Mysterious 'Wolf Man' Spotted by Hikers in Germany’s Harz Mountains

Hikers in Germany spotted an elusive “wolf man” lurking in the Harz Mountains, and managed to capture him in a photograph.

Gina Weiss and her companion, Tobi, were walking through woods near Blankenburg on Tuesday afternoon when the sighting occurred. “When we reached the sand caves we saw the wolf man. He stood up high on one of the caves and held a long wooden stick like a lance in his arm,” Weiss told German outlet Bild (via The Independent).

Their encounter with the “wolf man,” who’s estimated to be in his 40s, lasted around 10 minutes. No words were exchanged, despite some deep eye contact between the trio. “He wouldn’t take his eyes off us, [but] said nothing,” marveled Weiss. She described him as looking "like a Stone Age man from a history book.” Their picture shows the man sitting cross-legged on the sand. He's holding a long spear and appears to be covered in either dirt or hair.

Reports of a strange figure roaming the woods of Blankenburg have proliferated over the last five years. Hikers have reported seeing someone clad in a wolf costume, or the skin of a real wolf, running through the trees. In March, a frightened traveler called an emergency line pleading for help after spotting “a wolf man” skulking near them.

Emergency services searched the area at that time, but found only old fire sites and branch shelters. “Someone clearly knows how to live outside and adapt to the changing seasons,” Alexander Beck, head of Blankenburg’s fire department, told The Independent. Apparently, other members of the fire department have caught glimpses of the wolf man throughout the past few years.

Nearly one third of Germany is covered in dense forests, making it much easier to live off the grid. The country’s forestry has inspired a great deal of folklore and fairytales, most famously those by the Brothers Grimm.