. A lot of literary and film works have been created on the basis of the events of the 1970s. One of the most popular is Scott Derrickson's horror film The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005). The director chose the story of Anneliese Michel's possession, creating a terrifying and suspenseful horror film. The problem of possession is also discussed, for example, in the entire series of Presence, the heroes of which are famous researchers of paranormal phenomena (Ed and Lorraine Warren). The story of allegedly haunted by demons Anneliese Michel was most accurately described by Professor Felicitas D. Goodman. It was Felicitas D. Goodman's book that was the main source of inspiration for the filming of the aforementioned Exorcisms by Emily Rose.

After a dozen or so years, it turned out that some matters had not been mentioned. During the criminal trial, no one paid attention to the fact that Anneliese had been subjected to numerous EEG tests to check her brain function. For several years, a girl was given anti-epilepsy drugs that had devastating side effects on her body. Scientists to this day are betting that the high concentration of preparations and many years of poisoning the body with them led to the death of Anneliese Michel. Was it true then that Anneliese was possessed by demons? Or maybe she was captivated by something else entirely - a family of staunch religious fanatics, years of drug use, and depression? We will probably never find out again.

Click here for another article about  Anneliese on this blog

Bibliography:

Goodman Felicitas D.: The Exorcisms of Anneliese Michel. A true story, Replika Publishing House, Warsaw 2020

Gabriele Amorth: Exorcists and Psychiatrists, Publishing House Edycja Saint Paul, Częstochowa 1999

Rev. Aleksander Posacki SJ: Exorcisms, Possession, Demons, POLWEN Publishing House, Warsaw 2005

Close encounters, i.e. where has UFOs been seen in Poland?

 Most alien attacks are associated with science fiction movies. It turns out, however, that meetings with unknown visitors also take place in the real world. The United States has the highest number of cases of close encounters with UFOs. According to numerous information, there were also very interesting observations and unexplained events in Poland, indicating the visit of aliens. Where in Poland were UFOs seen? There are several places in our country that are associated with the visits of aliens.

UFO in Poland - where did the meeting with aliens take place?

What exactly is a UFO?

Most people mistakenly associate UFOs with aliens. In fact, however, the term is derived from the English language and is an abbreviation of unidentified flying object - which in Polish translation means an unidentified flying object. UFOs do not have to mean only a flying saucer of aliens, i.e. a vehicle belonging to an extraterrestrial civilization - such an association appeared and consolidated during the Cold War. Simply put, UFO is the term for all non-identifiable flying objects. These are objects in the sky that we cannot describe or confirm in any rational way. Example? If an unknown flying vehicle appears in the sky and no one can identify it, it will be described as a UFO.

In the text below, we will use the term UFO for all unidentified objects and phenomena in Poland that may indicate the presence of extraterrestrials. Let's use UFO terminology for the sake of simplicity. The lack of hard evidence for the events described below may, of course, make not everyone believe the stories or try to justify them in some rational way by citing science. It can be difficult, however, because neither witnesses nor scientists are able to explain closer encounters with UFOs in Poland to this day. Nor are they able to deny them.

Meeting with a UFO in Emilcin

In this case, there was one of the loudest, but also the best-documented closer encounter with a UFO in Poland. It was May 10, 1978. A certain Jan Wolski was returning home through the forest that day. Two slim figures with slanted eyes and green faces, dressed in black overalls, came out to him. Jan looked at their fingers, which were exposed - they were connected by a membrane. Jan was riding a horse-drawn carriage, which the strangers decided to jump on. The man rode on without a word - such a carriage ride was the norm in this area. John understood nothing of the speech of the aliens who were probably setting their plan. The man reached the clearing, and there he noticed a spaceship hanging above the ground. Strange creatures forced John to get off the carriage and use a guilt-like device to take him to a flying machine.

In the center of the cosmic object, there were two of the same beings who examined John with a device consisting of two interconnected saucers. Then the man was offered food - seeing his strange form, the man did not take a bite in his mouth. Afterward, the strangers allowed Wolski to leave the ship. When Jan returned home, he immediately told the family the whole story. Having returned with his wife and sons to the meeting place, however, they found neither the green visitors nor their vehicle. In the clearing, however, traces of Jan's closer contact with UFOs could still be noticed.

Close encounters with UFOs in Poland - famous cases

A flying saucer in Muszyna

On December 22, 1958, a certain Stanisław Kowalczewski observed the unusual color of the sky in Muszyna. The yellow hues suddenly began to turn into a strong orange, which for most people would surely just look like a sunset. Kowalczewski thought similarly. He was surprised, however, because the sunlight managed to break through the clouds and the rays fell only on one side. The man, fascinated by this unusual sight, started taking pictures of the landscape.

