Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
The Ruffinihaus is a commercial building on Sendlinger Strasse in Munich’s old town, made up of three connected sections arranged around a triangular courtyard. It rises four stories and features bay windows and stucco decoration across its street-facing facades.
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It doesn’t look like it now, but once, it used to be an execution ground. And from this, ghost stories come out at night.
East corner facing the Rindermarkt, with the Ruffiniturm fresco.
The Raven Stone Executions
Gabriel von Seidl designed the Ruffinihaus between 1903 and 1905, building it on the site of the medieval Ruffiniturm, a tower that had been part of Munich’s old city defenses. The tower was demolished to make way for the new building, which kept the name of the structure it replaced.
Diagonally opposite the Ruffinihaus , at the corner of Sendlinger Straße and Färbergraben, is a relief of a horse with the inscription “Rappeneck”. However, according to older records, it is actually the “outer Rabeneck” – a name that refers to the raven, a bird of death associated with gallows sites.
In the Middle Ages, execution sites were often called “Raven Stone” because of the ravens that swarmed around them. The house at what is now Roseneck was called the “inner Raven Corner” as a counterpart to this. After the city expansion in the 13th century under Louis the Strict, the execution sites were placed outside the new city walls.
Raven’s Stone Execution Grounds: The name Rabenstein (Raven’s Stone) derives from the phenomenon of ravens and other carrion birds regularly circling execution sites. This phenomenon can be found in many cities in Germany.
Next to the house at Rappeneck, the executioner’s house is said to have once stood on Sendlinger Straße, with the execution site behind it, in an open field. Indeed, old documents also refer to the houses at the corner of Färbergraben and Hofstatt as “am Rabenberg” (at the Raven Hill). The execution site is believed to have been located precisely where the Hofstatt (farmstead) now stands.
The Skeletons Haunting the Night
Over the years, the ground has been disturbed several times as the city grew and buildings were built on top of it. Bones were found during excavations, as those hanged were usually buried on the spot. Some claim that the area is haunted, and the executed are supposedly seen there at night, carrying their heads in their arms.
Today, strange beings are said to appear at the site every few months and then crumble to dust back to the earth, translucent figures with gaping mouths, as their final scream and words.
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
Before Munich expanded into the modern metropolis it is today, Alter Südfriedhof served as the city’s primary burial ground a few hundred meters south of the Sendlinger Tor (Sendlinger Gate) between Thalkirchner Straße to the west and Pestalozzistraße to the east.
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The Old Southern Cemetery in Munich was established in 1563 as a plague cemetery, then known as the “ferterer Freithof” (outer cemetery), outside the city gates. Thousands of plague victims, soldiers, and notable citizens rest beneath its weathered gravestones. From 1788 to 1868, it was the sole and general burial ground for the dead from the entire city.
Visitors often describe an unsettling silence that seems to swallow every sound. Reports of ghostly silhouettes drifting between monuments and unexplained cold spots have made this cemetery one of Munich’s most enduring paranormal hotspots.
Among the most famous ghosts are nine students and actors who burned to death in their Eskimo costumes at a carnival ball on February 18, 1881 that was remembered as the Eskimo Tragedy.
That evening, the Munich Academy of Fine Arts held its 1881 carnival celebration at Kil’s Colosseum. The theme was “A Pub Crawl Around the World.” The students had created various scenes from around the world, which were displayed throughout the hall, and dressed up accordingly.
Before the Fire: German photographer circa 1881: “Living Pictures” from the artists’ costume party of the Academy of Fine Arts “Knee Prizes Around the World” in Kil’s Colosseum, before the fire on February 18, 1881
The sculpture class were dressed up as polar bears and inuits, although their theme was Antartica. There was a papier-mâché igloo, as well as icebergs made of wood and plaster and herring fried over tallow candles.
Around midnight, one of the costumed figures got too close to a candle flame. The others rushed to his aid, but the flames quickly spread to their costumes. The tubs of water that had been placed inside the set for safety were forgotten in the spreading panic.
Startled by the screams of the burning Eskimos, the neighboring “Indians” wearing long coats tried to extinguish the flames, but were unsuccessful. Several of the festival-goers also tried to help the performers, dousing them with their drinks, but most did not recognize the seriousness of the situation or mistook the flames for a planned performance.
The incident was over after four minutes. While the carnival celebration continued for another hour, the twelve seriously injured were taken to the general hospital.
Seven of the nine deceased were buried in a mass grave at the Old Southern Cemetery in Munich.
The Ghosts of the Cemetery
Following this incident, all carnival events in Munich were cancelled in 1881. As a consequence, the city of Munich tightened fire safety regulations and security measures. Seven of those burned were buried in a common grave in the Old Southern Cemetery (today section 20). Their cries of pain are still said to be heard in the cemetery on that night.
During the bombing raids of World War II, the Southern Cemetery resembled a battlefield. Eyewitnesses reported open graves, broken headstones, and exposed, half-decomposed body parts. And even today, it is said that every year on February 18th, shortly before midnight, cries of pain can be heard. These are the laments of nine art students who, in the winter of 1881, were burned alive in their Eskimo costumes on their way home from a carnival ball.
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Founded in 1589 by Duke Maximilian I as the royal brewery, this institution remained exclusive to the court until King Ludwig I opened it to the public in 1828, transforming it into a democratic gathering place for all of Munich. The main hall, called the Schwemme, seats over 1000 guests in a space that seems to amplify the joy of celebration with every clink of mugs.
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Known around the world for lively music and overflowing beer steins, the Hofbräuhaus also carries centuries of darker history. Fires, political upheaval, and countless personal tragedies have unfolded within its walls. Employees have described glasses moving on their own, unexplained whispers in vacant dining rooms, and the occasional apparition seated alone at a table before vanishing moments later. Some believe former patrons simply never left their favorite tavern.
