The mystery of the oak Island treasure

In 1799, Daniel Mcginnis was a teenager exploring a small island called Oak Island. At the time, he was looking to see if he could find a place to farm. Instead, he found a depression near an old oak tree. When he looked around, he saw what seemed to him to be indications of human activity. The area was cleared of vegetation, and there were stones that seemed to have been deliberately placed as some sort of marker. He grew curious and decided to come back with his friends at a later time, armed with shovels, in order to dig.

Daniel had heard the stories about Blackboard and Captain Kidd. It was rumored that the Atlantic region had been a hub of pirate activity, and it was not out of the realm of possibility to discover buried treasure. Oak Island is situated off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Soon Danile and his friends JOhn Smith and Anthony Vaugh came back and began to dig. The deeper they dug, the creepier the area became. They heard disembodied voices calling to them. After digging about 10 feet, they found wooden planks over a deeper hole; the hole was covered by logs, coconut fibers, and puddy. As they kept pulling dirt and wood out, they finally got to about 60 feet, where they reportedly found a stone tablet. As they pulled the stone tablet out of the hole, the hole suddenly began to flood, as if the release of the tablet had triggered some sort of curse. Their tools and lights would move in the night, as if ghosts were trying to chase them out. Soon the unexplained phenomena were too much for them, and they decided it was not worth it. 

Years later, a Halifax university professor translated the tablet: " 40 feet below, 2 million pounds, life buried." Some people believe that this has to do with a curse that is on the island or the treasure. The curse dictates that seven people have to die in search of the treasure before it can be found. So far, six people have died on the island in search of treasure. Only one more person needs to die for the curse to be fulfilled.

Although Danile and his friends quit their pirate hunting adventure, they did not quit talking about it, and soon Oak Island became a topic of fascination among their friends and acquaintances. Soon , everyone wanted to learn more about the mystery surrounding Oak Island and its hidden treasures. including people from outside the community who had heard rumors about the legendary curse and the countless failed attempts to uncover the treasure.

 

The next time we get any concrete information is in 1866, when a New York Herald newspaper prints a story about Oak Island, claiming that people have been looking  for Captain Kidd's buried treasure for over a century. It talks about how the search has discovered vaults of masonry, oak chests and barrels, and mysterious tunnels and caves on the island. It claims that the prize will be up to four million dollars.  In 1909, The New York Herald claims that Captain Henry L. Bowdoin, an engineer, announced his intention of solving the Oak Island mystery. Bowdoin forms the Old Gold Salvage and Wrecking Company. The newspapers soon began to call the area of excavation "the money pitt." This is due to the fact that as they excavated further, they found that wooden planks had been placed 100 feet down in order to close the cassam that followed it. Once removed, the hole was said to be 134 feet deep and 100 feet wide. This discovery sparked further intrigue and speculation about the origins of the money pit. After months of digging, Bowdinn decides that the money mitt is a hoax and gives up his permit. 

In 1913, Fredric Blair takes over the digging permit but does not find anything. In 1928, there was renewed interest in Oak Island when a New York newspaper ran a story on it. The article sparks a wave of speculation and curiosity about the mysterious Oak Island. Suspiciously, it happens to coincide with Fedric Blair's desire to get rid of the permit. 

In 1930, fibrous material was sent to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and they reported that it was from coconuts and possibly hundreds of years old. This makes people excited, thinking that the fibers are perhaps from ropes that were made in the past from coconut fibers. They imagine that these ropes were used to lower the chests filled with doubloons to the bottom of the pit. Although coconuts are not native to Nova Scotia, records have proved that coconuts were in trade in that area and could have been used by farmers at that time. However, an article on popular science published in 1939 stated that the fiber was found along "140 feet of beach." Everywhere they excavated along the beach, they found coconut fibers, enough to stack. No other evidence of coconut fibers was found anywhere else on the island, suggesting that the fibers were used in relation to the beach area.