Stanisław wanted to take one more shot, so he quickly went outside the building. To his surprise, the sky suddenly became completely ordinary. Kowalczewski wondered why it wasn't getting dark - the sun had just gone down a moment ago! When a few days later he developed the photos, it turned out that there were no clouds in the sky at all, but… a flying saucer.

UFO attack in the Tri-City

On January 21, 1959, around 6:00 a.m. something fell into the Gdynia harbor basin. Two days later, the inhabitants of Gdańsk began calling local newspapers that they had seen objects flying over the city - flat, glowing, and completely unknown to them. Newspapers wrote about the event, and more reports were pouring in from witnesses. Observers of the alleged encounter with UFOs said that a ship of an alien civilization, glowing orange, hung for several seconds above the port. After a while, he unexpectedly glided down and fell into the fourth harbor basin - between the cold store and the warehouse.

Witnesses who were closest to the pool on the day of the UFO encounter say that the flying object did not resemble a saucer at all, but was cylindrical and barrel-like. As the port workers were afraid to pick up the object, the police and employees of the Security Office were called. An unidentified ship was recovered and taken to an unknown location. All witnesses were asked to remain silent, but it is known that such an event simply could not be kept quiet. According to Western scientists, in the port of Gdynia also found ... the body of a stranger from another planet. The military took them away and concealed the facts.

UFO at a military training ground near Borne Sulinowo

On October 7, 1994, one of the most interesting close encounters with UFOs in Poland took place. The contact with extraterrestrial civilization took place at the military training ground in Nadarzyce, near Borne Sulinowo. The soldiers who were stationed there noticed an unidentified object in the sky that began to separate into small spheres. Residents living in the area also noticed unusual objects in the sky, which were surrounded by fireballs. They were also detected on radars in Piła.

To identify the flying vehicles, two Su-22s - single-seat fighter-bombers - were sent into the air. After a while, however, both machines lost the ability to locate the target on radars. The aircraft engines, in turn, lost their full power. This event left a lot of questions in people's minds, to which no one is likely to get a reliable answer. Information about the alleged encounter with a UFO has been kept under military secrecy.

Closer encounters with UFOs in Poland took place in Czaplinek in the Drawskie Lakeland, as well as in Brody, the seaside Chałupy and Wylatowo - a town known as the "Polish capital of UFOs". It is in Wylatowo that for many years there have been mysterious crop circles, the so-called pictograms. Single cases of encounters with UFOs are said to take place there until today.

Construction of Wawel Castle - design, stages, reconstruction, costs, interesting facts

 From the first Palaeolithic buildings, through the seat of the Vistulans, the Piast and Jagiellonian capital of the country, to one of the most important symbols of the country. The Wawel Royal Castle has an extremely interesting, over a thousand-year history. Information about the first inhabitants of Wawel Hill dates back 1000 years. Already for the first Piasts it was an important center, the first representative and defense elements of the castle date back to this period. Its present appearance shows the effect of the successive stages of construction and reconstruction spread over time between the 10th and 20th centuries. Today, the interior of this royal residence covers an area of ​​over 7,000 m2 and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Stages of construction and reconstruction of Wawel - construction of Wawel

Wawel - first information and Wawel Royal Castle

Krakow's Wawel Hill is located in the bend of the Vistula River. It is located in the Old Town, right on the river. Its shape and location - including the close vicinity of wetlands - made it a very good place for the development of the settlement.

The first traces of settlement in this part of Kraków date back 100,000 years. Thus, they are among the oldest in Poland, which can be attributed to the fact that the last glaciation did not reach these areas. The proximity of the river and the location on the route of important trade routes enabled the first settlement to develop rapidly.

With time, the Wawel castle became one of the most important centers of the Vistula tribe. The first legends related to the area of ​​Krakow are dated to the early medieval period: about the founder of the city - Krak, the Wawel dragon, and princess Wanda. With time, the lands of Vistula found themselves in the newly created Piast state.

Piast Wawel and Wawel Royal Castle

Archaeological research has confirmed the strong settlement of Wawel in the early Piast period, although these were still the beginnings of the development of this area. After the Gniezno Congress, Krakow became one of the new episcopal capitals in Poland. Therefore, the first stone cathedral soon appeared on Wawel. The first religious project in this area was the rotunda of the Blessed Virgin Mary (today the rotunda of St. Felix and Adaukt) - one of the oldest buildings in Poland.