Bad Bavarian Beer:William V, Duke of Bavaria found the beer in Munich bad so he imported beer from Saxony. He eventually asked his royal court to find a solution. A local brewery followed in 1589. Today, regular patrons store their mugs in small lockers and there is a long waiting list to have their own mug.
The Munich Man in Heaven
If you go on a ghost walk in Munich, or listen to some of the local ghost legends, you will often hear the tale of an angel who returned to earth because there was no beer in the afterlife.
Alois Hingerl was a porter with the number 172, and a loyal regular at the Hofbräuhaus. He was struck down by a stroke and died while working at the Munich Central Station. Two angels carried him to heaven, where he was assigned the name “Angel Aloisius,” a harp, and a cloud, on which he was supposed to rejoice and sing Hallelujah. He also had to follow the “heavenly house rules” on a fixed schedule.
The Origin of the Tale:Angel Aloisius is the protagonist of “A Munich Man in Heaven,” the wonderful short story written by Bavarian writer Ludwig Thoma in 1911. The city of Munich awarded a Ludwig Thoma Medal in his honour from 1967 onwards, but the award was discontinued in 1990 after his national conservative attitude, anti-Semitic slogans and anti-socialist polemics became known.
The Munich man grew increasingly frustrated in heaven due to a lack of beer and snuff, and jumped on the chance to travel back when a mission to earth presented itself.
He was to deliver a letter with divine advice to the Bavarian government. Alois was very happy about this mission, took the envelope with divine advice, and flew straight to Earth. As he had done in life, he went straight to the Hofbräuhaus, where he ordered one beer after another.
He forgot about his mission and has been sitting there to this day, while the Bavarian government is still awaiting divine advice. Legend has it he is still sitting in the HBhaus enjoying his Maß to this day and the Bavarian government had to make do without divine guidance.
With a bit of luck, you might have the pleasure of encountering Angel Aloisius at the Hofbräuhaus.
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
Nockherberg is the name of a small terrace on the slope of the eastern bank of the Isar in Munich, situated in the urban district of Au. An annual beer festival rich in tradition takes place there in the Paulaner Brewery called the Salvator-Ausschank auf dem Nockherberg. According to local lore, an old brewer is still haunting the place and the festival.
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With its ale-benches, light music and huge crowd of visitors, today’s Salvator-Ausschank resembles the pole marquees at the Munich Oktoberfest. On the Nockherberg, beer is not served in usual beer glasses, but in Keferloher, tankards made of robust earthenware. The sturdy tankards keep the beer cool longer and also make ‘undemonstrative’ refilling possible.
Paulaner am Nockherberg: Beer garden of the inn Paulaner am Nockherberg in Munich, looking in the direction of the inn’s main building. // Image: Wolfgang Kopp/Wikimedia
The strong beer festival takes place annually during Lent in the Paulaner main hall at Hoch Street 77. It starts around Saint Joseph’s Day (19 March) and lasts for 17 days. The festival is associated with the traditional ‘Holy Father Feast’ on April 2, commemorating Francis of Paola, founder of the Paulaner religious order.
The Undead Brewer
The Paulaner monks have brewed beer in the monastery for their own consumption at least since 1634. Their nutrition was, on principle, very modest, even more so during Lent, and therefore they were permitted to brew a stronger version of their ‘liquid bread’ during this time of fasting. This strong beer, that has been brewed every year in spring since 1651, was named the ‘Holy Father Beer’ in honour of the founder of the order.
Zacherl was born in 1772, the son of a cook. In 1806, he became the tenant of the former Paulaner monastery brewery , which he purchased in 1813 along with all its associated properties. He continued the brewery’s strong beer tradition under the name Salvator.
Master Brewer:Franz Xaver Zacherl (officially Zächerl ; * 1772 in Munich ; † September 16, 1849 in the suburb of Au ) was a Bavarian brewer, maltster and member of parliament. With the Salvator brand , Zacherl competed with the royal brewery, the strong beer monopolist. Despite official warnings, he served it again from 1813 to 1816 and finally annually from 1820 onward. The government tolerated this illegal practice, fearing an uprising by the Munich population if the popular beer were banned. Finally, in 1837, King Ludwig I (reigned 1825–1848) issued a formal exemption.
The undead brewer Franz Xaver Zacherl is said to haunt this area. Because his descendants changed the name of his brewery after his death, contrary to his wishes, he is said to return to Nockherberg every year during the strong beer season and wreak havoc there.
Haunted Beer Festival in Nockherberg
So what is the havoc his ghost is doing? Every year, people gather to drink beer and party in this place, and sometimes, things go awry. And with a beer festival with alcohol at the center stage, a lot did go overboard.
Originally, Lenten beer was considered to be strong enough only if a bench drenched with the beer would adhere to a person’s Lederhosen when he attempted to stand up.
Derblecken ,Bavarian for ‘making fun of someone’, can be traced back to the tradition of an innkeeper greeting his guests. In former times he was apt to know all the villagers by name and was quite familiar with all the local stories and rumours. Regular guests were frequently teased with those stories by humorous and self-confident innkeepers.
circa 1895
The only violent event in the history of the town festival occurred on 23 May 1888, when a trivial quarrel turned into a mass brawl between soldiers and civilians. When an artillerist drew his sabre, a fight broke out in which walking-sticks and beer mugs were also put to good use. The fight spread throughout the hall and into the garden. Neither the gendarmes nor the jail guard from Neudeck could control the mob. In a later investigation this was considered the reason for the inability to control the escalation. It was also claimed that irritation caused by an increase in the price of Salvator beer was the underlying reason for the wrath of the festival guests. The ‘scandal year’ 1888 remained a topic of conversation in Munich for many years.