In 1953, the land changed hands again. It is now owned by Gilbert Hedden, who hires Sprague and Henwood, Inc. to pump and excavate the money pit. They decide to dig a new shaft adjacent to the original one. This proves fruitful when drill casings and a miners whale lamp are found.  That same year, the book Captain Kidd and His Skeleton Island was published. The book was written by Harold Wilkins. The book is about pirates and treasure, and it includes a map that resembles Oak Island enough to interest Gilbert Hedden. He takes the map and walks around the island, finding a white granite boulder 50 feet north of the money pit, just as the book's map suggested. 400 feet away, he finds another granite boulder. and then a third. The boulders are arranged in such a way that they form a triangle. The base runs east-west, and a line of stones runs from the base to the apex in a true north direction. This line intersects the money pit. Unfortunately, after Gilbert Hedden travels to London to meet with the author of the book, his dreams are shattered when author Harold Wilkins lets him know that he has never been to the island and the map on the book is made completely from his imagination.

This seems to be the final blow, as Hedden decides to give up searching for pirate treasure and focus on his business instead. In 1938, Professor Edwin Hamilton of New York University took over the search from Hedden.  A popular science article published in 1939 confirms that the water that continuously floods the area is indeed part of a river system connected to the ocean. Amazingly, as oxen plowed a nearby field, the ground caved in beneath them.  The researchers uncovered that the matting made out of coconut rope and eelgrass was placed over big and small rocks, creating intersections between them.  Ocean sponges were in between the boulders, and this was used in the past by farmers as an irrigation system. On Oak Island, however, it seems to have been built in order to keep the money pit from being too easily accessed or discovered. Five long gutters were discovered cutting through the maze of boulders. Each was formed of flat stones laid end to end.  All these gutters met at what appeared to be the outer end of an underground channel, a conduit that drained into the money pit. The purpose of these gutters was to redirect water into the money pit to prevent it from being drained.

Unfortunately, no further discoveries happened for a few years, and in 1943 they had to stop drilling due to World War II.

In 1965, Robert Restall, who was in charge of digging at the time, fell down the new shaft while looking down at the work going on below. This was the first clear event that couldn't be explained. His son, Bobby Restall, ran to help him, but he fell in as well. Karl Graeser starts to climb down the ladder, but he passes out and falls in. Also, Cyril Hiltz slips off the ladder. The same is true for Andrew Demont. Leonard Kaizer also fits into this group. Captain Edward White, a fireman from New York, is able to tie a rope around Kaizer and pull him up. White can also help Demont get out. Either the smell of the water below or the carbon monoxide from the gas pump got to the other four, and they drowned. This is the first record of death in the area, and it is also the deepest they have dug. 

After that, the island was owned by different people at different times. They have found signs that people lived on the island before the 1700s, but the truth is still hidden.  In 1972, George Bates says that he thinks there were pirates on the coast of Atlantic Canada in the past. He thinks that what was found on Oak Island in 1795 were the ruins of a pirate shipyard. The fake beach may have been lowered to make room for the ships coming in. A hollow room under the island would have been used to drain Smith's Cove. When a ship's repairs were done, the water would have been pumped out with a windmill. 

For the last few years, the island has been owned by the Lagina family. In the last few years, they have been doing a reality TV show on the History Channel called "The Curse of Oak Island." They also do tours around the island for people who come to see the famous treasure hunting site. So far, they have found a cartwheel penny from 1797, two King Charles II coins from the 17th century minted over 100 years before the money's discovery, a gemstone brooch from the 16th century, which is a mysterious artifact believed to be from the Knights Templar, and a decorative keyhole plate that is believed to come from a chest.  In the swamp area, they found a rotted iron spike, which hints at the mairie's past, as well as a copper coin from 1692. 

Although thousands of dollars have been spent to find the treasure, it has yet to be discovered.

The history of Oak Island is filled with mystery, legends, and a persistent quest for buried treasure. Here's a summarized overview:

**Early Rumors and Legends:** In 1799, when Daniel McGinnis was just a teenager, he decided to explore Oak Island, a relatively uninhabited and wooded area off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. During his exploration, he came across a depression in the ground that seemed unusual. Intrigued by this discovery, he began to investigate further.

