Johannes Cuntius, the Vampire of Silesia

During the early 17th century, Johannes Cuntius, alderman of Pentach in Silesia, died following being kicked by a horse. At the moment of his death, a tempest arose and a black cat rushed into his room and attacked his face. During Cuntius's funeral, yet another great tempest arose, ending the moment the corpse was interred. After the burial, rumours arose of a phantom with the voice of Cuntius.

Remarkable tales were told of the concumption of milk from jugs and bowls, of milk being turned into blood, of old men being strangled, children taken out of cradles, altar-cloths being soiled with blood, and poultry killed and eaten. Eventually it was decided to disinter the body. It was found that all the bodies buried above that of Cuntius had become putrefied and rotten, but his skin was tender and florid, his joints by no means stiff, and when a staff was put between his fingers they closed around it and held it fast in their grasp. He could open and shut his eyes, and when a vein in his leg was punctured the blood sprang out as fresh as that of a living person. This happened after the body had been in the grave for about six months.

As you can well imagine, the vampire did not cooperate with his dismemberment. But, by order of the authorities, the cutting-up was completed and the remains were consigned to the fire. Afterwards, Cuntius bothered no one anymore (Wedeck 179).

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Johannes Cuntius, the Vampire of Silesia copyrighted 1996-1998 to Shantell Powell.