Bedburg Werewolf

It is enough to make your hair stand on end and your blood curdle. But for many the legend of the werewolf was born out of popular myth and the fabrication of darkest tales emanating from the best creative minds that occupied the studios of Hollywood.

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But apart from what we hear and see today about the subject there are true stories. Some so chilling and evil that anyone reading about such events may in fact question if the myths are true. Stories have continued to frighten us for centuries and no doubt into the long and distant future.

But history holds the best stories and those that are based on fact bring the most alarming and disturbing nightmares to all that read or hear of them.

One such tale is of Peter Stumpp, whose famous macabre killings spurned the Werewolf of Bedburg story.

Peter Stumpp was born in the village of Epprath which was close to the country town of Bedburg which is in the electorate of Cologne, Germany. He went by other aliases such as Peter Stube, Peter Stumpf and others such as Abal Griswold, Abil Griswold and Ubel Griswold.

Stumpp’s exact date of birth is not known as this was due to the registers at the local church being destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th Century. However what is known is Stumpp were a relatively wealthy farmer and also an influential member of the rural community.

According to recorded history what is known of Stumpp is that during the 1580’s he was a widower with two children. Of the children he had a daughter named Beele (Sybil) who was known to be fifteen or over. He also had a son of an unknown age. He was also known to be having an intimate relationship with a distant relative called Katharina Trump.

What made Stumpp famous was his confession that he was a real life werewolf. This was after he was caught and held responsible for many deaths.

It was in 1589 that Stumpp was famously known for one of the most barbaric werewolf trials in history.

Stumpp confessed that he had practised black magic since he was at the tender age of 12. He was quick to point out that Satan had given him a magical belt. This allowed him to transform into the “likeness of a greedy, devouring wolf, strong and mighty, with eyes great and large, which in the night sparkled like fire, a mouth great and wide, with most sharp teeth, a huge body, and mighty paws.”