So when the next brawl breaks out, or if the beer in the mug suddenly vanishes, perhaps it could be the ghost of the old brewer at Nockenberg?
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
The Frauenkirche officially the Cathedral of Our Lady, also known as Munich Cathedral is a late Gothic church building in Munich’s Old Town and is one of the landmarks of the Bavarian capital , Munich. It is also said to be full of fantastical legends and ghosts.
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One of these is the story about Fanny, said to appear on her death anniversary, on Valentines day, after she threw herself from one of the tower because of a broken heart.
Frauenkirche: In 1468 architect Jorg von Halspach went looking for money to build a new cathedral in Munich and ended up making a bargain with the Devil. The cathedral’s master builder had promised him a church without windows. Also, In exchange for his help, the devil was to receive the soul of the first person to enter the church.
The Life and Tragedy of Fanny
Maria Franzisca was born in Ingolstadt, but after her father’s early death, she moved with her mother to Munich, where her mother remarried. Fanny received an excellent education from her mother and showed remarkable talents even as a young girl. She wrote poetry, sang, played the piano, and composed music. The girl had a particular affinity for dramatic subjects. It is said that she had already written a plan for a tragedy at the age of nine, which was published posthumously.
FannyIckstatt: Image of the Silhouette of Fanny von Ickstatt and her mother Maria Franzisca von Heppenstein. Maria Franzisca Magdalena Freiin von Ickstatt , called Fanny (* 11 May 1767 in Ingolstadt ; [ 1 ] † 14 January 1785 in Munich ), gained sad notoriety by jumping to her death from the Munich Frauenkirche and is considered a female version of Goethe’s Werther .
Contemporaries reported that she could laugh and cry in the same minute. She often mentioned that she would die an unusual death.
During a stay in Ingolstadt, Fanny met the young officer Franz von Vincenti at a ball. They fell passionately in love, and Franz requested a transfer to the Leibregiment (Life Regiment) in Munich. However, his mother, Maria Franzisca von Heppenstein, had higher ambitions for Fanny and opposed the couple’s marriage. When the rumors grew increasingly intense, Franzisca finally declared that marriage was out of the question. Tumultuous scenes ensued in the house, which in turn became the subject of whispers throughout the town.
Because of the preceding events, Fanny’s mother planned to remove her daughter from Munich for the time being. On January 14, 1785, at around 2 p.m., Fanny, accompanied by her maid, climbed the north tower of the Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady), as arranged with the tower keeper the previous day.
She had the keeper open a grille for a better view and then jumped from it. She crashed headfirst through the roof of the benefice house and died on impact.
For weeks, this event shocked the city, yet not a single newspaper reported on it. The tower keeper and the chambermaid confirmed the suicide: Fanny had jumped from the tower room with a farewell. Nevertheless, the bishop, as well as the police and the electoral authorities, concluded it was a tragic accident. For years it was a debate. Was she severely depressed? Could the Goethes novel on her bedside chamber of unrequited love be to blame? Some have even hinted that her mother ended up falling for the same man. Today, there is no definite answer to the tragedy.
The Haunting of Fanny in the Tower
Some of the young woman’s surviving works were printed after her death in 1785/1786 in the Palatinate-Bavarian Museum, along with letters from her mother, as part of a defense by the editor against the widely held view that Fanny von Klein had committed suicide and that her mother was to blame. Ickstatt’s sudden and highly visible suicide shocked the public and led to a short-lived media sensation.
Now, she is mostly remembered in local lore as the lady in white that haunts the tower of the Frauenkirche. People say you can spot her in the windows, every Valentines day, the day she ended her life. But if we are to believe local legends, it is far from the only supernatural thing that is haunting the church.
The Devil’s Footprint in Frauenkirche
Another story from the Frauenkirche is about the strange footprint inside of the cathedral. The cathedral’s master builder had promised him a church without windows when he made a pact with him to build it. But when the devil inspected the work and stood where the imprint was, he saw not a single ray of light. He laughed and stamped his foot in glee until he took another step – and suddenly discovered windows hidden behind the pillars. Enraged by the master builder’s deception, he unleashed a storm to destroy the building. The storm subsided, but the devil’s wrath remains – even today, a cold wind always blows around the cathedral.
Also, at the “Frauenfreihof,” as the cemetery by the cathedral was still called at the beginning of the 19th century, a ghost was said to haunt, wearing a white nightcap.
So what of the tragic tale of Fanny and her following ghost story, now largely forgotten? News of Ickstatt’s started a debate about the cultural anxiety of how printed descriptions of suicide might glamorize the act and contribute to a suicide epidemic, leading us back to the German author Goethe. At the beginning of his Italian Journey, on September 6 , 1786, during his only visit to Munich, Goethe stayed overnight at the Gasthaus Schwarzer Adler near the cathedral. That evening, the then 37-year-old Goethe climbed the north tower of the Frauenkirche, from which Fanny von Ickstatt had thrown herself the previous year. Goethe knew that Fanny had thoroughly read Werther and underlined passages, and therefore wanted to see the original location for himself. He wrote in his letters: “I climbed the tower from which the young lady threw herself and looked around at the Tyrolean mountains.”
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
The area around the plague chapel in the Lauterbach Forest, a few kilometers from Seeshapt is also said to be haunted by an ancient curse as well as the ghosts of people buried in its nearby wells.
