Poltergeist in Turza Wielka, Działdowo district, Poland

The story of a family terrorised by a poltergeist exploded across the Polish media in early December 2017. While the case created a news frenzy in Poland, it seems to have been completely missed by the English language press.

The events had commenced in late November in the town of Turza Wielka, around 200km north of Warsaw. An excellent summary of the initial reports can be found at the Polish news portal codziennikmlawski.pl, whose editor-in-chief Jerzy Kącki generously allowed me to publish translations of two of his articles. The author of the articles and the photographer was journalist Szymon Wyrostek.

If the poltergeist literature gives us any clue, the family should be looking closer at their 12 year old daughter, Martyna.  In many of the reports I have investigated, the focus of the events is usually a young girl around Martyna’s age. I’m still investigating the case so expect further follow-ups on the blog.

The content, including photographs, remains the copyright of Szymon Wyrostek.

Item 1: 4 December, 2017.

Unknown force is attacking the family from Turza Wielka

The Pokropski family from Turza Wielka (Działdowo commune) ran away from their own flat in fear for their health and life. An unknown force tossed different object around their home. The force even attacked the local priest. For the past few days their story has been covered by the national Polish news media. Turza Wielka (not to mistakes with Turza Wielka located in Lipowiec Kościelny commune) is a small village town located in Działdowo district, Działdowo commune.

This unusual story has begun in the late evening of November 23rd this year. First, old batteries were falling off furniture and later on the force started tossing different objects across rooms. In their building, which used to be the Turza Wielka school back in the old days, lives three unrelated families. In the attic of the building the Pokropski family have been living for the past 15 years; Mrs Krystyna, her husband Kazimierz, son Irek, daughter Martyna and young twins Adam and Ewa.

Krystyna Pokropski, husband Kazimierz, daughter Martyna and twins Adam and Ewa.

“It must be a curse. In our flat spontaneously batteries, blocks, knives and padlocks are floating across the air. We are horrified.” says Mrs Krystyna.  “I ran away with my husband and the children in the middle of the night. Even the intervention from our parish priest did not help” she added. From November 24th the Pokropski family will live in Caritas, Działdowo. Unfortunately, they can stay there only until Monday (December 4th).

“Everything begun when we bought the sofa bed from our neighbors. Everything was okay on the first day and evening. However, the very next evening old batteries fell of the bookshelves by themselves. My husband put them back on the bookshelf and we went to bed. Then, knocking on the door and other noises woke us up” recalls Mrs Krystyna. According to the woman and her husband there was nobody behind the door when he got up to open them.

“When toys, blocks, coins and sharp tools such as knives or forks started flying around the flat we were terrified. This situation had a huge impact on us and our children, our 12-year-old daughter has not gone to school for a week now” the horrified woman continued. The family decided quickly to ask a local priest for help. Parish priest of the Rosary Mother of God in Turza Wielka, Miroslaw Culepa arrived at the scared family’s home to bless the flat.

Objects thrown in the house.

“First the parish priest conducted a mass in the church, then he came to our home and together we prayed for the peace and the goodwill within our family. However, at some point, when the priest sat on the sofa, a flying padlock hit him above his head causing his biretta [PC: a square cap with three flat projections on top, worn by Roman Catholic clergy] to fall off” explained the horrified Mrs Pokropska. Then, the priest ordered the family to leave the house. Harassed by unknown phenomena family went to the nearby town of Płowęż next to Jabłonowo to see the local exorcist.

“Three of us – me, my husband and our eldest son – went to see the exorcist” says Mrs Krystna. “However, it did not help with the situation. Objects were still flying around the house. They were even flying even when the television, newspaper and media news reporters were present at their house”.

Unfortunately, on the day of our visit in Turza Wielka, we could not meet with the parish priest. We managed, however, to meet with the local village administrator, Mr Marek Waskowiak.

“I have not seen it with my own eyes, but there is a sinister power in that flat” says the village administrator. “I believe in everything the occupants and the priest told me. There are really strange things going on there, that go beyond understanding of the majority of our villagers.”

The home where the Pokropski family lives used to be a school almost one hundred years ago. Before the family, according to local residents, there used to live an old German resident, Stern was his last name. Older villagers say that he gave out land to the parish for the church and graveyard, but strictly emphasised that people would be buried there free of charge. On the other hand, other villagers connect Pokropski family’s situation with murder of the German resident by Russian soldiers. Yet another group recalls a story from almost one year ago about a haunted little girl.

