Walpurgisnacht, the evening of the 30th of April, is said to be one of the holiest days of witch’s calendar; the night before the feast of Saint Walpurga, who drove the witches out of Germany. Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, declared Walpurgisnacht one of the holiest days of the Satanic year. It was said that on this evening, covens of witches would gather on Brocken mountain in Northern Germany, to weave their nefarious evil. This class explores the folklore surrounding Walpurgisnacht and its representation in popular culture, including the poetry of Goethe, the music of Mendelssohn, the folk rock/folk metal sounds of Faun, and of course the films of Paul Naschy. How does all this fit together? Only the witches know and will reveal all on Walpurgisnacht 2021.
Please note these are live events – they cannot be downloaded and watched later, so please be sure you are available at the time and timezone the classes are being offered in before registering.
Mikel J Koven is Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Film Studies at the University of Worcester. He is the author of La Dolce Morte: Vernacular Cinema and the Italian Giallo Film (2006), Film, Folklore & Urban Legends (2008), and Blaxploitation Cinema (2010). He frequently publishes on topics about the relationship between folklore and horror cinema.
