Dr. Alexander S. Burns
@kabinettskriege.bsky.social
Historian of the eighteenth-century Atlantic World, American Continental Army, and Military Europe. PhD WVU.
The nature of Eastern European borderlands, the biological realities of decomposition, peasant folk beliefs, and concerns about remarriage after the death of a partner combined to create the vampire legends of the 18th and 19th centuries.
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October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The nature of Eastern European borderlands, the biological realities of decomposition, peasant folk beliefs, and concerns about remarriage after the death of a partner combined to create the vampire legends of the 18th and 19th centuries.
25/25
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He also continued a relationship with his wife, and collected unpaid debts by threat of force. As a result, his corpse was posthumously beheaded and burned in public.
While not being called a vampire, Kasparek was a man comfortable on both sides of a border. 24/25
While not being called a vampire, Kasparek was a man comfortable on both sides of a border. 24/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
He also continued a relationship with his wife, and collected unpaid debts by threat of force. As a result, his corpse was posthumously beheaded and burned in public.
While not being called a vampire, Kasparek was a man comfortable on both sides of a border. 24/25
While not being called a vampire, Kasparek was a man comfortable on both sides of a border. 24/25
For Bohn, the story of Polish/Hungarian horseman, Michał Kasperek (Mihály Kaszperek) is this missing link. In the Polish/Hungarian border region of Spiš, in 1718, a Polish wine merchant died unexpectedly, but returned to life, haunting and biting his servants. 23/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
For Bohn, the story of Polish/Hungarian horseman, Michał Kasperek (Mihály Kaszperek) is this missing link. In the Polish/Hungarian border region of Spiš, in 1718, a Polish wine merchant died unexpectedly, but returned to life, haunting and biting his servants. 23/25
Stories of vampires would be harder to crack down on. European rulers struggled with these questions stretching into the 19th century.
Thomas Bohn argued that there is a "missing link" between the medieval and early modern belief in revenants, and the 18th century vampires. 22/25
Thomas Bohn argued that there is a "missing link" between the medieval and early modern belief in revenants, and the 18th century vampires. 22/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Stories of vampires would be harder to crack down on. European rulers struggled with these questions stretching into the 19th century.
Thomas Bohn argued that there is a "missing link" between the medieval and early modern belief in revenants, and the 18th century vampires. 22/25
Thomas Bohn argued that there is a "missing link" between the medieval and early modern belief in revenants, and the 18th century vampires. 22/25
Maria Theresa responded by ordering that exhumations cease, except where ordered by secular, rather than church, authorities. The scourge of vampirism seemed to dissipate as a result.
The vampiric threat haunted the Austrian frontiers, as folktales clashed with the state. 21/25
The vampiric threat haunted the Austrian frontiers, as folktales clashed with the state. 21/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Maria Theresa responded by ordering that exhumations cease, except where ordered by secular, rather than church, authorities. The scourge of vampirism seemed to dissipate as a result.
The vampiric threat haunted the Austrian frontiers, as folktales clashed with the state. 21/25
The vampiric threat haunted the Austrian frontiers, as folktales clashed with the state. 21/25
Van Swieten, who would inspire Bram Stoker's van Helsing, quickly got the heart of the matter. There was no reason to expect quick decay of a corpse, especially in buried in winter ground. The physical condition of supposed vampiric corpses seemed to be a natural process. 20/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Van Swieten, who would inspire Bram Stoker's van Helsing, quickly got the heart of the matter. There was no reason to expect quick decay of a corpse, especially in buried in winter ground. The physical condition of supposed vampiric corpses seemed to be a natural process. 20/25
The local church authorities in Olmütz granted permission for staking. Maria Theresa, scandalized, ordered her personal physician (and medical military reformer) Gerard van Swieten, to investigate the case. 19/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The local church authorities in Olmütz granted permission for staking. Maria Theresa, scandalized, ordered her personal physician (and medical military reformer) Gerard van Swieten, to investigate the case. 19/25
For twenty years, the vampire question produced a huge number of books in German speaking lands and across Europe. Then, in 1754, a miracle healer named Rosalia Polakin died in Hermersdorf in Moravia, and vampire accusations began. 18/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
For twenty years, the vampire question produced a huge number of books in German speaking lands and across Europe. Then, in 1754, a miracle healer named Rosalia Polakin died in Hermersdorf in Moravia, and vampire accusations began. 18/25
The villagers concluded that Arnold Paole must have been feeding on local cattle, which were then consumed by the new victims, transmitting vampirism to them. While doubtless pleasing the local villagers, the commission's conclusions annoyed Austrian army reformers. 17/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The villagers concluded that Arnold Paole must have been feeding on local cattle, which were then consumed by the new victims, transmitting vampirism to them. While doubtless pleasing the local villagers, the commission's conclusions annoyed Austrian army reformers. 17/25
These military men concluded that a number of the villagers who had died were indeed in "vampiric condition," (Vampyrenstand) and ordered that those in such condition were to be executed via stakes, burned, and ashes scattered over water. 16/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
