The Possession of Earling Iowa

In 1928, in the small farming community of Earling, Iowa, a 40-year-old woman known as Anna Ecklund underwent one of the most prolonged and dramatic exorcisms in American history. The case, documented by participants and approved for publication by the Catholic Church, became an influential account that helped shape modern understanding of possession and exorcism.

Background

Anna Ecklund was born in 1882 in Marathon, Wisconsin, to a German-American family. According to later accounts, she was cursed by her father and his mistress, who placed hexes on her food when she was fourteen years old. The curse allegedly allowed demons to enter her.

Anna showed signs of possession from an early age. She could not stand the presence of blessed objects. She knew the hidden thoughts of those around her. She spoke in languages she had never learned. Her behavior became increasingly disturbed.

Father Theophilus Riesinger

Father Theophilus Riesinger was a Capuchin priest who specialized in exorcism. He first exorcised Anna in 1912, apparently successfully. But the demons returned, and by the 1920s, Anna’s condition had deteriorated severely.

Father Riesinger determined that a more prolonged and thorough exorcism was necessary. He needed a location far from Anna’s home, where the exorcism could proceed without interference. He chose a convent in Earling, Iowa.

The Exorcism Begins

In August 1928, Father Riesinger brought Anna to Earling. The exorcism took place in the convent, with the assistance of the local pastor, Father Joseph Steiger. Nuns served as attendants and witnesses.

The phenomena began immediately. When blessed food was placed near Anna’s lips, she clamped her mouth shut with supernatural force. She had to be restrained as she fought against receiving any blessed substance.

The Phenomena

Over the following 23 days, witnesses documented extraordinary phenomena. Anna’s body swelled to twice its normal size. She levitated from her bed, clinging to the wall above the headboard despite attempts to pull her down.

Vile liquids poured from her mouth in quantities that seemed impossible—buckets full that far exceeded what her body could have contained. The liquids were foul-smelling and appeared to have no natural origin.

Anna spoke in voices that were not her own, in languages including Latin, German, and others she had never learned. The demons identified themselves, providing names that became part of the official record: Beelzebub, Judas Iscariot, and Anna’s own father (who had died and been condemned for his sins).

Physical Violence

The entity repeatedly attacked the attending priests. Father Steiger was thrown across the room. His car crashed mysteriously after the exorcism sessions. He received threats from the demons that they would destroy him.

Anna herself was thrown about, contorted into impossible positions, and subjected to what appeared to be physical torture from within. Yet she showed no lasting damage when the episodes ended.

The Climax

On December 23, 1928, the exorcism reached its conclusion. After hours of intense prayer and ritual, the demons announced their departure one by one. Anna’s body went rigid, then limp. When she awakened, she had no memory of the preceding weeks.

The exorcism had lasted 23 days and had required multiple sessions per day. Father Riesinger declared it complete, and Anna lived the rest of her life free of phenomena.

Documentation

The case was documented extensively. Father Carl Vogl, a German priest, compiled accounts from the witnesses and published them with Church approval. The booklet, titled “Begone Satan,” became widely circulated and influenced subsequent understanding of possession.

The documentation is unusual in its detail and in its Church approval. However, all accounts derive from participants who believed in the possession’s reality.

Legacy

The Earling exorcism influenced William Peter Blatty, author of “The Exorcist.” Certain elements of his novel—the physical phenomena, the identification of demons, the prolonged battle—echo the Earling case.

The case remains referenced in discussions of possession and exorcism. It represents one of the most dramatic and best-documented American cases.

Assessment

The Earling case challenges both believers and skeptics. The phenomena described are extreme and well-documented. Yet all witnesses were already believers in possession, and no skeptical observer was present.

Whether Anna Ecklund was genuinely possessed, suffering from severe mental illness, or participating in an elaborate performance remains debated. What is certain is that her case became a cornerstone of American possession lore.