Werewolf Facts

Famous Werewolves: Peter Stumpp

Peter Stumpp had the misfortune of having one of the most famous werewolf trials of his time. Stump was tried for werewolf transformation during 1589 and was put on trial before his town. Because the town felt they had enough evidence against him, this trial mainly consisted of torture.

Stumpp was connected to the werewolf of Bedburg because of his notable disability – a missing left hand. It had been reported that the werewolf of Bedburg had a missing left paw and since it was believed that the injuries of the werewolf manifested themselves in both wolf and human form, Stumpp was quickly charged.

The trial commenced with Stumpp being stretched out on a rack and having chunks of his flesh ripped out with searing hot pincers. His bones were also crushed with stones to ensure that the great pain he suffered was enough to convince him to 'confess' of all his sins.

Stumpp confessed to everything he was accused of. He alleged that he had been practicing black magic since the age of 12 and had been assuming the form of a werewolf for at least 25 years. During this time, he confessed to killing and eating both livestock and humans. Most notably, he admitted to killing and eating 14 children and 2 pregnant women.

Aside from all of the innocent women and children he supposedly ate and was forced to confess guilt over, he was also accused of having incestuous relationships with his daughter and a distant relative. He confessed to these misdeeds as well, which resulted in both unlucky women being executed along with him. They were promptly 'flayed' and strangled to death.

After the crowd was finally satisfied with the suffering of Peter Stumpp, he was beheaded and his body – along with the body of his daughter and mistress – were burned for all to see. His severed head was placed on a torture wheel and an image of a wolf was attached and displayed in the city center to serve as a reminder to the rest of the townspeople.

Some historians believe that Peter Stumpp was not actually a werewolf, but was tried by the Church as a way to send a message to recently converted Protestants. Stumpp had converted to Protestant beliefs in earlier years during a war that was waged between the Protestants and the Catholics. It is thought that the Catholics may have accused Stumpp so they could persuade other converts to reconsider their change in religion – or suffer the same fate. They cite the attendance of aristocracy at the trial and execution as evidence that something more than witchcraft was at work. Furthermore, it appears that Peter Stumpp was the only werewolf convicted in Bedburg, though werewolf trials usually ended in the conviction of a pack that supposedly hunted together.