The Pokropski house on the right.

“There was a similar situation almost one year ago” says one of the village women from Turza Wielka, asking to stay anonymous. “Back then, one person was haunted, little girl, that used to live with her parents in old manor house. People used to say that she was playing with ‘summoning the spirits’ and it finally got her, and she got haunted” she added.

According to information obtained from Turza Wielka residents, the family took the girl and moved out from the district and does not live there anymore. Mrs Krystyna Pokropska and her husband Kazimierz remember this past incident clearly.

“We know the story, we also know that her parents visited the exorcist. We are now waiting for the exorcist from Torun, as our parish belongs to that diocese” explains Mrs Krystyna. “Now we are living here in the Caritas center, but today (December 2nd) me, my husband and our oldest son are going back home to burn some firewood and see what will happen.”

The commune administration is covering the Pokropski family expenses during their stay at the center.

“We received 900 PLN from the commune administration for the flat key money deposit. However, we must look for the flat around Działdowo by ourselves. It is not so simple, as few people want to take in family with small children” continues Mrs Krystyna.

The Pokropski family does not want to move out too far away from the Działdowo commune, since Mr Kazimierz works there.

“Best case scenario would be going back to our flat. There is a church in Turza, school and husband’s workplace is just around the corner. Everything should clear out soon as we are waiting for the exorcist and help from the local authorities” Krystyna Pokropska sums up.

Item 2: 8 December 2017.

Flying blocks, smashed glass and knives crossed on the toilet seat in Turza Wielka

Only two days of peace for the Pokropski family after their return to their home in Turza Wielka (Działdowo district). They had to run away from their own house some time ago, as sinister force forced them to do so. After returning and short moment of peace yet again blocks “flew”, dishes made of glass shattered, and on the toilet seat in the bathroom there were crossed two knives.

Danger – haunted lavatory. Do not use.

On Monday, December 4th, six-person family of Pokropski returned from the Caritas center in Działdowo to their own flat in Turza Wielka. After the supernatural powers events took place in their house, 12-year old daughter Martyna was taken to hospital.

For two days it was very peaceful, the family have not noticed any alarming supernatural phenomena. Unfortunately, it was just calm before the storm. At night from Thursday to Friday sinister powers have begun to show their presence yet again.

“I have no idea what to think about the situation myself. Yesterday (Thursday) around 8pm, Mrs Pokropska came to me and said that again strange things were happening at their house. Today I learned that they took the children and moved out again” says Marek Waśkowiak, local village administrator of Turza Wielka.

The desperate family does not know what to do, and its only hope is the upcoming exorcist visit.

“Yesterday (December 7th) it started all over again” recalls horrified Mrs Krystyna Pokropska. “First, few blocks fell over and then knives started floating in the air. Then, glass flew into the room with such power that it shattered into small glass pieces” she said as she described the events that took place in the flat.

However, the biggest chills given to Mrs. Krystyna and the whole Pokropski family were two knives crossed on the toilet seat in the bathroom. The occupants are more than sure that something wants to chase them away from their own home.

“This situation still affects us deeply. It has been two weeks since my daughter has been gone to school. Until today she’s on an excuse absence leave (Friday, December 8th). She’s been very nervous with this whole haunting situation” Mrs. Pokropska adds.

 

6 Replies to “Poltergeist in Turza Wielka, Działdowo district, Poland”

  1. “Danger- haunted lavatory. Do not use.”

    LOL! Epic. Thanks for posting this. Please keep us updated. Always interesting to read about a contemporary poltergeist case.

      1. I’ve always found it interesting how right around the time Maurice Grosse expressed interest in investigating one one showed up in his backyard. There often seems to be a response to a person’s intention.

    1. I contacted the Polish ‘Mystery Hunter’ guys about the case. Their primary issue was the people in the house wouldn’t let them come in and that made them suspicious. There might be a lot of good reasons why the family wouldn’t speak – perhaps by that stage they were tired of visitors and the media. Also there were issues with the neighbours. Hey – I have issues with my neighbours! I respect their opinion but it seems to me more rumour and opinion than fact.

  2. I’m intrigued by these Poltergeist accounts as I to have lived through some. Four years actually. My girlfriend and I experienced a lot of attacks and a lot of inexplicable wall-writings. I’m glad I found this page.

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