According to the accounts, McGinnis noticed that the depression was located near an old oak tree and was surrounded by indications of human activity, such as cleared spaces and stones that seemed to be deliberately placed. These observations led him to speculate that there might be something buried beneath the site.

With the help of his friends John Smith and Anthony Vaughn, McGinnis decided to start digging in the area. As they excavated the site, they encountered layers of flagstones and wooden platforms at regular intervals. This discovery deepened their curiosity and fueled speculation that there might be a valuable treasure hidden beneath the layers.

Although they faced challenges such as water flooding into the pit and "superstitious dread," the trio persisted in their efforts to uncover the potential treasure. While they didn't find a definitive treasure at that time, their discoveries and determination laid the foundation for the legends and rumors of buried treasure on Oak Island.

This event, involving Daniel McGinnis's initial exploration and excavation of what became known as "the money pit," marked the beginning of the Oak Island treasure mystery. Over time, the story was embellished and expanded upon, leading to the development of the myths and legends that have captured the imaginations of people for centuries.

The story of Oak Island begins in the 18th century when rumors of buried treasure and unexplained objects on the island first emerged. During the 18th century, the Atlantic region was known for pirate activity, with tales of pirate ships and hidden treasures capturing people's imaginations. Pirates like Blackbeard and Captain Kidd operated in these waters, contributing to the belief that their stolen riches could be buried on remote islands like Oak Island. The discovery of mysterious objects or structures on the island, such as depressions in the ground or unusual stone formations, could have added to the intrigue. These rumors spanned a wide range of possibilities, from pirate loot and Shakespearean manuscripts to the Holy Grail and the Ark of the Covenant. Tales of the Knights Templar burying sacred relics on the island further fueled the legends. It was believed that the island held a significant secret waiting to be uncovered.

**The Early Days of Exploration (1790s–1857):**

In 1799, a settler named Daniel McGinnis discovered a depression in the ground on Oak Island while searching for a farm location. He, along with John Smith and Anthony Vaughn, excavated the pit, encountering layers of flagstones and oak platforms. Their attempts were eventually abandoned due to superstitions. Throughout the 19th century, several groups, like the Onslow and Truro Companies, attempted to uncover the hidden treasure. These early efforts were marked by various excavations, flooding, and intriguing discoveries, but the actual treasure remained elusive.

The accounts of unexplained phenomena during the early days of the Oak Island excavation are often shrouded in mystery and vary in their details. These phenomena were said to be experienced by those involved in the digging, such as John Smith, Anthony Vaughn, and Daniel McGinnis. While the specific details may differ depending on the source, some common elements of the unexplained phenomena include:

1. **Water Flooding the Pit:** One of the notable occurrences was the sudden influx of water into the pit as the diggers reached deeper levels. This flooding was often viewed as unusual, as it happened suddenly and seemingly without a natural explanation. Some versions of the story suggest that this flooding occurred as the diggers reached a certain depth, leading to the belief that they had breached some kind of protective barrier.

2. **Strange Noises and Voices:** It's mentioned that the diggers heard odd noises and voices coming from within the pit. These sounds were sometimes described as eerie or otherworldly. The sources differ on whether the sounds were interpreted as warnings, communication from supernatural entities, or signs of displeasure from the spirits guarding the treasure.

3. **Unexplained Lights:** Some versions of the story mention the appearance of mysterious lights or glowing orbs around the pit during the night. These lights were often considered as signs of the presence of supernatural forces or as attempts to dissuade the diggers from continuing their excavation.

4. **Shifted Objects:** There are accounts of objects or tools seemingly moving on their own or being shifted to different locations overnight. These occurrences were unsettling for the diggers and contributed to the belief that there were supernatural forces at play.

5. **Visions and Apparitions:** In a few versions of the story, individuals claimed to have seen ghostly figures or apparitions near the excavation site. These visions were sometimes interpreted as messages from beyond or as manifestations of the spirits guarding the treasure.

