The Talpa Poltergeist

In 1923, the village of Talpa in Romania experienced poltergeist phenomena centered on a young peasant girl. The case attracted the attention of researchers who documented some of the most violent poltergeist activity ever recorded.

The Focus

The activity centered on a twelve-year-old girl named Eleonore. Objects flew around her. Stones appeared from nowhere. Most disturbingly, bite marks and scratches appeared on her body inflicted by invisible forces.

The Violence

The attacks on Eleonore were vicious. Teeth marks appeared on her arms and face as if she had been bitten. Needles embedded themselves in her skin. She was slapped and scratched by invisible assailants.

The Investigation

The Countess Wassilko-Serecki brought Eleonore to Vienna for study. Researcher Harry Price later investigated in London. They documented phenomena occurring under controlled conditions, ruling out fraud.

The Documentation

Price photographed marks appearing on Eleonore’s skin in real-time. Objects moved while she was observed. The phenomena were among the most thoroughly documented of any poltergeist case.

Assessment

The Talpa case stands out for the physical attacks on the focus person and the quality of investigation. Whatever attacked Eleonore Zugun was violent, persistent, and defied explanation by the researchers who studied her.