The Possession of Anneliese Michel
Please tell me more about Anneliese Michel of Germany and the reported possessions.
Anneliese Michel was a young woman from Germany who reportedly suffered from demonic possession and underwent a series of exorcisms in the 1970s. She was born in 1952 in Bavaria, Germany, and was raised in a strict Catholic family. At the age of 16, she experienced a seizure and was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. However, her condition worsened, and she began displaying symptoms that were attributed to possession, such as self-harm, aversion to religious objects, and hearing voices.
Anneliese Michel and her family believed that she was possessed by several demons, including Judas Iscariot, Nero, and Hitler. They sought help from both the medical community and the Catholic Church, but neither were able to alleviate her symptoms. In 1975, they turned to two local priests, Father Arnold Renz and Father Ernst Alt, who performed a series of exorcisms on Anneliese.
The exorcisms were performed over the course of about ten months, during which time Anneliese reportedly exhibited violent behavior, such as biting and scratching herself, refusing to eat, and speaking in tongues. The exorcisms were recorded, and the transcripts suggest that Anneliese was speaking in different voices, including those of the demons that were possessing her.
Despite her deteriorating physical and mental health, Anneliese's family and the two priests continued with the exorcisms, believing that they were helping to save her soul. However, Anneliese's condition worsened, and she eventually died on July 1, 1976, at the age of 23, due to malnutrition and dehydration.
The death of Anneliese Michel sparked controversy and debate about the role of religion and spirituality in mental illness. The two priests and Anneliese's parents were charged with negligent homicide and found guilty, but their sentences were later reduced to six months of probation. The case also led to changes in German law, which now requires that medical professionals be consulted in cases where a person may be suffering from a mental illness but is believed to be possessed.
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