Anneliese Michel German girl who died after exorcism sessions Date of Birth: 21.09.1952 Country: Germany

1. Anneliese Michel: Biography of a Victim of Exorcism
2. Early Life and Health Issues
3. Descending into Possession
4. The Tragic End

Anneliese Michel: Biography of a Victim of Exorcism

Anneliese Michel was a German girl who made history as a victim of exorcism. Sadly, Anneliese died at the age of 23 shortly after undergoing a ritual to expel an evil spirit. Her story inspired the film 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose,' and many people genuinely believed that Anneliese was possessed by the devil himself.

Early Life and Health Issues

Anneliese Michel was born in 1952 in Leiblfing, Bavaria, West Germany. Her family was Catholic, and from a young age, Anneliese faithfully attended church and even sang in the church choir. At the age of 16, she suddenly experienced a severe seizure, and soon after, she was diagnosed with epilepsy.

In 1973, Anneliese was a student at the University of Würzburg. Her classmates described her as introverted and highly religious. However, even before this, Anneliese had begun experiencing unpleasant and unexplained changes in her health and mental state. In 1970, she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital, where she suffered greatly and complained of seeing the face of the devil. Around the same time, she developed pleurisy and tuberculosis. Despite treatment, Anneliese's condition worsened, and she began complaining about the devil and hearing voices telling her that she would "rot in hell."

Descending into Possession

Anneliese, who was already in a constant state of depression, started avoiding sacred symbols, including crosses. Her concerned family realized that neither therapists nor psychiatrists could help her and decided to invite a priest to intervene. By 1974, Anneliese's behavior had become unbearable. She would become violent, self-harm, go on hunger strikes, and even bite her family members. She would bark like a dog under the table, tear her clothes, drink her own urine, eat insects, and once even attempted to jump off a bridge. She later revealed that these actions were prompted by the devil.

Her parents concluded that Anneliese was truly possessed by the devil and turned to the church for help. They invited a priest to perform exorcism rituals. Anneliese, who was already emaciated, wild-eyed, and physically sick, endured the sessions and desperately wished for healing. Over 70 exorcism sessions lasting several hours each were conducted, sometimes with three people present. Although she experienced moments of clarity and even attended classes, her speech remained unstable.

The Tragic End

On July 1, 1976, after one of the exorcism rituals, Anneliese died in her sleep. By then, she was severely depleted, weighing only about 30 kg. Immediately, charges were brought against the priest Ernst Alt, who conducted the exorcisms, and his colleague Arnold Renz. The prosecutors claimed that the priests witnessed Anneliese's deterioration and could have prevented her death a week earlier. Both the church representatives and Anneliese's family were charged with manslaughter by negligence.

During the trial, the priests insisted on Anneliese's possession, while doctors argued that it was simply a case of mental illness – epilepsy and depression exacerbated by strict religious upbringing. The parents and priests were found guilty, but many aspects of this complex case remain shrouded in mystery. To this day, there is no definitive answer as to whether Anneliese Michel was truly possessed by the devil or if her behavior can be explained solely from a medical perspective.

Anneliese Michel's name has become associated with possession, exorcism, and rituals in popular culture. Her story has been the subject of several films, including 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose,' 'Requiem,' and 'Anneliese: The Exorcist Tapes.'

In 2013, when a fire broke out in the house where Anneliese once lived, many immediately attributed it to the devil's mischief, while others sensibly considered it a coincidence.