Episode 12: The Chilling Tale of Anneliese Michel

The media has portrayed and dramatized events of possession and exorcism over the years. But what does it look like in real life? This week for Halloween, we will be bringing you the chilling story of Anneliese Michel, a 23-year-old woman who lived in Germany in the 1970s. After unexplained episodes which doctors only guessed to be epileptic seizures, Anneliese and her family believed her to be possessed by demons. They sought religious help which then ended with Anneliese's death. The priests and Anneliese's parents ended up being charged with negligent homicide. Was Anneliese's condition a medical problem...or some sort of evil? 

 

Sources:

"Dominion" by Father Chad Ripperger

"Death Riddle of the Devil's Girl"  Sunday Mirror in London August 22, 1976

"Exorcism - Last Hope?"  by Alice Siegert in The Miami Herald September  8, 1976

"A Fatal 'Possession'" by John Dornberg in the St. Louis Post Dispatch  August 17, 1976

"Exorcism Case: 4 are Found Guilty" The Journal (England newspaper) April 22, 1978

"Anneliese Michel And The Shocking Images From The Exorcism Of The Real Emily Rose" by Gabe Paoletti (https://allthatsinteresting.com/anneliese-michel-exorcism)

"Mental Illness or Demonic Possession: Annelise Michel"  by Jeffrey Chao (https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/mental-illness-or-demonic-possession-anneliese-michel-53c4a474e7d1)

"Cries of a Woman Possessed - German Court Hears Tapes in Exorcism Death Trial"  by Michael Getler in The Washington Post April 20, 1978

"The Horrific Case of Anneliese Michel’s Possession and Exorcism"  by Meghan November 17, 2022 (https://cvltnation.com/horrific-case-anneliese-michels-possession-excorcism/)

"2 Priests Charged In Exorcism Death Of German Woman"  The New York Times July 14, 1977

"The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel" by Felicitas D. Goodman

"Michel, Anneliese"  by Lux Ferre July 7, 2017 (https://occult-world.com/michel-anneliese/)

Oxford Bibliographies (https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780195393361/obo-9780195393361-0272.xml#:~:text=obo%2F9780195393361%2D0272-,Introduction,greatest%20amount%20of%20his%20time.)

"Exorcism"  United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/sacramentals-blessings/exorcism)

"Full Latin Exorcism Ritual" by REELZ (https://www.reelz.com/extra/full-latin-exorcism-ritual/)

The Demonic Paradise Wiki on Nero (https://the-demonic-paradise.fandom.com/wiki/Nero)