Werewolf of Wewelsburg

The "Werewolf" of Wewelsburg (1657)

Wewelsburg, a Renaissance castle near Büren. Witch trials also took place here; in 1657, a man accused of witchcraft died under torture in the castle's witch's dungeon.

Name: Unknown (an unnamed man, referred to in contemporary sources as the "werewolf").

Place and year: Wewelsburg (castle of the Prince-Bishops near Büren), 1657.

Accusation: Werewolfry (a specific form of witchcraft). The man was accused of being able to transform into a wolf through a pact with the devil and cause harm – an accusation rooted in the demonology of the time.

Trial proceedings: The accused was imprisoned in Wewelsburg castle (which had a dungeon, later known as the "witch's dungeon"). During the interrogation under torture, the accused suffered severe mistreatment.

Verdict: Even before a formal verdict could be reached, the prisoner died from the effects of the torture.

Outcome: The unknown man of Wewelsburg died under torture in 1657, without ever being formally convicted. His case entered local folklore as the "werewolf of Wewelsburg" and demonstrates that even seemingly absurd accusations, such as werewolf magic, could have fatal consequences in the context of witch-hunting.