The Possession of Gottliebin Dittus
A German woman's possession case led to a two-year spiritual battle that transformed Protestant understanding of demonic warfare.
The Possession of Gottliebin Dittus
The case of Gottliebin Dittus, which occurred in the small German village of Möttlingen between 1842 and 1843, became one of the most influential possession cases in Protestant Christianity. The exorcism performed by Pastor Johann Christoph Blumhardt lasted nearly two years and fundamentally changed his understanding of spiritual warfare.
The Afflicted Woman
Gottliebin Dittus was a young woman in Blumhardt’s congregation who began experiencing strange phenomena in her home. Objects moved on their own, knocking sounds echoed through the walls, and she began having seizures and trances.
The phenomena escalated. Gottliebin spoke in voices not her own, exhibited superhuman strength, and demonstrated knowledge she could not have possessed. Blood would sometimes appear on walls or furniture with no apparent source.
Blumhardt’s Intervention
Pastor Blumhardt, initially skeptical of demonic explanations, became convinced after witnessing the phenomena firsthand. He began a systematic campaign of prayer and Scripture reading that would last for months.
The battle was grueling. Blumhardt visited Gottliebin almost daily, praying over her and commanding the spirits to leave. The entities, speaking through Gottliebin, identified themselves by name and resisted fiercely. Some claimed to be the spirits of deceased humans; others admitted to being demons.
The Breakthrough
On December 28, 1843, after nearly two years of struggle, the possession reached its climax. According to Blumhardt’s account, a voice cried out from Gottliebin: “Jesus is Victor!” This cry marked the end of the possession.
Gottliebin recovered completely and lived a normal life afterward. The case became famous throughout Germany and influenced Protestant theology regarding spiritual warfare and healing.
Legacy
The Möttlingen case established several principles that would influence charismatic Christianity. Blumhardt’s patient, prolonged approach to spiritual warfare and his emphasis on Jesus’s victory became models for later practitioners.