Spooktober: Haunted Germany

The Black Forest is a name almost everyone recognizes, and for good reason. This mountainous region is in the southwest of Germany, bordering France, and is home to beautiful wooded areas, grasslands, and rivers. It is renown for beautiful cuckoo clocks, gothic buildings and vineyards, and is the center of many Brothers Grimm fairy tales. This rural region has scattered villages and a few large towns, and its people have a love of tradition and dedication to beautiful crafts and cuisine. But with a name like The Black Forest, is it any surprise that dark things could be lurking there? Hikers throughout the region have seen shadow figures and apparitions while exploring nature. There are urban legends about witches and unnatural creatures, such as The Watcher of Schonach, a long-haired and pale figure frequently seen at the tree line of this village, and known to mysteriously disappear into the trees. The Witch of Hinterkaifeck relates to a serious of unsolved murders throughout the years at this remote homestead, in which a strange figure has been repeatedly seen in the area before and after killings. Many of the Brothers Grimm stories also feature gruesome characters or frightening plots; perhaps some are inspired by true events… A visit to the Black Forest is well worth it in our opinion, just keep your eyes open!

Frankenstein Castle in Darmstadt may not have been home to an unholy creature like in the Mary Shelley novel, but this hilltop castle, the inspiration for Shelley’s book, has plenty of history and intrigue of its own. Built in the early 1200s, this stone castle has seen many centuries and more than one family ownership. It was built by Lord Conrad II Reiz of Breuberg, who named himself Frankenstein alongside the castle. He was the founder of the free imperial Barony of Frakenstein in the region. It was used as a refuge and hospital after conflicts during the religious Reformation in the 1600s. The castle itself was built on top of an older structure as well, and although it fell into ruins in the 18th century, the 19th century saw restorations to it. In 1952, a live radio broadcast took place at the castle on Halloween night, in which a fake local legend of a monster appearing at the castle was staged as a prank. The public was successfully tricked, and the frightened reporters accidentally attracted the attention of the military in the process. But proper preternatural phenomena have been known to surround the castle as well; there is a magnetic field in the forest near the castle where compasses do not work right, and strange stone formations said to be used by witches in rituals find place here. Paranormal investigators have recorded EVPs in the castle, and strange ultrasonic signals in the castle’s chapel. Other legends surround the castle and the region as well, such as that of an ancient dragon, or apparitions of strange creatures like water spirits or man-eating lindworms. Real or not, this location is sure to impress, and so are its strange stories.

With a country so castle-rich, is it a surprise the last location on our list is also a castle? Burg Reichenstein, also known as Falkenburg castle, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the upper middle Rhine Valley in Trechtingshausen, this large castle sits on a mountainside. Built in the 13th century, this castle was home to several robber barons and knights, who stole land and resources, engaged in illegal activities, and had several feuds. Sieges and destruction reached the castle over time, which was forbidden to be reconstructed by King Rudolf of Habsburg in the year 1290, after he executed the robber knights of Reichenstein and the nearby Sonneck Castle, who had been locked in battle. It fell into disrepair for many years, until it was purchased by prince Friedrich of Prussia in 1823, and rebuilt. The castle today hosts impressive exhibits, furnished rooms and paintings, as well as historical artifacts and 1,2000 hunting trophies collected by the lord of the castle Kirsch-Puricelli. But hunting trophies aren’t the only thing haunting the halls of this historic castle. Guests often experience the feeling of being watched, or the sensation that they are never alone. Windows and doors open and shut randomly in the castle, and other poltergeist activity has been noted. The resident ghost is thought to be Dietrich von Hohenfels, a robber knight who was issued a challenge by his adversary and captor. To save the lives of his nine sons, he would have to walk past their bodies once decapitated. The story goes that his headless corpse did indeed manage to walk past the line of his sons before collapsing in the dirt, and Rudolf von Habsburg spared their lives. Writer Victor Hugo even visited the castle, and found an unmarked grave with the remains of a knight with no head. Maybe the ghost of Dietrich is still searching for it ’til this day.

We hope these strange legends and paranormal occurrences encourage you to explore Germany’s vast history this October, and to help you plan your next trip! There’s a wide, mystical world out there, full of stories, culture and beautiful sights, and they’re waiting for you to experience them. Even if they’re a little on the spooky side!