what happenned to anna michel mother of anneliese michel
Quick Scoop: What Happened to Anna Michel, Mother of Anneliese Michel?
Anna Michel (often referred to as Anna Fürg Michel after her marriage) was the mother of Anneliese Michel, the German woman whose 1975–1976 exorcism case became one of the most controversial in modern history. Anna herself did not die in the same dramatic way as her daughter; instead, she survived the trial, continued to live, and later reflected publicly on the events without showing regret for what happened to Anneliese.
Who Was Anna Michel?
- Full name: Anna Fürg (later Anna Michel after marrying Josef Michel)
- Role: Mother of Anneliese Michel, who was born on 21 September 1952 in Leiblfing, Bavaria, West Germany.
- Context: Anna and her husband Josef believed their daughter was possessed and insisted on Catholic exorcisms rather than medical or psychiatric treatment for her increasingly disturbing behavior.
The Death of Anneliese and the Charges
On 1 July 1976 , Anneliese Michel died at home in Klingenberg am Main at the age of 23. The autopsy concluded that the cause of death was:
- Severe malnutrition
- Severe dehydration
- Resulting from a long period of semi-starvation while exorcism rites were being performed.
During the preceding ten months (September 1975–July 1976), Anneliese underwent 67 exorcism sessions , each lasting about four hours, recorded on tape.
In 1976, German authorities charged:
- Josef Michel (father)
- Anna Michel (mother)
- Two priests: Ernst Alt and Arnold Renz
with negligent homicide for allowing Anneliese to starve while refusing adequate medical care.
The Trial and Anna Michel’s Outcome
The trial, held in 1978, became one of the most heavily reported court cases in post-war Germany. The court found:
- All four adults (both parents and both priests) guilty of negligent homicide
- Sentenced to six months in prison , suspended
- Given three years’ probation.
There is no record of Anna Michel being imprisoned; she remained free under probation and continued to live her life. In later interviews, she and her husband expressed that they believed they had acted according to what they thought God commanded them.
Anna Michel’s Later Years and Public Statements
After the trial:
- Anna and Josef Michel did not express regret for what happened to Anneliese.
- In a 2005 interview, they stated:
“God told us to exorcise my daughter’s demons. I don’t regret her death.”
This statement reflects their unwavering belief that Anneliese was truly possessed and that the exorcisms were spiritually necessary, even if they tragically contributed to her physical decline.
Why This Case Still Matters
The Anna/Anneliese Michel case:
- Is frequently cited in debates about religion vs. mental health
- Inspired books, documentaries, and films (including the movie The Exorcism of Emily Rose , which was loosely based on the case).
- Continues to be discussed in forums and true-crime communities as one of the most extreme examples of how religious belief can interact with—and sometimes override—medical care.
Summary
- Anna Michel was the mother of Anneliese Michel, the woman who died in 1976 after a series of exorcisms.
- Anna was convicted of negligent homicide but received a suspended sentence and probation, never serving prison time.
- She and her husband maintained that they acted on divine instruction and did not regret their daughter’s death.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.