Episode 29: Frankenstein Castle

Aug 6

Written By Courtney Hayes

At the forefront of it all was a young woman who loved to write, a scientist who she called mad, and a castle nestled in the German hills…

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Episode Transcript

We all love stories. It’s an undeniable truth. After all, humanity as a whole has been sharing them for centuries.

Dating back over 30,000 years, stories were first told as pictures on stone walls.

These wordless narratives eventually became an integral part of our earliest societies, often displaying themes of survival, kinship, and the unforgiving nature of a prehistoric world.

As time passed, those cave drawings evolved alongside the artists who created them. With the rise of the ancient Sumerians and the Egyptians, these rudimentary paintings transformed into written word; and with that, storytelling became a bit more complex.

Humanity, of course, was quick to follow suit—eager to explore the craft of narration. In the form of epic poetry, chants, rhymes, and songs, the oral tradition was born; thus paving the road for the very narratives that we love today.

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Long story told incredibly short, it’s these solid foundations that have given us the world’s greatest authors and storytellers—many of whom lay their roots in the world of the paranormal and the horror genre. And at the forefront of it, all was a young woman who loved to write, a scientist whom she called mad, and a castle nestled in the German hills.

I’m Courtney Hayes and you’re listening to haunts. Stay tuned…

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When we hear the name, Frankenstein, we can’t help but think of a dark, foreboding laboratory in the tallest tower of a castle. Now it is true that Mary Shelley’s acclaimed novel makes no reference to a gothic fortress—instead, it places Frankenstein’s lab within the walls of a modest apartment.

But all the same, countless adaptations of this classic horror tale, depict Frankenstein and his monster in a much more regal setting. Maybe it’s because of the real-life medieval stronghold that shares the novel’s namesake.

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Dating back to the 13th century, Frankenstein Castle has a history as rich as the story it inspired. Overlooking the bustling city of Darmstadt, Germany, the fortress originally functioned as a family home to none other than the members of the Frankenstein Dynasty.

It all began with the union of Reiz von Breuberg and Elisabeth von Weiterstadt, the descendants of two prominent families of the Holy Roman Empire. They were the first of the Frankenstein bloodline who lived and reigned in the castle for over 400 years.

In the years that followed the family's regency, Frankenstein castle changed hands on several occasions--serving every purpose from military barracks to a modern-day museum. And although its facade has begun to crumble, its foundations remain resolute--now acting as a popular tourist destination for those brave enough to hear the story it bares.

Suffice to say, this haunt has seen its fair share of history, loss, and bloodshed; but nothing quite compares to the notorious chapter of Johann Conrad Dippel.

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They called him a mad doctor. I know, it's quite the reputation--one that, of course, preceded him, thanks to his love for Alchemy, Anatomy, and the occult.

It was August 10th, 1673 when Johann Dippel was born on the castle grounds. It was a fitting place, really, for such an eccentric child to be born. You see, as a boy, Johann nurtured a keen love of the sciences. In lieu of conjuring up games or make-believe tales, he dedicated his earliest years to learning.

This studious mindset extended well into his adult life, going on to graduate from the University of Giessen with a master's in theology and philosophy. Following his academic career, Dippel began to make a name for himself in the field of alchemy--or rather the rudimentary form of chemistry based on the supposed notion that matter could be transformed.

I won't lie to you, Alchemy was a convoluted school of thought at best. But if you're thinking Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, then you would be right on the money. In fact, this speculative philosophy aimed to achieve the transmutation of common base metals into, let's say, more precious elements.

Not to mention, the practice sought to discover a method to prolong a person's life indefinitely. This, of course, brings us back to Johann Dippel.

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It was during his time practicing alchemy that Dippel became fascinated by the prospect of immortality. Well, fixated would likely be a better word for it, given that he spent a great deal of time perfecting a concoction that could allegedly grant everlasting life.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was this very obsession that left a bad taste in his neighbors' mouths. Apparently, Johann was quite boastful about his work, even going as far as to claim that he would live to be 125 years old; and it was all thanks to a potion that he called Dippel's oil. Oh and to make matters worse, at least as far as his friends and neighbors were concerned, Johann's practices were, well, downright frightening.

According to one of my sources, at least, Dippel's oil was produced by the distillation of bones. It was a viscous, tar-like substance that had a pungently unpleasant odor; and although the elixir didn't actually possess immortal properties, it did serve a handful of purposes--with its functionality ranging from simply repelling insects to full-blown chemical warfare.

But that's not all. So the story goes, Johann had developed the repulsive habit of exhuming corpses from local grave sites. He would bring the bodies back to his lab where he would attempt to reanimate the dead. And yeah, he apparently had some success thanks to a lightning bolt that struck the castle during one of these experiments; or I should say that's what Dippel claimed.

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So there you have it: the story of a real-life mad scientist who created a monster inside Frankenstein Castle. I guess it's really no wonder why this terror-inducing tale is said to be the inspiration behind Mary Shelley's masterpiece. But if you want my opinion, no horror story is ever truly complete, without at least a few ghosts.

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By now, it should be quite apparent that Johann Konrad Dippel had an affinity for the grim things in life. And true to that fashion, it seems that those interests live on to this day.

According to local lore, at least, Johann's spirit still lurks about the castle--becoming particularly active around Christmas and New Year's Eve. If you can believe it, the mad doctor is supposedly spending his afterlife searching for the very monster he created centuries ago.

