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New Straits Times
a day ago
- General
- New Straits Times
Serbian village stakes claim to the first vampire
AT the back of an overgrown cemetery in a tiny Serbian village, a mysterious 300-year-old headstone marks the grave of the first recorded vampire. Pushing through thick scrub, local historian Nenad Mihajlovic pulls back branches to reveal the gravesite. According to locals, it is the long-lost burial site of Petar Blagojevic, known as the father of vampires. Backed by historical record, Mihajlovic and his fellow villagers hope Kisiljevo, about 100 kilometres east of the capital, Belgrade, can stake its claim as the cradle of vampires and suck in tourists. It was here, in the summer of 1725, well before Irish writer Bram Stoker made Transylvania Dracula's infamous home, that villagers exhumed Blagojevic's body, suspecting him of rising from the grave at night to kill locals. "Petar Blagojevic was found completely intact," recalled Mirko Bogicevic, a former village mayor whose family has lived there for 11 generations. "When they drove a hawthorn stake through him, fresh red blood flowed from his mouth and ears," said Bogicevic, Blagojevic's unofficial biographer. "He was probably just an ordinary man who had the fortune – or misfortune – to become a vampire. All we know is that he came from Kisiljevo, and his name appears in records from around 1700," he added, holding a copy of the Wienerisches Diarium, the imperial Viennese gazette dated July 21, 1725. The article marks the beginning of the Kisiljevo vampire. Based on accounts from Austrian doctors and military officials, it was likely a mistranslation that gave rise to the myth, said Clemens Ruthner, head of the Centre for European Studies at Trinity College Dublin. "There's an old Bulgarian word, Upior, meaning 'bad person'. I believe the villagers mumbled it, and the doctors misunderstood, writing down 'vampire' in their report," Ruthner said. The Austrians, who were dispatched to the border region of the Habsburg Empire to investigate a series of unexplained deaths, then saw blood coming from the body. "They assumed blood drinking. But that's wrong – it's not what the villagers said." Instead, people described victims dying from suffocation, detailing symptoms that closely match with a high fever caused by a serious infection, according to Ruthner. He suggested an anthrax outbreak may explain the strange deaths. "Vampirism, like witchcraft, is, in anthropological terms, a common model for explaining things people don't understand – especially collective events like epidemics." Three centuries later, few have visited Kisiljevo, a sleepy village nestled between cornfields and a lake, but some locals are determined to change that. Lost through time and superstition, Blagojevic's grave was rediscovered using a suitably arcane method, hunting for "energy nodes" with a dowsing rod. "This tomb, whose gravestone has weathered over the centuries, showed signs of something very unusual," Mihajlovic added, gesturing to the stone believed to mark the alleged burial plot. "Right next to where we are standing, something truly strange happened – the dowsing rods literally plunged into the soil. The dowser had never seen anything like it." But the alleged bloodsucker is no longer there – once dug up, his body was burned, and his ashes scattered in a nearby lake. Beyond the demonic undead, promoting other folklore has a "huge potential" to lure tourists and investors to the region, Dajana Stojanovic, head of the local tourism office, said. "Our region is rich in myths and legends – not just the story of Petar Blagojevic, but also Vlach magic and unique local customs," she added, referring to the semi-nomadic traders and shepherds who once roamed the Balkans. "Every village has its traditions." However, for Mihajlovic, it is about presenting an accurate history of his town – one he firmly believes in. "We have a fully documented account of an extremely unusual event - one officially identified as a case of vampirism," the 68-year-old history professor said. "I personally believe in the authenticity of that report." He isn't alone. Bottles of rakija – Serbian brandy – infused with garlic and chilli are still kept in a few homes around the village. Just in case.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Village where vampire panic began revives old story claiming truth about world's first vampire
In a secluded cemetery in the Serbian village of Kisiljevo, a weathered headstone hidden beneath overgrowth has become the centre of renewed fascination. Local historians believe the stone marks the grave of Petar Blagojevic, whose name appears in 18th-century documents as the subject of one of the earliest recorded cases of vampirism. The site, rediscovered using traditional dowsing rods, is now sparking interest among locals and folklorists alike, three centuries after the initial incident, according to a report by AFP. Origins of the Vampire Myth in Kisiljevo As per archival records dating back to July 21, 1725, villagers exhumed Blagojevic's body after a series of sudden and unexplained deaths . The event, documented in the Wienerisches Diarium, noted that the deceased appeared unnaturally preserved. Accounts claimed that blood was seen oozing from his mouth and ears, which, combined with local suspicions, led to the belief that he had returned from the dead to prey on villagers. To end what they believed was a string of supernatural killings, residents reportedly drove a hawthorn stake through his chest, burned the body, and scattered the ashes in a nearby lake. AFP reported Mirko Bogicevic, a former mayor and self-declared chronicler of the village's history, explained that the story has been passed down for generations, further embedding Blagojevic into local folklore. While he acknowledged Blagojevic might have been a regular man, he