Read More: Check out all ghostly legends fromGermany
The Chapel is actually called Pollingsried Chapel, named after the deserted village it used to belong to. Although it is properly more known under Weilheim Chapel, a nearby village. The ominous chapel can be reached via the Tradfranzhof farm, the last remaining farm of the old hamlet the chapel belonged to.
Pollingsried once consisted of four or six farms clustered around the chapel. originated from the clearing of a wooded area near Polling Abbey, sometimes before the Hungarian invasions of 955 as an estate before being divided into the farmsteads.
In the Middle Ages, the first chapel, dedicated to Saint Sebastian, was built, serving the inhabitants of Pollingsried as a place of worship.
Saint Sebastian:According to traditional belief, he was killed during the Diocletianic Persecution of Christians. He was initially tied to a post or tree and shot with arrows, though this did not kill him. Legend says he was rescued and healed by Irene of Rome, a popular subject in 17th-century painting. After his recovery he went to Diocletian to warn him about his sins, and as a result he was clubbed to death. Sebastian is a popular male saint, especially today among athletes. In medieval times, he was regarded as a saint with a special ability to intercede to protect from plague, and devotion to him greatly increased when plague was active.
In 1803, Polling Abbey was dissolved, and the forest, including Pollingsried, became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria. The farmers then became tenants to the state and had to pay high sums for this. They sold off their farms, one by one, or lost it because of debt. The last farm in Pollingsried was demolished in 1864.
Today, only the chapel and its wells remain. The other farms disappeared in 1803 during secularization, when large areas once belonging to the clergy were transferred to state ownership. As a result, many hamlets were abandoned and their inhabitants resettled. Perhaps the chapel’s isolation fueled the imagination, turning into legends that the farms were abandoned because of a curse lingering in the area.
The Plague History of the Pollingsried Chapel
The small chapel is dedicated to Saint George and Saint Anne. Inside, the visitors are still able to see a fresco of Saint Roch, the plague victims’ protector, and inscriptions containing names of over 300 victims. The chapel’s simple interior features the original terracotta floor. A small window on the west side offers a glimpse inside as the church is only opened on special occasions today.
The chapel itself is often said to have originated in one of the darkest chapters in Bavaria’s history, a plague epidemic that swept through the lands in 1633-1634. This was during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) that brought the plague to the region with the Swedish invasions.
The Thirty Years War and the Plague:Thought to have originated in Northern France in 1623, the plague was carried throughout Europe as a result of troop movements associated with the Thirty Years’ War. Initially perceived as safe from war, Bavaria became a battleground as Protestant forces, led by influential leaders such as Gustavus II Adolphus of Sweden, invaded the territory. By the mid-1630s, the conflict had left Bavaria in a state of turmoil, and its population was estimated to have decreased by about 30 percent during the war.
Particularly in nearby Eberfing and the surrounding marshlands, was said to have been stricken hard. At that time, the people of Pollingsried vowed to have a mass celebrated annually in the chapel in honor of Saint Sebastian, the patron saint against the plague.
There have been mentions of some sort of chapel here since 1138/40. First, it was said a wooden chapel was built as a prayer site for the victims’ families as well as a plague cemetery. But in 1655, the chapel burned down and was rebuilt as a small Baroque church.
Saint Sebastian’s Cranium:Sebastian’s cranium was brought to the town of Ebersberg (about 80 km from the chapel) in 934. A Benedictine abbey was founded there and became one of the most important pilgrimage sites in southern Germany. It is said the silver-encased cranium was used as a cup in which to present the consecrated wine of the Blessed Sacrament to the faithful during the feast of Saint Sebastian. Safe to say that they in this area, feared the plague. // Image:J. Patrick Fischer/Wiki
A votive, or holy tablet is said to have once hung on the north wall of the Pollingsried chapel, its depiction was said to show a vow the people of Eberfing made. When the plague raged through Germany from 1633 to 1634, the farmers of Eberfing, (In some versions it was Eichendorf), offered a mass to St. Sebastian, and pledged to hold mass there every year if the people in the region were spared from the plague, as far as the bells ringing could be heard.
From that time on, no one in the area where the church bells could be heard fell ill with the plague. Perhaps this is were the plague legends now surrounding the chapel come from. And throughout times, the protection the pledge gave has now turned into a story of it being cursed.
The Pentagram Wells
Perhaps some of the stories are connected to the five moss covered wells that are placed around the chapel. one is said to be located in or beneath the church itself. Together, they supposedly form a pentagram, can still be found today, and there are said to be recurring ghostly apparitions in the forest.
It is said that plague victims were once thrown into the wells there. Only when the wells were full did they supposedly begin burying them around the church.
They are arranged in the shape of a pentagram, which served the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages as a protective symbol against demons. Four fountains are arranged around the chapel; the fifth, the so-called “Devil’s Fountain,” is said to be located directly beneath it.
Divers inspected the wells in the later years but have found no skeletons. Also, there are only four wells found. Historians, too, found no evidence in the annals to support the rumors. Besides, the wells were their drinking waters, and throwing plague victims into that would have been something completely odd thing to do.
However the empty wells remain in the stories, barred so that nothing can go in. Or out.
The Haunting of the Plague Chapel
So except for the legend about protection from the plague and the mysterious wells, what are people actually claiming that goes on around the chapel? Many residents were said to be afraid because of apparitions and the wailing of the dead, which seemed to come from the cemetery. Some say that’s why they left.
After the people left, witches, demons and ghosts remain, holding black masses and haunting the ground. There are tales of a woman hanging from a tree in the woods and when there are no lights, you can see a red figure with terrifying eyes in the window. Inside the chapel, candles were burning there at night and you can see an upside-down cross.
Instead of being protected from the plague, they say that the place is cursed within a 5 kilometre radius. About how far the bells can be heard perhaps?