During the first Piasts, the construction of defensive and representative elements began, which in the future became a castle. As a result of the invasion of the Czech prince Brzetysław in the first half of the 11th century, Greater Poland was completely plundered - Anonymous Gall wrote that the interiors of the Gniezno cathedral were occupied by wild animals.

The return of Kazimierz I the Restorer to the country meant the need to establish a new administrative center of the state, and it was Krakow. It is assumed that at that time a hall with 24 pillars could have served as a palas. According to archaeologists, a typical fortified castle was built at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries. Other residential, sacred and defensive buildings were built at that time. Important changes in the appearance of Wawel were introduced by Kazimierz's successor - Władysław Herman. It was he who commissioned the construction of a new cathedral, in which the treasury was placed, containing the crown insignia of his brother - King Bolesław the Bold.

During the almost 200-year-long division of the districts, resulting from the division of the country by Bolesław Krzywousty, the Krakow castle was the seat of the senior - the country's head. At that time, during the reign of Bolesław the Chaste, fortifications were rebuilt. From the end of the thirteenth century, the processes aimed at the unification of Polish lands intensified, ultimately this art was successful for Władysław Łokietkowo. He was the first king to be coronated in the Wawel Cathedral of St. Stanislaus and St. Wenceslas. This cathedral also became the traditional burial place for most Polish monarchs.

Stages of construction and reconstruction of Wawel - Piasts, Jagiellons, and elective rulers

Stages of construction and reconstruction of Wawel of the last Piasts and the first Jagiellons

Wawel has not avoided such tragedies as fires in its history. One of them at the beginning of the 14th century to some extent destroyed the cathedral. The construction of a new temple was commissioned by Władysław Łokietek. The royal contribution to the expansion and reconstruction of the castle brought him the first period of its glory. During the reign of Casimir the Great, the castle in Kraków was already the seat of a magnificent manor house, which lived mainly in castle interiors.

A little less attention is paid to Wawel by Ludwik Węgierski and his mother ruling on his behalf, and the sister of Casimir the Great - Elżbieta. Ludwik's daughter Jadwiga and her husband Władysław Jagiełło are responsible for the design and ordering the next reconstruction of the castle. Probably the most famous element of Wawel architecture, created during the first Jagiellonian dynasty, is the crow's foot, which is still in a slightly changed form to this day.

Jadwiga and Władysław started another period of splendor of the Krakow castle. At that time, numerous towers and other administrative and residential rooms were added. More and more people appeared in the interiors and the courtyard. At the end of the 15th century, the most famous tombstone there - hiding the body of Kazimierz Jagiellończyk - appeared in the Wawel Cathedral. Wit Stwosz was responsible for its design and implementation.

Reconstruction of Zygmunt Stary and Zygmunt III Waza

Information about the next reconstruction of Wawel is again connected with the fire. This time the fire appeared in 1499. The reconstruction of the surviving parts began 5 years later, during the reign of Aleksander Jagiellończyk. The works of that time contain the first elements of the Renaissance, replacing the Gothic style.

From 1507, the country was ruled by Sigismund I the Old. It is mainly to him that we owe to a large extent today's appearance of Wawel, including the famous Renaissance courtyard. However, bringing in the Italian artists responsible for the redevelopment doubled its costs. It is also worth mentioning the separate toilets in which the new apartments were equipped - one hundred years older Versailles did not have any. Zygmunt also rebuilt the old, gothic part of the castle from foundations.

Another serious fire broke out in 1595. According to some, Sigismund III Vasa, who carried out alchemical experiments in the castle, was supposed to be responsible for causing it. The degree of destruction was so great that the reconstruction was at a great cost and forced the residents to partially leave the residence. Eventually, in 1606, the manor moved to Warsaw for good, and the Krakow castle was slowly declining.

After the partitions, Wawel became Austrian barracks. Galicia took over military facilities only at the beginning of the 20th century. The two world wars will worsen the condition of the building again. It was only from 1945 that Wawel again underwent the process of reconstruction and conservation, which ensured it was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978.

Bibliography:

Czapliński W., Ladogórski T., Historical Atlas of Poland, Polskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wydawnictw Kartograficznych, Warsaw 1970

Kozieł S., Niżnik J., Kraków - Wawel, Archaeological booklet: research, vol. 9, Warsaw 1975

Stępień P., Conservation of the relics of the rotunda of St. st. Feliks and Adaukt at Wawel, Protection of monuments, vol. 44, issue 2, 1991

Windakiewicz S., The History of Wawel, Krakow Publishing Company, Krakow 1925

Wisner H., Zygmunt III Waza, School and Pedagogical Publishers, Warsaw 1984

Żaki A., Archeology of Early Medieval Lesser Poland, Ossolineum, Wrocław 1974