emphasized that the records clearly tie him to Kisiljevo and date back to around 1700. Academic Views and Medical Theories The vampire myth may have stemmed from a simple misunderstanding, says Clemens Ruthner of Trinity College Dublin. He attributes the story's origins to a miscommunication between villagers and Austrian officials sent to investigate the deaths. Ruthner noted that a mistranslation of the Bulgarian word 'upior,' meaning "evil person," might have led to it being interpreted as 'vampire.' He suggested the real cause of the deaths might have been anthrax, a serious infection known to cause symptoms like suffocation and fever. Such outbreaks, he explained, were often attributed to supernatural forces in pre-modern societies lacking medical knowledge. From Myth to Tourism Opportunity Despite doubts from the academic community, local historian Nenad Mihajlovic insists on the authenticity of the written accounts and believes the grave's discovery adds weight to Kisiljevo's claim as the birthplace of the vampire legend. He described the dowsing rods dramatically plunging into the earth during their search — an event he and others found unusually compelling. The region is now hoping to capitalise on the tale to attract visitors. Dajana Stojanovic, who heads the local tourism board, sees potential in blending myth with cultural heritage. She pointed to other local traditions, including folklore involving Vlach magic and ancient customs, as valuable elements to promote. Vampire Lore Through the Ages The Kisiljevo case predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by over 150 years and is considered by some to be the earliest documented case of vampirism. While vampire fiction has romanticised the undead, early legends were rooted in fear and efforts to explain unknown illnesses. In Slavic regions especially, vampire stories evolved as communities grappled with disease and death without scientific explanations. Historically, conditions such as tuberculosis and porphyria were misunderstood and contributed to vampire myths. In later centuries, similar panics occurred in New England, where families performed rituals on the dead to halt disease, a phenomenon now linked to tuberculosis outbreaks. Today, Kisiljevo is a quiet farming village surrounded by cornfields and lakes, but its link to one of the earliest vampire stories is gaining renewed attention. Some households even continue to keep bottles of garlic-and-chilli-infused rakija — just in case the legends have any truth. For Mihajlovic and others, it's not just about folklore or tourism. It's about preserving a documented chapter of their village's past — one that, centuries later, still stirs curiosity and wonder.
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
'It's just bad food. Meat is completely different. Dairy too. I miss the butter': the reality of life as a J1 student in Trump's America
Homesickness and American food appear to be bigger worries than the dread of being deported over social media posts It was a nervous wait for Jessica Weld. As she shuffled forward in the queue at US border control, the Trinity College Dublin student's mind was racing. She had seen the reports about students' visas being revoked. About immigration officials demanding new arrivals hand over their phones so their social media accounts could be scanned for suspect posts. About intense questioning on political opinions.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Pioneering project releases more lost Irish records spanning 700 years
Seven centuries of lost historical records covering espionage, political corruption and the lives of ordinary people in Ireland have been recovered and are being released. A pioneering project to fill gaps in Irish history is making 175,000 more records and millions more words of searchable content freely available to researchers and members of the public. The Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland, a global academic collaboration led by Trinity College Dublin, deployed historians, computer scientists and other specialists to digitally recreate parts of a vast archive destroyed in Ireland's civil war. The project launched in 2022 on the centenary of the burning of the Public Record Office in Dublin in a five-day battle that began on 28 June 1922. It is now marking the 103rd anniversary of the calamity by adding freshly recovered material that takes in the Anglo-Norman conquest and the 1798 rebellion and a genealogical trove from 19th-century censuses. 'It's a very significant scale of data,' said Peter Crooks, a Trinity historian and academic director of the project. HISTORY HUB If you are interested in this article then no doubt you will enjoy exploring the various history collections and content in our history hub. Check it out HERE and happy reading 'It's an enormous stretch of time from the 13th century up to the 19th century. The scale of what can be brought in, in terms of reconstruction, continues to amaze me.' Once the envy of scholars around the world, the six-storey Public Record Office at the Four Courts by the River Liffey contained priceless troves dating from medieval times. It was obliterated as troops of the fledgling Irish State battled former comrades hunkered in the building. It was long assumed that all was lost but the project enlisted 75 archives and libraries in Ireland, the UK and around the world to source transcripts and duplicates of documents, many of which had lain, forgotten, in storage. The latest troves to be catalogued and digitised bring the total to 350,000 records and 250m words of searchable Irish history. Culture minister Patrick O'Donovan said international collaboration underpinned the 'riches' that had been rediscovered. 