The sound of screams and glinting eyes in the dark are said to follow you through the forest. And those who go looking for them often get lost in the forest.
Some claim that black Hellhounds are prowling the place. Huge, black dog with bloodshot, fiery eyes that are barking around the chapel at night. Some versions however, claim that it is a friendlier black dog that guides lost travelers.
Several bodies are said to have been sunk in the well. Legend has it that in 1625, a girl was murdered by the pastor near the chapel and thrown into one of the wells. Her black dog howled at the scene of the crime and kept watch beside the body. When the priest arrived at the church, the dog is said to have leaped at his throat, exposing him as the murderer and he confessed on his deathbed. Even today, the girl’s former companion, the jet-black dog with the fiery red eyes, is said to roam the woods at night, howling loudly.
Now, did a girl get murdered here? Who knows, but as there was no priest at this chapel, it was most likely not a priest murdering her.
The only tragic incident in Pollingsried, in which 13-year-old Elisabeth Promberger died, dates back to 1701. The young girl fell from the upper threshing floor of the farm and died from her injuries. A sad incident, but one that was “only” an unfortunate accident.
The truth of the Plague Chapel
But what is the truth behind these wild rumours? The chapel we see today is rebuilt after it burned down in the 17th century. Not much has changed since then.
The Oberammergau Plague:There are many stories about Bavarian villagers protecting themselves from the plague with pledges. The most famous one is perhaps the legend about Bad Kohlgrub was so depopulated that only two married couples remained alive. The village of Oberammergau remained plague-free until 25 September 1633, when a man named Kaspar Schisler returned home after working in the nearby village of Eschenlohe. Over the next 33 days, 81 villagers would die, half of Oberammergau’s population. On 28 October 1633, the villagers vowed that if God spared them from the plague, they would perform a play every 10 years depicting the life and death of Jesus. Nobody died of plague in Oberammergau after that vow, and the villagers kept their word to God by performing the passion play for the first time in 1634. This pledge and tradition is still going strong.
The caretakers of the chapel have worked hard to refute the haunted rumours and stop people drawn to the place to vandalize it further. The chapel is more protected than ever though with surveillance cameras. In the 1980s it was vandalised and set on fire. Its bells were thrown into the pond.
That is also why they are rather hesitant to share direction to it when discussing the legends that have haunted the chapel for decades now.
Was there even a plague going on at this time and place? Because of the famous Oberammergau Plague and the passion play that followed, the years 1633-1634 have traditionally been thought of as plague years. But was it really? It seems like there was an outbreak of plague in villages like Oberammergau, but it took place from September 1632 to March 1633, when there were a total of 84 deaths from all causes. And in the case with Pollingsried, there certainly weren’t enough people to fill wells or cemeteries.
The Haunted Chapel in the Forest
To get to the chapel today, you have to make it through the dense forest. Contrary to the legends, there are signs to the chapel, but they are few and far between, and it’s easy to get lost. It does have its own parking lot at Tradfranz farm though, so there is that. Perhaps not at hidden away as the legends would have it
Only once a year does this place come alive: The Annafest takes place in the summer, with a mass held in the small church. Who knows, perhaps the chapel is the victim of legends out of control. Or perhaps under the church, a fifth well lays in waiting.
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In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
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Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
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A village only found in writings from the 14th and 15th centuries have, according to Munich lore, vanished without a trace between Berg am Laim and Riem, Some say that the missing villagers can still be heard on quiet days, trying to find their way back.
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The Berg am Laim district was first documented on April 23, 812, as “ad Perke,” with the addition “am Laim” (meaning “on the Laimb or clay”) appearing for the first time in 1430. Today, Berg am Laim is one of Munich’s smallest districts in terms of population in the east of Munich between Haidhausen to the west, Trudering to the east, and Ramersdorf to the south.
Berg am Laim: Kupferstich von Michael Wening, date 1701
The Vanished Village
The mysterious village in Berg am Laim appears in the documents either as Pachem or Bachheim. It’s not known exactly what happened to it, but the place has become one of Munich’s more mysterious places with a lot of legends and questions lingering in its stead.
Most legends claim that the village vanished. One day, it was simply gone, as if it had never existed. No one knows what happened, but legend whispers of a curse that swallowed the village – dragging it down into the depths of the earth.
Later, those who walked across the fields on windless days were said to have heard church bells, wagon trains, and whip cracks coming from underground.
Some claim that on dark nights, one can hear the whimpering of its former inhabitants, desperately searching for a way back to the light
The Truth Behind the Missing Village
But what really happened to Pachem? In the Berg am Laim area, you will find the streetname Pachemstraße, first mentioned in documents from 1920, the last landmark of what once was.
The place was first mentioned in 1315 as “Pachem”. The name is considered a variant of Bachheim and is derived from “Bach” (brook), probably referring to the Hachinger Bach stream.
Pachem (Bachheim), an old spelling for a former part of Baumkirchen, a church and parish village. The Pachem chapel is mentioned in 1315 as a branch of St. Stephan Baumkirchen right by.
The place is mentioned again in 1384 and then disappeared. Since then, Pachem has been considered one of the so-called vanished villages in the Munich area. The plague around 1348 is blamed for the loss of almost a third of the population, and numerous settlements were subsequently abandoned and many point to this as the cause of its disappearance. The War of the Bavarian Succession of 1504 is also a possible factor in the settlement’s final disappearance.
A campaign by Georg Wisbeck, chamberlain and captain of the Duke of Landshut, in the region was the last major battle of the fratricidal war. Wisbeck and his band plundered the territory of Bavaria-Munich under Duke Albrecht IV, even though the conflict as a whole was already lost for them. The Baumchurch burned down in 1504 during the Wittelsbach Brother War by the robber band of Georg Wiesbeck.
