Malevolent Haunts:The Haunting Of Elenore Zugun.

The Eastern European country of Romania, has been the progenitor of many of our modern myths and legends for decades. The Carpathian Mountains stand as a silent sentinel invoking thoughts of terror and intrigue in the minds of the supersitious citizen since the early settlers, The Dacians first conquered the mist shrouded land. Although Romania, for the most part, has shrugged off their ancient supersitions and have come around to a more western way of thought many still believe that Dracul, still haunts the land seeking it’s next victim for it’s unholy blood frenzy. In 1923, the story of Elenore Zugun or the Poltergeist Girl would confirm the fears of her fellow peasants and cause great controversy in paranormal research for many years to come.

Thirteen year old, Elenore was most likely like any girl her age, however events would soon transpire that would turn her life in sheer madness and terror a terror that would extend beyond the boundaries of her native Romania. One day as young Elenore was on her way to visit her grandmother she came across a few coins laying in the road and just like any child of hers or any age she pocketed the cash and purchased a treat that she rarely got, Candy. When Elenore arrived at her grandmother’s home she immediately launched into the story of her good fortune at finding the money and indulging in the sweet treats that she gobbled down before arriving. Grandmother, who was known throughtout the land as a powerful witch, became enraged at the young girl and told her that the money she discovered in the road was placed there by Dracu, to entice the girl to sin and now the candy that she consumed would be a curse upon her that would never leave. To an old school Romanian peasant like Elenore, the thought of being inhabited by Dracu was a living nightmare and the word’s of grandmother would soon come back to haunt her. Not all Grannies are so sweet afterall.

The next day strange events occurred that would confirm her grandmother’s grim tidings. Stones thrown by unseen hands assaulted the cottage breaking windows and furniture moved about Granny Zugun’s house of their own accord. Believing her granddaughter was possessed by the devil, the old witch banished the frightened young girl from her home and was told never to return. Thank god this was before the day of mass communication could you imagine that telephone call between granny and Elenore’s mom, “Yeah hi, I just wanted to let you know that your little girl is possessed by the devil. Yeah, yeah an exorcism is probably in order. Ok, canasta friday night?”

When young Elenore returned to her home she failed to tell her parents of her grandmother’s doom laden prophecy and almost immediately all hell broke loose in the Zugun household. As the family attempted to sleep some unseen foe hammered on the side of the home when a family member went to investigate no living soul could be found awake and wondering the streets of the village. During the day large rocks some the size of basketballs fell from a seemingly clear sky and violently struck the house. The breaking point for Elenore’s parents came when a friend of Mr. Zugun paid a visit and as the two men sat talking a large bowl of porridge launched itself from the table and violently struck the family friend on the head causing a serious injury. When no sane explanation was found for the strange phenomenon that seemed to occurr whenever Elenore was present ancient superstitions won out and the family pointed the finger of blame at their daughter. Elenore was adamant that she was not the cause of the activity however her parents believed that an evil spirit inhabited the girl and she was sent to the monastery of Gorovei, to be freed from whatever evil had taken up residence in the body of their sweet little girl.

The three weeks that Elenore, spent at the monastery was three weeks of pure terror. The Gorovei brothers, witnessed a number of manifestations that reinforced their fears that they indeed had a great evil among them. The monks came to the conclusion that the only cure to release the young girl was the rite of exorcism. When the exorcism was unsuccessful and the activity continued unabated, the brothers decided that the only way to rid them of this powerful demon was to send Elenore to a nearby asylum for the criminally insane where she was locked away in a dungeon and forced to live in squalor.

During this time spiritualism, the religion that was believed to be a new faith for a new time was still quite popular in much of Europe and when German researcher, Fritz Gruenwald and his associate Kubi Klein, heard the strange story of the poltergeist girl they knew that they must make haste to Romania in the hopes that they could study the girl and document the poltergeist activity. After convincing the monks that the young girl was afflicted with demonic possession but rather a force of nature the monks had the girl released from the asylum and brought back to the monastery so she could be studied by the eminent German paranormal researchers.

After many weeks of study Gruenwald and Klein became convinced that Elenore Zugun was truly a wonder to behold. The two researchers documented dozens of manifestations of the poltergeist girl. Large objects moved, apports materialized in front of the two men and other witnesses, and loud knocks could be heard when the two men demanded to hear them. However the most shocking manifestations were the appearance of welts and bite marks on areas of Elenore’s body where she could not reach. When the monks witnessed the bite marks they became enraged and demanded that the young girl be taken out of their enclave and returned to the asylum. Gruenwald and Klein, argued with the brothers and attempted to reassure them that nothing evil was going on, however the brothers were indignant they did not want, Dracu in their midst and the two researchers were asked to leave and never return.

In 1925, Elenore’s saving grace came in the form of a wealthy Austrian socialite who had heard the sad story of the poltergeist girl and her internment in the asylum. Countess Zoe Wasiliko-Sereki, made the long journey to the hinterlands of Romania and found the teenage girl eating rats in her cell and sleeping among her own feces. Outraged by this treatment of a human being, the Countess paid a large sum of money to have the girl released into her custody and the two returned to Countess Zoe’s well appointed home in Vienna, Austria where Elenore would be cleaned up and be introduced into polite society despite her rare condition.

Elenore, would always remeber her days living with the countess as the happiest of her life, although the poltergeist activity continued but in a much more sedate form. Not only did the countess truly love Elenore she was also fascinated by the bizarre activity that seemed to surround the girl. A year after Elenore came to live with her the Countess published a book, “Der Spuk Von Tulpa”, The Ghost of Tulpa, detailing the sad story of Elenore Zugun and the malicious spirit that held her captive. The book was an instant success among the rich and famous of Austrian society and all those who read the book begged an audience with Countess Zoe and her young charge. However it would not be until almost a year later when England’s most famous ghost hunter would call upon the Countess and Elenore and the story of the Poltergeist Girl would be introduced to the western world.

Harry Price, the famous yet controversial paranormal researcher made a journey to Austria and immediately went about the business of studying the poltergeist girl. Harry Price was truly amazed when he witnessed all the classic signs of a poltergeist, however he was taken back by the welts and bite marks that covered the girls neck and came to the conclusion that this was no usual poltergeist. Price, also discovered that when the bites manifested a foul smelling saliva covered the bites. Harry Price, desired to take the girl back to his laboratory in London for further study, however all that plagued the young girl came to a halt when in 1927, Elenore Zugun had her menstrual cycle. The phenomenon that held the girl captive for years had now come to an end.

History tells us that Elenore Zugun the once infamous Poltergeist Girl, remained in Austrian and became a successful hair dresser to the rich. The events that almost caused her to lose her sanity was now a distant and yet unforgotten memory and has provided the diligent paranormal researcher with one of the most bizarre malicious haunts on record. When one considers the strange case of the Poltergeist girl we have to wonder was Elenore really under the control of some ancient demon? Or was she the victim of her own repressed feelings of anger towards her parents and her low station in life that caused a series of psychic manifestations that scared the bejeezus out of all involved? Most of the time when it comes to paranormal research all we are left with are more questions than answers which is why I have always maintained the belief that in the field of the paranormal there IS NO SUCH THING AS EXPERTS.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com