'It offers an invaluable historical resource for people of all ages and traditions across the island of Ireland and abroad, and democratises access so that our shared history is more accessible and engaging for everyone.' The project has fused old-fashioned academic investigation, artificial intelligence and support and expertise from institutions that contain Irish records, notably the National Archives of Ireland, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the UK National Archives at Kew and the Irish Manuscripts Commission. 'The circle of collaborators has widened and deepened,' said Mr Crooks. The latest material includes 60,000 names from the lost censuses, creating a data hoard for genealogists and Irish diaspora descendants, among others, to trace family lineage, says Ciarán Wallace, a Trinity historian and co-director of the project. 'This is only a fragment of what's missing but 60,000 is a huge improvement on a blank slate.' The project's 'age of conquest' portal contains parchments in Latin and 5m words of Anglo-Norman Irish history, spanning 1170 to 1500, that have been translated into English. Uploaded State papers, spanning 1660 to 1720, comprise 10m words, including extensive intelligence reports from the Tudor era when English monarchs tightened their grip on England's first colony. A diary that ended up at the US Library of Congress is now accessible and sheds light on dodgy deals that led to the abolition of the Irish parliament in 1800 and Ireland's incorporation into the UK. 'You find out about some of those underhanded dealings,' said Joel Herman, a research fellow who works on the project. 'One member of parliament said he can't vote for it because of the corrupt methods that have been used to win votes.' Along with the new material, a search tool called the Knowledge Graph Explorer is being introduced that can identify people, places and the links between them. The Guardian
France 24
3 days ago
- France 24
Serbian village stakes claim to the first vampire
Pushing through thick scrub, local historian Nenad Mihajlovic pulls back branches to reveal the gravesite. According to locals, it is the long-lost burial site of Petar Blagojevic, known as the father of vampires. Backed by historical record, Mihajlovic and his fellow villagers hope Kisiljevo, about 100 kilometres east of the capital, Belgrade, can stake its claim as the cradle of vampires and suck in tourists. It was here, in the summer of 1725, well before Irish writer Bram Stoker made Transylvania Dracula's infamous home, that villagers exhumed Blagojevic's body, suspecting him of rising from the grave at night to kill locals. "Petar Blagojevic was found completely intact," recalled Mirko Bogicevic, a former village mayor whose family has lived there for 11 generations. "When they drove a hawthorn stake through him, fresh red blood flowed from his mouth and ears," said Bogicevic, Blagojevic's unofficial biographer. "He was probably just an ordinary man who had the fortune -- or misfortune -- to become a vampire. All we know is that he came from Kisiljevo, and his name appears in records from around 1700," he added, holding a copy of the Wienerisches Diarium, the imperial Viennese gazette dated July 21, 1725. The article marks the beginning of the Kisiljevo vampire. Drinking blood Based on accounts from Austrian doctors and military officials, it was likely a mistranslation that gave rise to the myth, said Clemens Ruthner, head of the Centre for European Studies at Trinity College Dublin. "There's an old Bulgarian word, Upior, meaning 'bad person'. I believe the villagers mumbled it, and the doctors misunderstood, writing down 'vampire' in their report," Ruthner said. The Austrians, who were dispatched to the border region of the Habsburg Empire to investigate a series of unexplained deaths, then saw blood coming from the body. "They assumed blood drinking. But that's wrong -- it's not what the villagers said." Instead, people described victims dying from suffocation, detailing symptoms that closely match with a high fever caused by a serious infection, according to Ruthner. He suggested an anthrax outbreak may explain the strange deaths. "Vampirism, like witchcraft, is, in anthropological terms, a common model for explaining things people don't understand -- especially collective events like epidemics." Three centuries later, few have visited Kisiljevo, a sleepy village nestled between cornfields and a lake, but some locals are determined to change that. Lost through time and superstition, Blagojevic's grave was rediscovered using a suitably arcane method, hunting for "energy nodes" with a dowsing rod. "This tomb, whose gravestone has weathered over the centuries, showed signs of something very unusual," Mihajlovic added, gesturing to the stone believed to mark the alleged burial plot. "Right next to where we are standing, something truly strange happened -- the dowsing rods literally plunged into the soil. The dowser had never seen anything like it." But the alleged bloodsucker is no longer there -- once dug up, his body was burned, and his ashes scattered in a nearby lake. Reviving the legend Beyond the demonic undead, promoting other folklore has a "huge potential" to lure tourists and investors to the region, Dajana Stojanovic, head of the local tourism office, said. "Our region is rich in myths and legends -- not just the story of Petar Blagojevic, but also Vlach magic and unique local customs," she added, referring to the semi-nomadic traders and shepherds who once roamed the Balkans. "Every village has its traditions." However, for Mihajlovic, it is about presenting an accurate history of his town -- one he firmly believes in. "We have a fully documented account of an extremely unusual event — one officially identified as a case of vampirism," the 68-year-old history professor said. "I personally believe in the authenticity of that report." He isn't alone. Bottles of rakija -- Serbian brandy -- infused with garlic and chilli are still kept in a few homes around the village. Just in case. © 2025 AFP
