The Witches of Winter (La Befana, Perchta, Frau Holle, and Gryla)
Release Date: 12/23/2020
Sophie's Voice
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
Built in 1990, the Harvey Public Library is sitting on a secret. But shh! What is it? Before the library was erected, the gruesome murder of Sophia Schmidt Eberlein took place on its grounds. Now her spirit haunts the library causing mischief and mayhem.
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The Lady in Glass
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
In Jamestown, New York lies a mysterious stone statue of a woman encased in glass...some say it's not only a statue, but her corpse lies within it. Who was she? Why is she trapped in a prison of glass? Her name was Grace Galloway but how she got there is not so easy to answer.
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Gilded Murder
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
Filled to the brim with scandal, murder, and historic characters ranging from Queen Victoria to Thomas Edison to Wyatt Earp, the history behind the Golden Gate Villa is nothing to scoff at. In 1907 Santa Cruz was served a salacious historic scandal resulting in a horrific tragedy...leaving the house rumored to be haunted in its wake.
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Blood & Wisteria: The Ghosts of Grumblethorpe
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
What does a persistent blood stain, wisteria, and freshly baked bread have in common? Located in the heart of Germantown in Philadelphia, Grumblethorpe, a historic home and garden, is haunted by ghosts and boasts an incredibly rich history.
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Nuns vs. Vampires
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
New Orleans has been known for its vampires for centuries...but how did these creatures of the night arrive in the New World? Did the Casket Girls bring them in the coffins they carried or were the Casket Girls simply casualties of history? Women, like many before them, who did not fit the mold of society, and therefore transformed into bloodthirsty nocturnal monsters? Tune in and find out!
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The Sallie House
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
You've heard of the Amityville Horror, but have you heard of the Sallie House? This small house located in Atchison Kansas is home to the ghost of a young girl who died on the operating table during emergency surgery. Her tormented spirit tortured the Pickman family for years. But who was Sallie? Did she even exist?
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The Scary Dairy: The Ghosts of Camarillo State Mental Hospital
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
Cows say "moo" and the ghosts go "boo!" The "Scary Dairy" and the greater Camarillo State Mental Hospital (currently California State University Channel Islands) is haunted by the tortured spirits of former patients and staff. But...is it really? What really happened there?
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Queer Ghosts: Remembering the Victims of the Upstairs Lounge Arson Attack
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
Before the Pulse Massacre in 2016, the UpStairs Lounge Arson Attack was deadliest known assault on a gay club in US history. Not only was this a horrific event, killing 32 individuals, the apathy and lack of response by the local community illustrates how far queer liberation has brought us and how much further we need to go.
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Death's a Drag
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
We're kicking off Pride Month by heading to the gayest town in the USA and investigating the flamboyant ghost of the Rose & Crown Guest House. However, this jolly ghost teaches us an important lesson about life and how to live it.
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3 O'Clock on a Thursday
Crimes and Witch-Demeanors
Just north of Appleton, New York lies a winery with a dark past: murderous Free Masons and more than 5 deaths that occurred at 3:00pm on a Thursday. But what is the truth? Let's take a deep dive into the archival record to find out if Marjim Manor serves up more than just good spirits.
info_outlineDid you know that many of the attributes Santa Claus actually come from a beloved winter witch? The giving gifts in a stocking if you’re good, leaving you a lump of coal if you’re bad, and the whole sliding down the chimney to do so schtick? Yeah, that’s all plucked straight from the mythology one of our winter witches. But be forewarned…not all of our witches are good: some are frightening cannibals or violent hags that embody the ruthless spirit of winter itself. But history suggests that these witches were not always haggard old crones or even witches at all, but instead were once beautiful goddesses. Today we’ll be looking at these winter witches, investigating their origins beyond superficial blog posts, and seeing how Christianity managed to turn divine goddesses into hook-nosed old crones who will rip our your organs.
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Episode Transcript: https://crimesandwitchdemeanors.com/2020/12/16/episode-007-the-witches-of-winter/
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