Demons, Dybbuks , and a Water Medium: Possession in Early Twentieth-Century Warsaw
Polin : December 31, 2025 Samuel Glauber
This chapter examines a public spectacle that occurred in Warsaw in early 1914 regarding a case of demonic possession. For close to two months, Warsaw’s Jewish residents were spellbound by demons, dybbuks, and mediums. A careful reading of newspaper coverage of the events reveals how the city’s Jews considered possession a real, albeit contested, possibility. Particular attention is given to...