A more peaceful explanation would be the development of the Hachinger Bach stream that most likely flowed through the village. Its flow rate still fluctuates enormously with the amount of precipitation and the groundwater level. During periods of drought, it disappears underground immediately after the Ostpark and flows only underground. A prolonged period of this kind, perhaps in connection with the Little Ice Age drying the river out, is discussed as a possible cause for settlement.
The Dracula Connection
“When we started for our drive the sun was shining brightly on Munich, and the air was full of the joyousness of early summer.”
This is the way the supposed first chapter of the Dracula novel could have started, but ended up as a stand alone story named “Dracula’s Guest”. Scholars are divided as to whether the story is the excised first chapter of the novel Dracula, an early draft of a chapter of that novel, or was always intended as a separate story. In the original first chapter of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula,” the London lawyer Jonathan Harker, who was traveling and staying overnight in Munich, gets lost at night in a cemetery in the east of the city – roughly where Berg am Laim is today.
It is Walpurgis Night, and in spite of the hotelier’s warning to not return late, the young man later leaves his carriage and wanders toward the direction of an abandoned “unholy” village. Some particularly meticulous Dracula fans theorize that the abandoned village could be the small medieval settlement of Pachem or Bachheim.
Dracula’s Guest: 1st edition cover. Published by George Routledge & Sons, Ltd. in London in 1914
But was it really a nod to the vanished village? The coachman in the story simply drives out of the city; the direction is unknown. A valley is mentioned, a hill, yew and cypress trees, an abandoned or sunken village. There are no cypress trees around Munich, nor is there a valley accessible on foot. And the mystery of the village that vanished persists.
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
Said to be the location of a hidden treasure, the old nobles from the Devil’s Castle in the Bavarian hills are said to roam the forest, still searching for it.
The Aubinger Lohe is a green and wooden area on the western edge of the city limits of Munich, bordering to the north by the Lochhausen district. Lohe means forest or wetland, and is a part of Munich’s green belt.
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The Aubinger Lohe with the Teufelsberg is the only natural elevation in the Munich gravel plain. With its summit height of 541 meters, it rises about 25 meters above its surroundings and is Munich’s highest hill.. It is called Teufelsberg” (Devil’s Mountain), after the now vanished Teufelsburg” (Devil’s Castle).
In the south and southeast of the Aubinger Lohe, traces of settlements from Bronze Age, Celtic and Roman times have been found, as well as two Celtic hillforts. A lot of old legends linger under the trees, but perhaps the most told one is the curse of the old Aubinger Lohe Castle and the treasure that was lost.
Deep into the woods a three-meter-deep ditch around a tree-covered hill at the northeast side. Aubinger Burgstall castle stood here in the Middle Ages. A trained eye can recognize the motte and the moat at Teufelsberg, but nothing else remains.
The castle, now dubbed Teufelburg, or the Devil’s Castle, was founded in 1158 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Munich, to guard the road to Augsburg. The Lords of Aubinger were likely in the service of the Welf dukes. Aubing was first mentioned in 1010.
The popular name Teufelsburg (Devil’s Castle) is post-medieval and refers to various legends of treasures hidden in the castle hill that could only be retrieved with the help of the devil. Besides the obvious possibility of ” Teufel ” (devil), a derivation from “Tuifel” (depression, pool) is also conceivable, referring to the damp area of the Dachau Moor below.
In 1422, the castle was destroyed during a campaign by Duke Ludwig the Bearded shortly before the Battle of Alling and abandoned to decay and disappear. Apparently, it was a wooden structure, which is why no ruins remain.
The Ghost of Aubinger Lohe and the Cursed Treasure
There are a couple of different versions of the legend of the castle that vanished into thin air, or the treasure that is supposedly hidden away somewhere inside of the forest.
One version claims that when the lord of the manor was slain while hunting in the Loh forests, his widow cursed both the woods and the castle as revenge. The stately castle then collapsed in on itself, along with all its treasures, and sank into the Teufelsberg. According to legend, the lady of the castle has since wandered restlessly as a white figure through the woods of the Aubinger Lohe.
Wayward Cross Haunting:On the way to the so-called Aubinger Burgstall, known locally as Teufelsberg, stands a wayside cross. It has only been in this location for 13 years, but it commemorates a cross that stood elsewhere and was destroyed during the construction of the motorway tunnel. According to superstition, fiery men used to lie in wait at the former Lochhausen wayside cross after the evening prayer bells rang, ambushing anyone leaving the village’s boundaries. Only a fervent prayer, the story goes, could put an end to this hellish haunting.
Another version, it was the lord of the castle who cursed it with his dying breath as well as his wife, who is suspected was involved in his death. The castle then collapsed and sank into the Teufelsberg, along with everything inside. Legend has it that the castle contained fabulous treasures, which his wife apparently coveted.
In both cases, a lady in white is roaming the forest, and the treasure of the cursed castle is buried somewhere under the green trees.
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
Inside one of Munich’s landmark churches, something devilish is said to be stamped on the floor. In the middle of the room, a black footprint is clearly seen, named The Devil’s Footprint, as he was said to have left it there.
The Frauenkirche officially the Cathedral of Our Lady, also known as Munich Cathedral is a late Gothic church building in Munich’s Old Town and is one of the landmarks of the Bavarian capital , Munich. It is also said to be full of fantastical legends and ghosts.
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Munich’s iconic cathedral is famous not only for its twin towers but also for the mysterious “Devil’s Footprint” near the entrance. According to legend, the Devil himself left the mark after being tricked during the church’s construction.
