Peter Stubbe

This man is described as "the likeness of a greedy, devouring wolf," whose eyes "sparkled like "fire" at night. His mouth was "great and wide" full of "sharp and cruel teeth". His large size included "mighty paws." He was named Peter Stubbe, and he was referred to as a "great wicked sorcerer". No ordinary man, he was the true bad wolf from stories like "Little Red Riding Hood". A predator who targeted people especially children and pregnant women. He was a vile serial killer responsible for the deaths of so many innocent lives. What's more is that he was a werewolf.

Peter Stubbe (also spelt Peter Stumpp) was born in 1530 at Bedburg in Germany. Not much is clear about his birth or parents, except that he grew up to become a respected "gentleman" farmer. At some point he married and had two children, a son and daughter. Then became widowed in 1580 and raised his children as a single father. His daughter's name was Beele (maybe shortened from Sybil) and yet nothing is known about the name of his son.

He admitted later at the trial that he made a pact with the devil. He was given a magic girdle that made him transform into a wolf. While most believe werewolves transform during a full moon, because this is a type of curse, Peter Stubbe turned into a wolf whenever he left like it, just by wearing a magic girdle. Stubbe could suck the blood of animals, women and children. What he also did to pregnant women was horrific. Peter was also involved in cannibalism, and he went into details about eating his poor victims at the trail. In 1589 Stubbe was executed on a Catherine Wheel, in Cologne, Germany. He became known as the Bedburg Werewolf. His mistress named Katherina Trump and also his eldest daughter Beele Stubbe were both executed as werewolves. 

She Wolf Night 

Wolf moon

The full moon this month will appear on Monday 13th January. It will be the bright long full moon lasting three days, and offer plenty of illumination at night during frost and cold. January full moons are called Wolf Moon, as it's named because of wolves howling during an active time. The name Wolf Moon for January is originally from Celtic and Old English tradition. 

Wolves howl at the moon is often considered a motif for eerie gothic horrors and setting a scary atmosphere. It makes people feel vulnerable at night as the sound of wolves howling is primal and reminds everyone of dangers lurking out in the darkness. The truth is that while sometimes wolves howl during the full moon, they howl when there isn't a full moon. Wolves don't really howl at the moon. They howl as this is their way of communicating with other wolves. Various howls have different meanings, that can be about hunting and calling one another. As wolves are nocturnal, it just seems they're howling at the moon but they're not.

It's always been believed that wolves are connected to the full moon. This idea mainly comes from superstition and folklore. The full moon doesn't influence wolves into their howling and hunting. However they appear much more active during the full moon only because it's brightest. But amongst a lot of myths are the werewolves, humans that transform into wolves during the full moon. These are made into popular stories on films and in books, but the werewolf legends come from ancient times. 

The January full moon is Wolf Moon and a time for deep thinking. During the long harsh winter, January is a time for inner reflection, mindfulness, family and caring. Wolves are social animals with a deep consideration towards their pack, nurturing and raising young. They howl also to let other wolves know about their territories, and to help call out any lost wolves. This means we look out for one another and people showing some compassion towards each other in the winter season. 

She Wolf Night