Socks with ghosts - an evening full of mysterious stories

The crystal heart and extraordinary mind of a princess
Socks with ghosts or maybe socks with monsters? You can bet on the whole collection, because there is no shortage of legends in Poland. Hot chocolate, warm socks and mysterious stories are a perfect set for autumn evening. We live in a country with a lot of monuments. It is estimated that there are over 400 castles in Poland! If we think about the fact that most of them have their own legends, there is nothing left to do but to learn more about them. One of today's heroes is Anna Wazowna, whose legend is connected with the Teutonic castle in Golub. Anna was a Swedish princess, the youngest daughter of Jan III Vasa and Katarzyna Jagiellonka. She had a very good relationship with her older brother Sigismund, who later became king of Poland. The ruler counted with her younger sister's opinion and appreciated her knowledge and skills. She spoke five languages: Swedish, Polish, French, Italian and German. Vasa supported scientists and artists. She financially supported Simon Syrenius, who dedicated the first Polish herbarium to the princess. After numerous travels between Poland and Sweden, Anna settled down at the castle in Golub, which became her beloved residence. The woman was regarded by the local inhabitants as a very righteous, kind and well-educated ruler. She cared for her subjects, and during her reign the castle in Golub experienced a remarkable boom. Among other things, a botanical garden and a pharmacy were established in the area. After Anna's death there was a great deal of mourning. Due to the fact that the princess was of Lutheran faith, her burial in Golub was forbidden and her body rested in the castle in Brodnica. After years her body was moved to Torun. Legend has it that Anna still visits the castle in Golub-Dobrzyń. However, it is not a frightening ghost, but a kindly spirit. It is an exceptional White Lady who appears at the castle in the mist during all the most important ceremonies. In everyday life, Vasa's presence is betrayed by the sound of closing doors or creaking boards. Some believe that it is possible to hear Anna's words, but this honour is granted only to a person with a crystal-clear heart.
Consequences of infidelity
One of the most mysterious castles in Poland is Czocha castle, located in Lower Silesia. Legends say that in this place you can meet not only the White Lady, but also many other ghosts, not all of which relate to humans with equal sympathy. Traditionally, we will begin with the representative of the honorable group of White Ladies. For Gertrude, however, her posthumous journey was a punishment for sins committed during her lifetime. It all began during the Hussite Wars. The woman had a cruel quarrel with her brother and as revenge she brought the Hussites to the castle. The fortress was recaptured and the traitor was sentenced to death. Some believe that it was her brother who cursed Gertrude on her deathbed and that she will never rest until someone releases her from the curse. Others insist that even the devil did not admit the woman to hell, and thus she is doomed to eternal wandering on earth. The ghost is seen in the castle on the anniversary of Gertruda's brother's death. The White Lady is then standing over the treasure (symbolizing the gold she got from the Hussites), and a huge black dog is next to her. Over the years, attempts were made to wrest the charm from Gertruda, but these were either accompanied by supernatural events that the daredevils were later afraid to even mention, or the volunteers cared more about the treasure than saving their souls. Little noble intentions have never yet led to success at Czocha Castle. Another legend is connected with even more brutal events. On the castle grounds there is a deep well, from which voices are sometimes heard. One time it is a quiet cry, and at other times a plea for help. Legend has it that one of the rulers of the castle returned to his estate after a period of war. The man's absence lasted about a year. The longing ruler went to the chambers of his wife, but found her in quite an unexpected state. The woman was pregnant. The agitated husband took his wife to a well. It is said that the woman died on the spot, and the man, crazed with despair, left the castle the same night. The mirror situation took place twenty years after the events quoted above. This time, death in the well became the punishment for betraying a servant. The most popular story about the Well of Unfaithful Wives concerns Joachim von Nostitz and Ulrika. The couple was considered to be an extremely in love and compatible couple, but everything changed when war broke out. Joachim went to the front and when he returned after long months of absence, he found his wife pregnant. He waited until she gave birth, and when she did, he pushed her into a well and had the infant walled up in a fireplace. Since then, many people have claimed that the baby's sobs can be heard in one of the rooms, while the mother's lamentation comes from the well. Reading about the history of Czocha castle you can come across many more incredible legends. It is certainly a place with an aura of mystery and mysterious past.