Elżbieta Wojdyła

 

Elżbieta Wojdyła suffered from the effects of vampirism on various occasions and in various ways. In the year 1967, the then 16 year old Elżbieta, along with her friend Barabara, were walking by the north gate of the Highgate cemetery. It was late in the evening and according to Elżbieta, they witnessed what can only be described as the dead rising from their graves. Whether or not what Elżbieta and her friend beheld was apparitions or revenants is not made clear at this point. To continue, not long after witnessing such a strange scene, Elżbieta began to be troubled by strange dreams or what she described as, “not a dream, but something higher than that […] I cannot awake because I feel I am awake” (The Highgate Vampire). Here, her consciousness has experienced something dream-like, but as she states, “not a dream.” Elżbieta’s wakeful nightmares consisted of a cold presence, which she believed was trying to enter through her bedroom window. In her own words she explained, “Something outside my window […] At first I think I see the face of a wild animal with glaring eyes and sharp teeth, but it is a man” (The Highgate Vampire). These dream-like disturbances eventually subsided, but returned in 1969. By this time Elżbieta was no longer living at home with her parents. Why would such a nightmare return? After questioning Elżbieta’s boyfriend, Keith Maclean, I discovered that while she was living with her parents, the home contained many crosses and other religious objects. Now living on her own, Elżbieta kept no crosses in her home. 

I theorised, “It might well be that a cross, the symbol of the triumph of good over evil, afforded her the necessary protection to keep the intruding malevolent force at bay” (The Highgate Vampire). I tested my theory by having Keith place various Christian symbols and other vampire repellents around Elżbieta’s bedroom. I also instructed Keith to sprinkle holy water. 

“Should she show signs of distress or anguish while she sleeps, it could well mean the force is nearby and trying to dominate her mind so that she will remove the impediments” (The Highgate Vampire). 

Keith discovered that Elżbieta would disturb the Christian symbols and other vampire repellents during the day. He also recalled Elżbieta’s aversion to wearing the cross around her neck. Keith explained, “The cross around her neck definitely caused some consternation” (The Highgate Vampire). In particular, the aversion to Christian symbols help to identify her experiences as a demonic manifestation. My theory was correct, and Elżbieta did react to the Christian symbols whenever the evil presence attempted to afflict her.

The nightmarish face at her bedroom window attempted to dominate her mind and body. Elżbieta was also troubled by what may be considered sleep-walking. However, Keith’s descriptions of Elżbieta’s sleep-walking episodes suggest something closer to demonic possession. He describes Elżbieta’s condition in a letter: “some force of which her conscious mind is not aware, is controlling her […] I followed her outside the gate of the cemetery […] she was staring through the iron rails as if in a trance” (The Highgate Vampire). 

Once again, such behaviour is known in cases of demonic possession. The aversion to Christian symbols, her altered state of consciousness are both symptoms of demonic influences. What ultimately gives Elżbieta’s afflictions the distinction of being labelled “vampirism,” were two enflamed puncture marks on her neck; her anaemic-like condition, along with other symptoms associated to vampirism.

The similarities between demonic activity and vampirism are not coincidental. Another example involved Elżbieta suffering from what Keith described as suffocation. During one of her wakeful nightmares, Keith found Elżbieta “gasping for breath, as if she had been almost suffocated” (The Highgate Vampire). 

The Church believed in demons identified as Succubus and Incubus. One of the common traits belonging to such demonic manifestations is the act of laying on top of the victim, who in turn experiences a heavy suffocating weight. This experience has also been identified in cases of demonic possession. Collectively, what Elżbieta experienced has strong similarities to forms of demonic activity. This suggests that vampirism is an aspect of demonic and sometimes corporeal manifestation.