**Continued Pursuits and Discoveries (1928–Present):**

In 1928, renewed interest in Oak Island was sparked by a New York newspaper story. Over the years, various individuals and groups, including Errol Flynn, John Wayne, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, took interest in the island. The modern era of exploration began with the Triton Alliance, Oak Island Tours & The Michigan Group, and the Lagina brothers. The Lagina brothers, driven by fascination, conducted extensive research that confirmed the existence of ancient civilizations on the island.

Their journey was marked by the use of diverse tools, techniques, and expert collaboration. They found artifacts like pottery, coins, wooden platforms, and coded documents, suggesting a rich history. Notable breakthroughs included the discovery of a Roman ceremonial sword and a coin with the Knights Templar's cross, hinting at historical connections. The Lagina brothers also uncovered a meticulously crafted French map, expertly deciphered by historian and seafaring specialist Zena Halpern. The map's links to Freemasonry deepened the intrigue.

**Explorations and Ongoing Research:**

Exploration extended underwater, where the team used magnetometers to detect metal objects and potential shipwrecks. Discoveries of metal anomalies, stone features, and gemstones on land further fueled their curiosity. A visit to Portugal unveiled potential Knights Templar connections, and exploration of local sites suggested links between the Templars and Oak Island. The team's relentless pursuit of clues from ancient texts, markings, and artifacts reflected their unwavering dedication.

**Legacy of Curiosity and Perseverance:**

The history of Oak Island reflects a continuous pursuit of the unknown, driven by human curiosity and the quest for buried treasures. While no definitive treasure has been found, the island's stories, legends, and discoveries have captured imaginations for generations. The Lagina brothers and their team's efforts, joined by experts and historians, highlight the enduring allure of uncovering hidden secrets and rewriting history.

**The Lagina Brothers:**

Driven by their fascination with Oak Island, the Lagina brothers embarked on a thorough exploration of the island's soil and artifacts. This investigation solidified the presence of ancient civilizations that once inhabited the island. Their determination to locate treasure knew no bounds, capturing the attention of both television audiences and additional investors. Employing a variety of tools, techniques, and divers, they systematically narrowed down potential treasure locations. Their discoveries ranged from pottery shards and coins to wooden platforms and cryptic coded documents. Yet, despite these finds, they had not unearthed definitive proof of a buried treasure.

Although the initial stages were marked by disappointment and fruitless searches, a turning point came during the third season of their quest. They successfully drained a pit, revealing a Roman ceremonial sword. This discovery raised the possibility that the Romans could have preceded Christopher Columbus's famous journey to Oak Island. Confirmation of the sword's authenticity is still pending. In their ongoing exploration, a coin imprinted with the Knights Templar's cross emerged, suggesting the secretive medieval order might have set foot on the island in the past. The team's findings, including ancient pottery and artifacts, unveiled Oak Island's rich history, pointing to a wealth of secrets yet to be uncovered.

**Continuing the Search:**

The Lagina brothers' determination was undeterred, and they achieved a significant breakthrough in their fourth season. A meticulously crafted French map from 1647 became a pivotal discovery. The map held the potential for essential clues regarding the treasure's location. The brothers enlisted historian and seafaring expert Zena Halpern to decode the map's symbols and enigmatic messages. Zena Halpern's expertise suggested the map was a copy of an even older source that guided Freemasons in their search for treasure. This collaboration infused their journey with anticipation and twists as they endeavored to unravel the secrets of Oak Island with the aid of ancient relics, mysterious maps, and Zena Halpern's insights.

**Diving into the Depths:**

Aiding the Lagina brothers' quest was the historian and seafaring specialist Zena Halpern, whose expertise bolstered their relentless pursuit of Oak Island's secrets. Their discoveries remained steadfast, with their excitement peaking upon unearthing a boot linked to Franklin Roosevelt's endeavors. This find fueled their determination as they meticulously scrutinized the island, hopeful of uncovering significant leads. Deeper excavation led them to wood deposits, suggesting a transition away from modern structures, potentially connecting them to the treasure's origins. Their persistence yielded a valuable gold piece, sparking discussions that they might be on the site explored in 1909.

