A haunting tale of Bettembourg's werewolf-soldier

You might be surprised to know that although small, Luxembourg has its share of myths and legends to offer! You just have to dig a little deeper to find them. Which we did! So what if I told you that a long time ago, there was a werewolf prowling the hills of the Grand Duchy, namely in the city of Bettembourg...But what is the story behind this terrifying creature?

The tale begins with a young man from Bettembourg, who years ago decided to leave his elderly and dependent parents to voluntarily go to war. His selfish act left his parents alone, wondering for years whether their son was alive or dead. The villagers generously took care after the old couple, who with time became weaker and more miserable.

Carte postale J.M. Bellwald. / © www.rail.lu

As years went by, the memory of the soldier who left his parents started to fade. His parents eventually died, never knowing whether their son survived the war, and the towns people slowly started to give up on the idea that the boy will ever come back again.

However, one day, an old and disabled soldier appeared in the town of Bettembourg. Old, drenched in sweat and exhausted from his march, he sat himself down and reflected on the horrifying things he has seen during his time in war.

Disappointed by his fate and full of bitterness, he suddenly threw his head back in defiance, and seemed as if possessed. He then caught the sight of a Crucifix made of stone not far from where he was sitting. "You're to blame, deaf God, for not hearing my prayers," he cried out in despair and anger, grabbing a rock and destroying the holy symbol with it. He then disappeared from the place.

After that day, a gruesome wolf started to roam Bettembourg every night, attacking and tearing apart everything in its path. The situation became dire, as neither gun nor sword could injure it and nobody was able to stop the wolf. But a monk who was staying at the village suggested shooting the beast with a silver, blessed bullet instead. He advised to engrave Jesus, Mary and Joseph on it, in hope that this would put an end to the possessed creature.

Heeding his advice, a brave marksman mustered up the courage and managed to shoot the bullet, killing the creature that same night. But as people approached the corpse, they quickly realised that instead of a wolf they discovered the body of an elderly, crippled warrior, who turned out to be a long-lost child of Bettemburg.

The corpse of the soldier was buried in the town's cemetery, but even in death, he found no peace. Legend has it that until this day, a howling creature wanders around the stone crucifix on the hill of Bettembourg. The creature, so it is said, is in fact the werewolf that haunted the town for so long. Some people claim to have heard the chilling howls around the Parc Merveuilleux in Bettembourg. So beware next time you walk around those corners again...

© RTL

Are you interested in knowing more about Luxembourg's myths and legends?

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