Legend of the Church:Several legends explain the reason for the new church’s construction. In the packed old church, a false fire alarm sounded one day. The most beautiful girl in Munich was trampled to death in the panicked rush of people fleeing the church. Duke Sigismund, in his youth, had been in love with a girl of lower social standing. She refused marriage, however, fearing she would be treated like Agnes Bernauer, who was cruelly murdered by her father-in-law, Duke Ernst, because of her low social class. Because the girl who died in the church reminded Duke Sigismund of his unhappy love and he felt her death should not have been in vain, he founded the Frauenkirche in her memory.
The Devil’s Footprint
In 1468 architect Jorg von Halspach went looking for money to build a new cathedral in Munich and ended up making a bargain with the Devil. The cathedral’s master builder had promised him a church without windows. Also, In exchange for his help, the devil was to receive the soul of the first person to enter the church.
Jörg von Halspach: (*before 1441 probably in Halsbach near Altötting ; † 6 October 1488 in Munich), also called Halsbach, Ganghofer or ‘Jörg von Polling’, was a Munich master builder and architect of the Late Gothic period. His principal work is the Frauenkirche in Munich, which was built between 1468 and 1494. For its vaulting , he traveled to Ulm and Augsburg , where he studied St. Ulrich’s Church and the cathedral. Master Jörg is buried beneath the north tower.
On February 9, 1468, Duke Sigismund and Bishop Tulbeck laid the foundation stone for the new St. Mary’s Church, and the old church was demolished in 1472. Construction progressed relatively quickly.
But when the devil inspected the work and stood where the imprint was, he saw not a single ray of light. He laughed and stamped his foot in glee until he took another step – and suddenly discovered windows hidden behind the pillars. Enraged by the master builder’s deception, he unleashed a storm to destroy the building. The storm subsided, but the devil’s wrath remains – even today, a cold wind always blows around the cathedral.
The black footprint, or Der Teufelstritt, is still there in the middle of the entrance hall, although they cover it up during church masses. Visitors often pause at the footprint, but some claim the atmosphere changes dramatically around it, with sudden chills, feelings of unease, and an overwhelming sense of being watched. Whether folklore or something more sinister, the legend continues to draw curious believers.
Although the columns are not blocking the windows in real life, a huge altar used to conceal it from 1620 to 1858. The footprint itself is a reconstructed one, after the rooftop collapsed in the second world war, and was first ended in 1994. But when the original footprint was set, no one really knows.
The Haunted Cemetery
The story of the Devill’s Footprint is not the only story from this church though. Outside of it, it used to be an old cemetery, the “Frauenfreihof,” as the cemetery by the cathedral was still called at the beginning of the 19th century.
Back then, the cemetery was considered extremely haunted by an eerie figure in the nightcap who made Munich residents avoid the area after dark.
The Cemetery:Numerous epitaphs are mounted along the lower outer walls on the north, east, and south sides. They commemorate the cemetery that once surrounded the church. For hygiene reasons, the cemetery was slated for relocation, but the townspeople successfully resisted this on several occasions. However, since 1773, burials were permitted only in family plots, and the area was paved in 1800.
But then there was this merchant with his shop on Weinstraße opposite the old police station. One night, after a visit to the tavern, he wandered through the cemetery, probably on a whim fueled by beer as he used to indulge in after closing his shop.
To impress his drinking friends, he would take the route through the haunted cemetery. And as fate would have it, a white figure wearing a pointed cap sat motionless on one of the gravestones. The merchant, with enough courage-boosting alcohol in his blood, gave the apparition a resounding slap. The stranger’s cap slipped off his head, revealing a grinning skull.
Now it was time for the shopkeeper to make a run for it. Arriving at his house, he thought himself safe. The ghost couldn’t get in through it because, according to old pious custom, it was marked with three crosses and the names of the Three Wise Men, bearing the effective demon-banishing incantation “C+M+B.” But the ghost is quite clever: it climbs through the window into the merchant’s bedchamber, who, quick-wittedly, throws a picture of the Madonna, the Holy Mother of God of Altötting at it.
When he awoke the next day, the picture was hanging on his wall. The apparition vanished and was said to never appear again, but the man is henceforth known by his nickname: Schlafhaubenkramer, or “Sleepcap Merchant”.
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
Said to haunt the area around The Hubertus Chapel in the vast Ebersberg Forest in Bavaria, Germany, the Lady in White is seeking revenge for those refusing her a ride. But is she truly the only thing haunting this old and mystic forest?
Between the trees stretching for miles and miles in Bavaria, Germany, an alleged apparition in the Ebersberg forest. The story says that if the white lady appears to lonely travelers in the forest, something bad is going to happen. Usually a fatal accident if you don’t stop for this vanishing hitchhiker. .
Read More: Check out all ghostly legends fromGermany
The Hubertus Chapel in Ebersberg Forest is situated on a very sharp bend where there have been many traffic accidents in the past before they mended the bend on the road. Skeptics will say this is probably the background to this urban legend. However, others will defend the legend, claiming something strange was going on in the forest, long before the Lady in White appeared.
Ebersberg: in Bavaria, southern Germany. The Ebersberger Forst is one of Germany’s largest continuous areas of woodlands. Ebersberg’s history is closely tied with the nearby Benedictine monastery founded in 934 and since then, a lot of legends and mysteries have remained unsolved within the darkness between the trees.
The Lady in White of Ebersberg Forest
The bend around the chapel has been defused, and the road widened since the legend emerged. The whole B2R in the forest is still a place for common accidents and still people blame them on the Lady in White’s wrath. .
