Belief in werewolves was common throughout Germany. However, several elements of their portrayals in modern media were conspicuously absent. Their bite was not infectious (though perhaps this can be accounted by the low survival rate of those bitten by a werewolf in the first place). They did not manifest any “wolfman” shapes but turned straight into wolves. Silver sometimes was required to injure them, but this was not the only option. And neither did they act as romantic rivals to sparkling vampires - whether they were werewolves by magic and intent or labored under some type of curse, they were personifications of rage and gluttony first and foremost.
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The Werewolf
The werewolf is an evil sorcerer who can transform himself into a wolf and all sorts of ferocious animals and then can harm people and animals alike while being impervious from harm. However, he must show himself in his true human form if an innocent child throws a piece of steel over him and picks it up before the werewolf. But if the werewolf picks it up first the child is doomed, for the former will become enraged and tear it into pieces.
It must have been three hundred years ago that such a werewolf lived in the village of Ergste[1]. He had entered a pact with the Devil and was able to change into all sorts of shapes and committed all sorts of evil-minded and dangerous pranks throughout the region. He especially loved to change into a wolf and rob sheep, cows, and other domestic animals from stables and pastures. Everyone was afraid of him, but nobody could harm him, for the power of Satan protected him.
However, once when he had broken into the stable of a farmer with the intention of stealing sheep, the two boys of the farmer confronted him. One threw a pair of scissors and the other threw a knife crosswise above him, and quickly captured them before the werewolf was able to do the same. Now he had to take on his natural form and let himself be captured. He was brought to Limburg[2] to the high justice court[3]. In order to determine whether or not he was a sorcerer he was thrown into the Lenne river near the Oegerstein hill[4]. If he remained at the surface, he was a sorcerer, but if he was able to sink to the ground everything was fine. Long did he swim at the surface and it was not possible for him to submerge, and judge and people were about to condemn him as an evil sorcerer. Then, in fear for his life, the werewolf turned to his pact ally, the Devil, and pleaded to him for help. That one did not forsake him, and transformed a sewing needle which the sorcerer carried with him into a heavy hatchet so that he sank to the ground. He was now recognized as innocent and released.
Subsequently he continued his depravities just as before. But one time, when he had sunk into a deep sleep, the farmers ambushed him and set fire to his body. When he woke up he wanted to quickly transform himself, but it was too late and he was incinerated painfully. His ashes were buried far away from the churchyard where his ghost still appears every night and whines and whimpers like someone who is burned alive.
Source: Stahl, H. Westphälische Sagen und Geschichten. 1831, p. 275
[1] Ergste is now a district of the city of Schwerte. Interestingly, its heraldic sign features a wolf’s head.
[2] Modern-day Hagen-Hohenlimburg.
[3] The term used here was “peinliches Halsgericht” (“painful neck-court”), which means that the court in Limburg had the authority to rule in capital punishment trials.
[4] If I am interpreting this postcard correctly, the location was probably where the Oeger Straße and the Mühlenbergstraße roads meet.
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Commentary: This werewolf is no unfortunate victim, but someone who deliberately sought those powers out as a form of witchcraft - and and the story implies that a wolf was not his only possible shape, although we never learn any of the others. Additionally, his invulnerability seems to be absolute when in animal form, but abandons him when in human form.
On the other hand, we only have the boys’ word that he actually is a werewolf - they were the only ones who saw him transform…
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The Böxenwulf
In the whole region between the Deister hill range and the Weser river people tell of the Böxenwulf. This creature squatted on the back of wanderers at night so that they had to carry it for some distance. However, such a Böxenwulf is actually a human who transforms into this creature by putting on a girdle and gains supernatural powers at the same time.
One late evening two farmers walked home from a mill near Rinteln, and each of them was carrying their own sack of flour. Suddenly, a Böxenwulf squatted on one of them, and he immediately cried out for the other to help him. The latter thus threw down his sack and swung his stick at the Böxenwulf with such force that it hurriedly fled away. The next day they visited another farmer who was widely viewed with suspicion, for he was quite wealthy yet nobody knew how he had acquired his wealth. This farmer was lying in bed and was near death, and had just called for a physician to tend to his injuries. In this manner they learned who might have been the Böxenwulf.
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Commentary: Here we have an entity which is quite clearly a typical werewolf of the “wolf belt” variety - yet it also somehow has gained pressure spirit powers similar to the Aufhocker. The consequence is clear: If you want to come up with your own custom creature that nevertheless should feel authentic for German folklore, just add pressure spirit powers…
While it’s not stated outright, the implication is clearly that the Böxenwulf used his powers to waylay and rob travelers without the robbery getting traced back to him. Which shows a streak of pragmatism common to German folklore - if you gained magical powers from a dubious source and are okay with using them, why not use them to make yourself rich? I am sure that plenty of Dungeons & Dragons players would approve...