Archive #130 Werewolves

Show Notes 🔊 Intro: A Howl Through History We kick things off with a chilling welcome into the world of werewolves—creatures who have stalked human nightmares for millennia. Discover how this monstrous figure evolved with us, from the fireside stories of ancient civilizations to the high-def screams of modern cinema. Beware the full moon… 📜 Ancient Origins 🌍 Mesopotamia – The Wolf-Curse of Ishtar Reference: The Epic of Gilgamesh (~2100 BCE) The earliest known tale of shapeshifting as divine punishment A cursed lover turned into a wolf by the goddess Ishtar 🏛️ Ancient Greece – Lycaon & the Birth of Lycanthropy Reference: Ovid’s Metamorphoses King Lycaon tests Zeus by serving him human flesh Zeus transforms Lycaon into a wolf as divine retribution 🪓 Norse Mythology – Wolfskins and Bloodlust Reference: Saga of the Volsungs A father and son wear cursed wolf pelts Their transformation leads to madness and murder ⚔️ Medieval & Early Modern Europe 🐺✝️ Ireland – The Werewolves of Ossory A Christian-infused legend of a cursed wolf clan The story of a speaking wolf seeking last rites from a priest Chronicled by Gerald of Wales in the 12th century ⚖️ Werewolf Trials: When Lore Turned Deadly (15th–17th Centuries) Just like the witch hunts, Europe experienced werewolf trials—real court cases driven by superstition, fear, and religious or political tensions. These weren't stories. Real people were accused, tortured, and executed. 👤 Peter Stumpp – The Werewolf of Bedburg (1589, Germany) Accused of: Making a pact with the Devil Using a magical belt to become a wolf Practicing black magic Killing and eating at least 14 children—including his own son Committing incest with his daughter 🧴 Pierre Burgot & Michel Verdun (1521, France) Claimed mysterious men gave them a magical ointment to become wolves Confessed to attacking and eating people (including children) 🔥 Burned at the stake 🧥 Folkert Dirks & Daughter (Netherlands) Accused of transforming into wolves and cats by Satan’s power His own sons made the accusation Claimed to receive a magical belt from the Devil 🧓 Theiss of Kaltenbrun (17th c., Latvia) 80-year-old man who claimed to be a “Hound of God” Said he entered Hell as a wolf to battle witches & protect the harvest 🚫 No pact with the Devil → sentenced to flogging, not death 👦 Hans of Livonia (1651) 18-year-old said he was bitten by Satan, enabling his wolf form No murders proven, but executed for alleged magic use 🧠 Why These Trials Happened: Society in Crisis No concept of serial killers—supernatural explanations filled the gap Confessions = Torture, fear, delusion Victims = Often marginalized, misunderstood, or mentally ill Werewolves became symbols of: Uncon