Vigilant monitoring of the B4C shaft excavation ensued, their hopes pinned on locating a treasure chamber or an offset vault. The presence of wooden tunnels and substantial traces of gold and silver bolstered their confidence. As they uncovered more wooden fragments and an aged iron fastener, the puzzle of Oak Island's past deepened. The combined expertise of the Lagina brothers, Zena Halpern, and their dedicated team sustained their determination as they forged ahead, driven by the prospect of unveiling Oak Island's long-sought treasures.

**Exploring the Waters and Beyond:**

Employing a magnetometer, the Lagina brothers and their team conducted underwater explorations near Oak Island, detecting intriguing metal signals. These signals hinted at potential shipwrecks, leading them to consider a non-invasive investigation with cameras and scanning devices. Diver Tony Sampson and underwater archaeologist Dr. Lee Spence identified a sizeable buried metal object, but visual challenges prompted a call for permission to excavate and gain clarity.

Meanwhile, in another Oak Island area, metal detection expert Gary Drayton and treasure hunter Michael John explored Lot 8. Noteworthy findings, such as a metal anomaly and a man-made stone feature, hinted at links to the Knights Templar and the Ark of the Covenant. The team aimed to uncover additional clues supporting this theory, with future plans hinging on excavation permits.

As their expedition progressed, the Lagina brothers and their team remained committed to unraveling Oak Island's mysteries. Their journey exemplified human curiosity and determination, proving that even in the face of challenges, the quest for the unknown persisted. The stories of Oak Island's past intertwined with the present-day dream of unearthing hidden treasures, forming a testament to exploration's enduring allure.

The Michel possession case

 

I. Introduction

In 1968 Annaliese Michael, a 17 year old German girl began to experience hallucinations a began to hear voices that told her she was dammed to hell. According to her mother her eyes would turned jet black when ever she would look at any religious icons. she began doing exhibiting erratic behavior such as liking her own urine and eating spiders. eventually this case became one of the most famous demon possession cases in Germany, and then the world because sadly Anneliese died during her exorcism. The priest that did the exorcism was accused of murder. Doctors would later testify in her trial that Annaliease had epilepsy and was not possessed. In this episode we will focus on who annaliese was, how did this case develop and how it ended. 

Anneliese was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1952 to a very Catholic family. Her father was drafted into the Reich labor service and then into military service on the western and eastern fronts during World War II.  Although his mother wanted him to be a priest like his three uncles, after the war he had to go to a trade school in order to take over the family business when he was released from US custody in 1945. Perhaps due to his experiences during the war, he felt a strong connection to God and to certain religious mediums who foretold the end of the war. One such prophet was the "secrets of Fatima." The secrets of Fatima are the messages given to three shepherd children on July 13, 1917, on the hills of Cova Datria, near Fatima. According to the children, the virgin Mary appeared to them and gave them each a message to share with the world. In the first secret, the virgin Mary showed the children "a great sea of fire at the bottom of the world." They saw demons and the suffering of souls. They believed that they saw hell. The second secret was a message; she told them that she had shown them hell in the hopes that this would scare the sinners and that they would repent. According to the prophecy, if people did not repent, a second war would start, which would be worse than the first. 

Since this happened in 1917, many people, including Anneliese's father, believed that the prophesies had come true because World War I finished and then a second world war began where he had to fight and do horrible things. 

The veracity of these prophecies could be discussed further, but this episode is not about that. Suffice it to say that these experiences made him extremely religious and could have a direct effect on the outcome of this case. 

Anna Michael was Anneliese's mother, and as a young girl, she worked in her father's office. which is where they met and fell in love. In 1948, Anna had a child out of wedlick; women thought it was Joseph, but there were rumors that the child's father was actually a Catholic priest. Unfortunately, the child died of a kidney tumor in 1956 at the age of 8. Anna and Josef got married in 1950; they had three children apart from Anneliese.