Apparently, those who visit Frankenstein Castle are most likely to encounter his spirit outside the chapel. Here, he is known to howl, calling out in agony to a creature that evidently never shows.

I know, it's a bold claim to make; especially considering how unlikely it is that Dippel had any success in reanimating corpses. However, this is not to say that the souls entangled in those experiments aren't tormenting Johann's ghost.

You see, the majority of the claims made about Frankenstein Castle revolve around shadow figures. Coupled with the sounds of disembodied voices, encounters with these silhouetted specters are quite common up in the tower where the mad doctor practiced alchemy.

However, they are more often seen down in the chapel--the very place where Dippel's spirit can be heard howling with grief. So it would seem that Johann's deviant practices have finally caught up with him.

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Now it goes without saying, that the story of Frankenstein Castle spans well beyond its pages about mad scientists and alchemy. In fact, written on its crumbling stone walls, is a tale of love, knighthood, and tragedy.

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Sir Philipp Ludwig was in a hurry to get back to Frankenstein Castle. He had been away for quite some time and the Knight was anxious to return to his beloved Anne Marie.

While her lover raced his carriage through the streets of Darmstadt, Anne sat in the tallest tower of the castle. There she waited, peering out into the night, searching for a sign that Philipp had finally returned. One that tragically would never come.

You see, in his haste to once again be in Anne Marie's arms, Philipp was thrown from his carriage. From the tower, Anne watched in helpless agony as the accident turned her life on its head. At that moment, she knew one thing to be true:

Sir Philipp Ludwig, the last knight of Frankenstein, was not coming home.

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It's been centuries since their love story came to a tragic end. But even still, Anne Marie and her knight, Sir Philipp Ludwig, remain on castle grounds. And well, let's just say, they aren't the friendliest when it comes to visitors.

As a matter of fact, the couple is quite fond of their castle--going out of the way to ensure that no one disturbs it. From the tallest tower, they will throw rocks at onlookers and guests, evidently in an effort to keep outsiders from entering.

So consider yourself warned. If you are planning on taking the trek out to this haunt, well you may just want to bring a helmet.

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Like the setting of a dark fairy tale, Frankenstein Castle is surrounded by an ominously dense forest. Those brave enough to visit, are required to hike through those trees with nothing more than their instincts to guide them.

You see, this perilous woodland harbors a strange power--an anomaly that has been puzzling visitors and locals alike for centuries. Simply put, compasses don't seem to work on the trail to Frankenstein Castle.

It's eerie when you think about it--the notion that something so reliable would falter amidst such unpredictable terrain. It's almost as if the laws of man cease to exist when you set foot on this unhallowed ground.

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Now as near as we can tell, the trouble lies beneath the bedrock where a deposit of magnetic stone has formed. Thanks to this geological feature, electromagnetic energy is quite prevalent in the area--meaning that compasses are basically rendered useless. And for our purposes, so are EMF detectors.

Okay, so that all makes sense. But let's put this more scientifically sound explanation aside for a moment and discuss a bit of local lore.

So the story goes, the forest surrounding Frankenstein Castle was once a popular spot for a coven of local witches. Apparently, they would gather among the trees in celebration of the festival known as Walpurgisnacht, or rather witch's night.

Celebrated on April 30th, the festival marks the beginning of spring. Some say that the coven would practice rituals throughout the evening, while others claim that a sacrifice would have been the main event.

Spooky I know, and with a legend like that it's no wonder why the anomaly is thought to have more mystical origins. But it's worth mentioning that Witch's Night is a holiday for merriment and fertility with no association with sacrifice of any kind. So luckily for us, these claims remain to be nothing more than a scary story.

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If you're anything like me, then you probably have an undying love for all things Halloween; but don't worry, we would be in great company at Frankenstein Castle.

As a matter of fact, the castle serves as the venue for one of the most extravagant Halloween parties in all of Europe. And yes, in case you were wondering, the festivities are open to the public.

During the event, the castle and its surroundings are transformed into a Halloween lover's paradise, complete with creepy decorations and various Halloween-themed activities. Visitors can expect to encounter ghosts, ghouls, witches, and other frightful characters right alongside some real-life haunts.

As always, I will share the details about these annual Halloween Festivities, as well as general information on visiting Frankenstein Castle, in today's show notes at hauntscast.com. And if you're in the area, it may be worth checking out!

But remember dear listeners, do so at your risk. After all, Frankenstein Castle has a dark and tragic story that is certainly far from over; and you never know what might be written on the next page.

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Credits

Sources

https://the-line-up.com/frankenstein-castle?amp=1

https://reporter.rit.edu/tech/evolution-storytelling#:~:text=Storytelling%20originated%20with%20visual%20stories,written%2C%20printed%20and%20typed%20stories.

https://www.thecollector.com/most-important-cave-paintings-in-the-world/#

https://www.newscientist.com/definition/hieroglyphics/#:~:text=Hieroglyphics%20is%20a%20writing%20system,by%20the%20Sumarians%20of%20Mesopotamia.

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/storytelling-and-cultural-traditions/#

https://www.exploring-castles.com/europe/germany/frankenstein_castle/#:~:text=The%20History%20of%20Frankenstein%20Castle&text=The%20castle%20was%20probably%20built,two%20sides%20of%20the%20family.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Franckenstein

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Breuberg

https://lorethrill.com/johann-konrad-dippel-dr-frankenstein/