These military men concluded that a number of the villagers who had died were indeed in "vampiric condition," (Vampyrenstand) and ordered that those in such condition were to be executed via stakes, burned, and ashes scattered over water. 16/25
Glaser reported these findings to Botta d'Adorno, the vice-commandant in Belgrade, who organized a secondary commission, consisting of five army officers: a Lt. Colonel, Ensign, and three military surgeons. 15/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Glaser reported these findings to Botta d'Adorno, the vice-commandant in Belgrade, who organized a secondary commission, consisting of five army officers: a Lt. Colonel, Ensign, and three military surgeons. 15/25
The villagers would not budge and demanded that the vampires be exhumed and executed. Consenting to an exhumation, Glaser discovered that those who died earliest were in a perfect state of preservation, while those who died later had partially decomposed. 14/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The villagers would not budge and demanded that the vampires be exhumed and executed. Consenting to an exhumation, Glaser discovered that those who died earliest were in a perfect state of preservation, while those who died later had partially decomposed. 14/25
According to the villagers, in the Turkish lands, "Vampires were everywhere, in great strength." Glaser began to investigate the deaths and concluded that the deaths were a result of malnutrition and extreme Eastern Orthodox fasting. 13/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
According to the villagers, in the Turkish lands, "Vampires were everywhere, in great strength." Glaser began to investigate the deaths and concluded that the deaths were a result of malnutrition and extreme Eastern Orthodox fasting. 13/25
Lt. Schnezzer sent a military doctor, Imperial-Contagions-Medicus Glaser, who ignored the vampiric assertions of the villagers. According to the villagers, both of the young women who had initially died were infected during their time on the Turkish side of the border. 12/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Lt. Schnezzer sent a military doctor, Imperial-Contagions-Medicus Glaser, who ignored the vampiric assertions of the villagers. According to the villagers, both of the young women who had initially died were infected during their time on the Turkish side of the border. 12/25
The matter was considered closed, until around 6 years later, villagers in Medveđa once again began to die under mysterious circumstances. 13 villagers died after brief illnesses, and their deaths were reported to Lt. Colonel Schnezzer, the local Austrian army officer. 11/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The matter was considered closed, until around 6 years later, villagers in Medveđa once again began to die under mysterious circumstances. 13 villagers died after brief illnesses, and their deaths were reported to Lt. Colonel Schnezzer, the local Austrian army officer. 11/25
Without involving the Austrian government, the local hajduk officer in the village of Medveđa, Gorshiz Hadnack, exhumed, staked, and burned Pavle. For a time, the vampire threat receded.
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10/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Without involving the Austrian government, the local hajduk officer in the village of Medveđa, Gorshiz Hadnack, exhumed, staked, and burned Pavle. For a time, the vampire threat receded.
10/25
10/25
Also in 1725, about 200 km to the south, a Serbian militiaman or "hajdú" (hajduk) nicknamed "Arnaut Pavle" (Paul the Albanian), fell off of a haycart and broke his neck. For forty days Pavle, who claimed to have been attacked by a vampire, haunted his village, killing 4. 9/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Also in 1725, about 200 km to the south, a Serbian militiaman or "hajdú" (hajduk) nicknamed "Arnaut Pavle" (Paul the Albanian), fell off of a haycart and broke his neck. For forty days Pavle, who claimed to have been attacked by a vampire, haunted his village, killing 4. 9/25
Blagojević was staked and burned, and Frombald reported the following to Vienna: viewed the freshly exhumed body of [Petar Blagojevich] Not without astonishment, I saw some fresh blood in his mouth, which, according to local belief, he had sucked from the people he had killed." 8/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Blagojević was staked and burned, and Frombald reported the following to Vienna: viewed the freshly exhumed body of [Petar Blagojevich] Not without astonishment, I saw some fresh blood in his mouth, which, according to local belief, he had sucked from the people he had killed." 8/25
The villagers assured Frombald that this was standard procedure: and had occurred before when the Turks still ruled the area. Upon exhuming the body, they found no signs of decomposition, and fresh blood, the villagers supposed, from his victims, flowing from his mouth. 7/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
The villagers assured Frombald that this was standard procedure: and had occurred before when the Turks still ruled the area. Upon exhuming the body, they found no signs of decomposition, and fresh blood, the villagers supposed, from his victims, flowing from his mouth. 7/25
Even Blagojević's widow reported that the dead man had come to her in the night, demanding his shoes. The villagers demanded their new Austrian governmental official: Kameralprovisor Ernst Frombald, along with the local priest, attend Blagojević's exhumation. 6/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Even Blagojević's widow reported that the dead man had come to her in the night, demanding his shoes. The villagers demanded their new Austrian governmental official: Kameralprovisor Ernst Frombald, along with the local priest, attend Blagojević's exhumation. 6/25
Petar Blagojević, a Serbian peasant who lived in the village of Kisiljevo near the military border, died in early 1725. Then, 3 months later, 9 deaths rocked his village in the course of two days. The dying villagers claimed that Blagojević had attacked them in the night! 5/25
October 30, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Petar Blagojević, a Serbian peasant who lived in the village of Kisiljevo near the military border, died in early 1725. Then, 3 months later, 9 deaths rocked his village in the course of two days. The dying villagers claimed that Blagojević had attacked them in the night! 5/25