The entire family was very religious, but Anneliese was more so. She went to Mass three times a week. She prayed rosaries regularly and occasionally slept on the floor to atone for other people's sins. At school, she was described as friendly and easygoing but also serious and controverted. She would often engage in philosophical debates with her classmates and use religious references to support her arguments. 

In September At 16 in 1968, she had her first seizure. The family thought it was a one-time thing, but when she had a second in August 1969, they decided to find medical help. After an EEG, doctors came back with a diagnosis of temporal lobe epilepsy. She started having seizures and blackouts where she would walk around in a trance-like state. She took medication, but it didn't help. Shortly after that, she became sick again and went into the hospital. She was diagnosed with psenia and tuberculosis. She stayed in a lung sanitarium for over six months, from March to August of 1970. Several epilepsy-like seizures were recorded during that time. It was at this time that she began to see the faces of patients change and morph into those of demons. She also began to hear voices. The voices told her she would go to hell for her sins and never find redemption.

When she came back from the sanitarium, she had to change schools due to the time she had missed, which resulted in depression. 

In 1973, she went to the university of education in Warzburg. In order to attend university, she moved into a Catholic seminary with a dormitory that was close to the school. It was here that she first began to hear three loud knocks coming from her closet every night. This is significant because if you have seen any possession horror movies, you would know that demons often knock three times as a way to scare and intimidate humans. The number three is often thought of as the devil's number; he uses it to mock the holy trinity, as in the son, the father, and the holy ghost. The knock will sometimes come at three, and three in the morning is known as the witching hour or the devil's hour because scary things can sometimes be seen at that time. Some who partake in dark magic will sometimes wait until three in the morning because they say that the magic is stronger at that time. 

 

By November of 1973, he was tired of all of it and went to seek help from the university psychologist. She told the psychologist that even though she was taking her medication, she had been suffering from almost daily seizures since 1997, which would come as a form of absence seizure. An absence seizure is when a person is having a seizure and it can be confirmed with an EEG, but to an outsider observing the event, it would look like the person is simply standing next to you like a statue; they cannot respond if you speak to them, and they sometimes will stand or fall in bizarre poses. Again, she was given medication, but nothing changed. 

Anneliese went on a religious pilgrimage during the summer of 1973. The leader of the pilgrimage sire of San Damiano said that "she was showing great aversions" to all objects used for religious worship. She was directed to see a priest. She saw a clergyman, but he saw no evidence of possession, and he urged Anneliese to seek medical help. The leader of the pilgrimage did not agree, and they contacted Father Adolf Rodewyk, who said he believed that she could be possessed based on the descriptions. Father Rodewyk was a Jesuit priest who had written two books on demonology, and in Catholic circles he was the undisputed expert on possession and expulsion. 

According to a Newport daily news article, Ernst Alt met aAnneliese Michel in the fall of 1973. He believed that Anneliese was in the obsession stage  of possession. According to father Gabriel Amorth, Chief exorcist of Rome there are four stages of possession. Infestation, this is the "haunted house" type of stuff. You hear footsteps in the house, voices, you may see appatittions, and even objects moving. Sometimes you lay smell something rotten or foul in the air. at this stage only property, objects or animals are affected.

 

The second stage is Oppression; supernatural activity steps up with physical attacks, sleep disturbances including regular nightmares, frequent and severe illnesses, major depression and or anxiety disorders, and a general feeling of being constantly watched or threatened. severe financial or employementproblems and relationship troubles. while these things happen in the normal course of life, all of them happening at once or in rapid succession could be a sign of demonic presence. 

The third stage is obsession, as the name implies, at this stage the afflicted person has a hard time breaking free from intrusive and disturbing thoughts, constantly revolving around demonic activity commandeering their life, and frequently with suicide. sleep becomes near impossible. 

 

The fourth stage is possession, contrary to popular belief, possession is not demons entering a person's body and taking over. A person's free will is never removed, only severely compromised. In possession a person is so physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually broken down by going through the other three stages that demonic spirits are able to seize control over that person's actions occasionally. 