The Hubertus Chapel:in the center of the Ebersberg Forest is a wayside chapel on State Road 2080 between Ebersberg and Schwaberwegen, at the junction with Scheibenweg. The chapel is dedicated to Saint Hubertus, the patron saint of hunters and marksmen. The oldest document of its existence is a map from 1783. The current building was erected in 1859. This is the place where the urban legend of the Lady in White is set. // Image: J. Patrick Fischer
According to the legend, the chapel is haunted by a woman who died in a car accident at this spot in the 1940s. Some say that she died in the forest after her car broke down. She tried to hitchhike out, but only one guy passed and left her, which is why she froze to death and now seeks revenge.
Some say that it was a hit and run. She died there in the roadside ditch close to the chapel, abandoned by her murderer, and has found no peace since. In another version, the woman’s two children also died in the accident.
The story of the woman in white goes that she will be hitchhiking on the side of the road, but she will only appear if you are a male driving alone on this road at around midnight. If you take her with you, she will sit in the back seat for a while and then vanish.
If you don’t take her with you, she will appear on the passenger seat and grab onto your steering wheel to cause an accident.
The Truth Behind the Urban Legend
But did such a death actually occur along these roads? It is most often said that the accident happened in the 1940s, but the documentation of it comes from the 1970s.
There is no record of an accident like the one described in the origin story of the White Lady. Up until the 1980s, there were frequent accidents on the state highway near the chapel. In 1985, a car struck the chapel. After that, the road alignment was slightly altered and the curve was straightened, which reduced the number of accidents on the road.
Still, the legend lives on and people have claimed to have encountered the ghostly lady. Once, it is said that even the police tried to arrest the ghost at the chapel. What is also reported on is several people being arrested for dressing up and impersonating the ghost around the chapel.
The legend of the White Lady at the Hubertus Chapel is also the basis of the Ebersberg horror film series, which consists of two seasons of four episodes each.
The Irrlichter Lights of Ebersberg Forest
But what about the other things said to lurk within the Ebersberg forest? There are the so called “irrlichter” of the ebersberg forest that have spun a lot of legends.
Irrlichter: This is the German name for will-o’-the-wisp or the Ignis fatuus, the ghostly light sometimes seen at night over bogs and swamps. In folklore and superstition , will-o’-the-wisps are predominantly considered to have an ominous or malevolent nature, but it seems that the lights of the Ebersberg forest have kinder intentions.
The story goes that some guy got lost in the woods and couldn’t find out. After wandering for a while he saw a light shine for a second in the distance. It kept appearing and he decided to follow it, despite most stories like this, leading people out in bogs, or to darker parts of the forest where they never emerge from. After following it, he found himself on the side of a road with the dark trees behind him. These lights can still be seen today, guiding lost people out of the woods.
The Ghostly Boar of the Forest:Another strange legend is about the Satanic Boar haunting the forest. Count Sieghart von Sempt hunted a huge boar here in the 9th century. When he finally got it within range of his lance, it suddenly vanished as if by magic. A hermit told the count: “The boar is Satan. Build a church and a castle to protect it, and the spell will be broken. After gifting it to the monks, the first provost received the skull of Saint Sebastian, the plague saint, from Pope Stephen VIII during a journey to Rome, and it was placed in the church. The ritual of the flourishing pilgrimage consisted of pilgrims drinking consecrated wine from the skull. This bizarre ritual continued until 1923.
For ages, even before the legend of the Lady in White emerged, it was a test of courage for the local children to go into the forest at night and look for the will-o’-the-wisps. Was it the honey fungus mushroom that gave off a glow of fluorescently light at night, or is it actually something else inside of the Ebersberg Forest?
Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
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Could the Connolly Station in Dublin be haunted? Some claim that the ghosts of the victims from the Dublin Bombing in world war two could still be lingering near the tracks.
Once a place for executions, the place the Ruffinihaus in Munich, Germany is built upon is said to be haunted. It is said that in the dead of night, the undead rises from their graves, still carrying their heads the executioners took.
Where the former country estate Campagne Mon Repos in Bern once was, the ghostly council of the military leader from General Robert Scipio von Lentulus was given in times of unrest. Is he still haunting the Könizwald woods, even after his estate is gone?
One of the old cemeteries in Munich said to be haunted is the Alter Südfriedhof, or the old south cemetery. According to lore, the ghostly voices of the so-called Eskimo Tragedy are still heard at night.
In the darkness of night and under the foliage cover of the forest, the demonic spirit of Uhaml is said to roam. The only way to escape it is getting out of the forest faster.
In the shadows between ghost, creature and witch, the Welsh Gwarch y Rhibyn has been given many names. Like a Banshee she has been said to be a deadly omen, often called The Hag of the Mist because of her presence in wet areas, or the Hag of the Dribble because of the versions where her mouth is dripping with blood.
Unhappy with the lack of beer in heaven, the Bavarian angel never returned when sent on a mission back on earth. To this day, he sits at The Hofbräuhaus bar in Munich, enjoying his brew.
Sometimes called the Devil’s Stone, the ruins of the former Mödling Castle is said to be haunted by a demonic bird-like entity, screeching at night as an omen of death and disaster.
Could a beer festival be haunted? Many have spoken about the ghost of an old brewer at Nockherberg haunting the beer festival, creating havoc to retaliate to what his descendants did to his brew.
After her public death in the tower of the Munich Frauenkirche, many have claimed to have seen the ghost of Fanny appearing at her death anniversary wearing white.
What really happened around the Pollingsried Chapel, and its supposed plague cemetery? Is there really a curse around the area? As far as the ringing of the bells can be heard?
Searching for its name, the utburd ghost from Norwegian folklore haunts the forests, waters and houses its parents left them to die. For the most part, they remained in folk tales, but sometimes, the stories about the dead children got real life consequences.
