In 1976, a 23-year-old German woman named Anneliese Michel died after undergoing 67 Catholic exorcisms over 10 months.
Her death would spark one of Europe’s most controversial legal battles — pitting faith against medicine, and belief against responsibility.
Was Anneliese a victim of possession? Or of a system that failed to recognize mental illness as something sacred, not demonic?
In this haunting episode, John Williamson takes you beyond the horror-film legend to uncover the human story — one of devotion, suffering, and the thin line between faith and fear.
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Verified Sources & Further Reading
Primary & Contemporaneous Accounts
Court Records, Klingenberg am Main (1978) – West German trial transcripts of Fr. Ernst Alt, Fr. Arnold Renz, and the Michel family.
Der Spiegel Archives (1976–1978) – German reporting on the death, trial, and public reaction.
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – Coverage of the legal and theological controversy following the verdict.
Bishop Josef Stangl’s Official Approval (1975) – Diocese of Würzburg documentation authorizing the exorcisms under the Rituale Romanum.
The Guardian, “Faith and Madness: The Story of Anneliese Michel” (2003).
BBC Radio 4 – Beyond Belief (2013) – Episode exploring demonic possession and the Michel case.
Anna Katharina Michel, Anneliese: A Family’s Story (1999) – Family perspective and diary excerpts.
Felix Kersten, Der Teufel und Anneliese Michel (2006) – German investigative account combining psychological and theological interpretation.
Dr. Felicitas Goodman, anthropologist, How About Demons? Possession and Exorcism in the Modern World (1988).
DSM-II / DSM-III Diagnostic Shifts – Understanding how epilepsy and psychosis were classified in the 1970s.
Catholic Canon Law on Exorcism (1962–1999) – Comparison of pre- and post-Vatican II guidelines.
The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) – Hollywood’s adaptation of the case, and how the real story differs.
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Key Themes
Faith vs. Medicine – When spiritual belief collides with scientific understanding.
Obedience and Guilt – How devotion to authority shaped Anneliese’s final days.
Suffering and Meaning – Why humanity continues to see the sacred in pain.
Media Mythology – How Anneliese’s death became one of modern history’s most enduring exorcism legends.
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Credits & Production
Written & Hosted by: John Williamson
Produced by: John Williamson Productions LLC
Research & Script Development: Harper (Research Assistant)
Music: Original score inspired by Jóhann Jóhannsson and Ben Frost.
Special Thanks: To theologians, psychiatrists, and survivors who continue to examine the boundaries of faith and the mind.
