The European werewolf differs from its American counterpart. In the rugged landscapes and dark forests of Germania, werewolves are creatures of the Undead. The werewolf is a creature who died of violence; one bewitched or under a curse; or a powerful magician.
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A werewolf or lycanthrope is among the Wiedergänger, the Undead who rise again. Werewolves are usually people who die by murder, suicide or violent means.
The werewolf might be under a curse, unable to control its actions. Powerful sorcerers can attain the secret of shape-shifting at will. The female werewolf exists in lycanthrope history as a werewoman. In popular culture the concept may appear in the schlock horror genre.
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In sixth-century Lebanon, villagers attacked by werewomen are advised by a local priest to have themselves baptized and take collective ritual preventive measures. Wolves (lupus) are associated with witchcraft, which in turn is associated with the Christian devil.
Silver bullets have no effect on German werewolves as in America, where like vampires the werewolf in fiction is often romantic or tragic. Widespread anthropological systems like cultural norms or religious beliefs can influence views of the historical European werewolf.
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The werewolf of Germany isn't associated with a full moon as it is in other cultures. The connection is as best a practical one, as the light of the moon increases nighttime visibility; however, werewolves have heightened senses and normally see well in the dark.
The connection between American werewolves and the full moon is fairly recent, dating to the 20th century. The bite of a European werewolf does not inflict the condition of lycanthropy.
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If it's a shape-shifting entity like a sorcerer it may seek a certain person, item or location. An observer might notice as it slips among shadows, or feel a chill in the air. If confronted it is violent. Best let it go. This brutal type of werewolf is out for blood.
Werewolves carry a lot of anger. The creature can go into a blood frenzy as it kills animals and people and feasts on corpses. If the werewolf is created by murder, the creature will stalk the earth to find the killer(s).
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As Aufhocker, the werewolf leaps on a person's back and becomes heavier with each step the victim takes. Eventually the person is too weak to move further, and dies. There are various types of Aufhöcker including the werewolf and pig demons.
One type of werewolf Aufhocker is an evil entity who preys on the weak, or those who appear weak. The other seeks redemption. To make up for its past transgressions it might jump on the back of a thief or other evildoer.
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A curse can transform a person into a wolf. In the iconic fantasy fiction film Ladyhawke, Rutger Hauer is a warrior who becomes a black wolf at night. His love (Michelle Pfeiffer) turns into a hawk at daybreak.
In lore, if the werewolf is created with a curse, it might be an outcast among the Undead and tragic figure in the realm of the living. It dwells in a shadow land, neither human nor wolf. The person must find a way to lift the curse, or be doomed to eternal madness.
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Depictions of werewolves and other hybrid or shape-shifting entities relate to Nordic folklore. The Ulfhednar (Úlfhéðinn) are a group of Viking warriors who wear wolf skins, with their own skin dyed black.
They're considered similar to Viking berserkers. Although they appear later in history they influence medieval European werewolf folklore. The first mention of a werewolf comes from the ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh (c. 2000 BCE w copies up to 700 BCE).
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Werewolves are usually not happy creatures. Conversely, the Scottish wulver and the Irish werewolf or faoladh are both seen as benign.
In Irish lore the faoladh is a man or woman who shape-shifts to wolf form. They're said to be descendants of the legendary figure Laignech Fáelad, a shape-shifter who give rise to the Kings of Osraige or Ossury in eastern Ireland. This werewolf is a wise protector or guardian.
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The wulver comes from the folklore of the Shetland Islands. This humanoid appears as a person with the head of a wolf. Wulver lives in a cave and may be seen fishing. It generally avoids human contact. Although considered a benevolent entity overall, it can turn hostile.
In England and other parts of Europe, the witchcraft trials include those suspected of being werewolves. Persecution begins in Switzerland in the 15th century. The craze rages through Europe by the sixteenth.
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Alleged serial killer Peter Stumpp, a 16th century farmer, gains notoriety as the Werewolf of Bedburg. He's charged with werewolfery, witchcraft and cannibalism and executed in 1589.
Werewolf trials peak in the 17th century and subside thereafter. As the witch and werewolf trials wane the werewolf becomes a popular figure in Gothic fiction.
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The modern term lycanthropy is from Greek lukanthrōpía from lukánthrōpos meaning 'wolf-man'. Ancient writers use the term only in a medical context, describing a mental condition in which the patient thinks he's a wolf.
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