Telltale signs of possession include superhuman strength, speaking in a language the victim doesn't know, inordinate aversion to holy objects, knowledge of events or facts the victim could not know and according to DIocese of San Jose Exorcist Gary Thomas; CHanges in facial features. 

 

Quote from Father Ernst Alt " Annelise told me - Fran Hein confirmed this- that was unable to enter the shrine" (this was during the holy pilgrimage) "she approached it with great hesitation, then said that the soil burned like fire and she simply could not stand it. she then walked around the shrine in a wide arc and tried to approach it from the back. She looked at the people who were kneeling in the area surrounding the little garden and it seemed to her that while praying they were gnashing their teeth. she got as far as the edge of the little garden, then she had to turn back. coming from the front again she had to avert her glance from the picture of Christ. she made it  several times to the garden, but could not get passed it. Also she noted that she could no longer look at ledals or pictures of saints; they sparkled so Immensly that she could not stand it" 

 

Both her family and her community became convinced that she was possessed. The family asked several priests to perform an exorcism but they said no. they recommended that Annaliese continue her medical treatment. 

In the catholic church a possession can only be done with official permission/ 

An exorcism is grante when the subject meets specific criteria and after a thorough evaluation by the church authorities, and is considered to be suffering from possession or infestatio in Latin. At this point Annelise only had some but not all the signs of possession. However, her condition continued to worsen over time, even though she followed the priests recommendations and continued to take her medical treatment. 

Her symptoms did not subside however, they became worse. Her health deteriorated, she became violent, hurt herself, drank her own urine and ate insects. Not only was she in antiseizure medication, but she was also taking mood stabilizers and antopsychotic medications. nothing worked. her "decease" progressed and she began growling, seeing demons in her room and throwing things. 

 

Father Ernst Alt, a priest, stated that Michel did not exhibit signs of epilepsy and believed she was possessed by demons. He requested permission from the local bishop for an exorcism. In a letter to Alt in 1975, Michel expressed her feelings of worthlessness and the desire to improve, asking for his prayers. She also mentioned her willingness to suffer for others. Bishop Josef Stangl granted permission for an exorcism to be conducted by Father Arnold Renz according to the Rituale Romanum, with strict confidentiality.

The first exorcism session took place on September 24th. During the sessions, Michel spoke about atoning for the rebellious youth and unfaithful priests of the modern church. At Michel's request, her parents stopped consulting doctors and relied solely on the exorcism rituals. Over a period of approximately ten months in 1975 and 1976, a total of 67 exorcism sessions, lasting up to four hours each and occurring once or twice a week, were performed. Towards the end of her life, Michel refused to eat.

 

Death:
Anneliese Michel passed away on July 1, 1976, at her home. The autopsy revealed that she died because she didn't eat or drink enough for almost a year during the exorcism rituals. She was very thin, had broken knees from kneeling too much, and had developed pneumonia.

Prosecution:
After an investigation, the state charged Anneliese's parents and priests Ernst Alt and Arnold Renz with causing her death due to negligence. The parents had a lawyer famous for defending people in important trials, and the priests had their legal fees paid by the church. The state suggested that the priests should pay a fine instead of going to jail, and they believed the parents had suffered enough and should not be punished.

Trial:
The trial started on March 30, 1978, and attracted a lot of attention. Doctors testified that Anneliese wasn't possessed by demons and that her strange behavior was caused by her strict religious upbringing and epilepsy. The defense argued that the exorcism was allowed by the law and protected by the German constitution, which guarantees religious freedom. They played recordings from the exorcism sessions, claiming they showed demons arguing and proved Anneliese's possession. The priests said she was freed from possession just before she died.

Exhumation and aftermath:
After the trial, Anneliese's family asked for permission to remove her body from the burial place because they felt it was done too quickly and poorly. After almost two years, her remains were put in a new coffin. People started visiting her grave as a place of pilgrimage. The number of officially approved exorcisms in Germany decreased after this case, even though Pope Benedict XVI supported using exorcisms more than his predecessor. In 2013, a fire destroyed the house where Anneliese lived, and some locals thought it was connected to the exorcism case.