The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel

Anneliese Michel was a 23-year-old German woman who died on July 1, 1976, after undergoing approximately 67 exorcism sessions over ten months. Her death led to the criminal prosecution of her parents and the two priests who performed the exorcisms, and sparked international debate about mental illness, religious belief, and the limits of spiritual intervention.

Background

Anneliese Michel was born in 1952 in Leiblfing, Bavaria, into a devoutly Catholic family. She was raised in strict religious observance and grew into a deeply pious young woman. She enrolled at the University of Würzburg to study education.

Her troubles began in 1968 when she was sixteen. She suffered a severe convulsion and was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. She was prescribed anticonvulsant medications and seemed to improve, but her condition would prove more complex than a simple neurological disorder.

Deterioration

By 1973, Anneliese’s condition was worsening despite medication. She became depressed and increasingly reported experiences that went beyond epilepsy. She saw demonic faces during her prayers. She heard voices telling her she was damned. She began to show aversion to religious objects—claiming she could not look at images of Jesus, could not enter certain holy places, and was repelled by holy water.

Anneliese and her family came to believe that her problems were spiritual rather than medical. They requested an exorcism from the Catholic Church.

The Church’s Response

The diocese was initially reluctant. Exorcisms are rare and require approval from church hierarchy. Anneliese’s case was evaluated, and initially, the requests were denied. She was encouraged to continue medical treatment.

But Anneliese’s condition continued to deteriorate. She stopped eating regularly. She injured herself repeatedly. She claimed to be possessed by multiple demons, including Lucifer, Cain, Judas, and Hitler.

In September 1975, Bishop Josef Stangl authorized a formal exorcism. Fathers Arnold Renz and Ernst Alt were assigned to perform the rituals according to the Rituale Romanum, the Catholic Church’s official exorcism rite.

The Exorcisms

Over the following months, Anneliese underwent approximately 67 exorcism sessions, sometimes multiple per week. The sessions were recorded on audio tape, capturing her screaming, growling, and speaking in voices that claimed to be various demons.

During this period, Anneliese’s physical condition deteriorated dramatically. She ate almost nothing. She performed hundreds of genuflections daily, injuring her knees so severely that her kneecaps ruptured. She was emaciated and covered in injuries from self-harm.

The priests believed they were making progress, that the demons were weakening. They continued the exorcisms rather than seeking intensive medical intervention.

Death

Anneliese Michel died on July 1, 1976. An autopsy determined the cause of death as malnutrition and dehydration. She weighed only 68 pounds. She had been without medical supervision for most of the exorcism period.

Criminal Proceedings

In 1978, Anneliese’s parents and the two priests were charged with negligent homicide. The prosecution argued that their failure to ensure proper medical care resulted in Anneliese’s death. Medical experts testified that she suffered from epilepsy with psychotic complications, conditions that could have been treated with proper intervention.

The defense argued that the family and priests genuinely believed they were helping Anneliese through spiritual means. The priests testified that they believed she was genuinely possessed and that the exorcisms were the appropriate response.

All four defendants were convicted of negligent homicide and sentenced to six months in prison, suspended to probation.

Aftermath

The case sparked intense debate in Germany and internationally. The Catholic Church reviewed its exorcism protocols, and guidelines were tightened requiring psychological and medical evaluation before any exorcism could be authorized.

Anneliese’s grave became a pilgrimage site for some Catholics who believe she was genuinely possessed and that her suffering had spiritual significance. Her family maintained that she was possessed and that the exorcisms, while not saving her life, freed her soul.

The case inspired several films, including “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” (2005) and the German film “Requiem” (2006).

Assessment

The case of Anneliese Michel sits at the tragic intersection of mental illness, religious belief, and institutional failure. Medical professionals maintain she suffered from epilepsy and psychosis that was treatable. Believers maintain she was genuinely possessed by demons who killed her rather than release their hold.

What is undeniable is that a young woman died of malnutrition and dehydration while under the spiritual care of two priests and her parents, all of whom believed they were helping her. The audio recordings of her exorcisms preserve her suffering in disturbing detail.

Whether Anneliese Michel was possessed by demons or by her own brain chemistry may ultimately depend on one’s worldview. Her death, however, was a preventable tragedy that raised questions about the responsibilities of religious authorities that remain relevant today.