The Werewolf of Bedburg
In 1589, Peter Stumpp was arrested for cannibalism and werewolf accusations.
Murderer, cannibal, and werewolf — all accusations that were thrown against Peter Stumpp. While records of his life before crime are sparse, his killings and gruesome execution are well documented in the history books.
I assume that the story was preserved in detail because the Holy Roman Empire, which was responsible for his execution, wanted to set an example — that other beasts who dared rise against humankind would meet the same bloody fate.
Life and accusations
While the exact date of Peter Stumpp’s birth is unknown, historians have determined that it was around 1545–1550 AD in Bedburg, a rural community in Germany. Peter was a successful farmer who had above-average wealth. He married and had two children but lost his wife sometime in the 1580s.
Multiple sources for his story presented various spellings for Peter’s last name — Stube, Stub, and Strumpf — but all referred to his left hand as being missing, leaving only a “stump.” Later, this would prove damning in his trial, as an alleged werewolf also had its left forepaw cut off during an attack.
There were a series of eerie killings that occurred in Bedburg from 1564 to 1589. No…
