In the sweltering heat of summer, during July of 1518, the city of Strasbourg was consumed by a plague…just not necessarily the kind you may be thinking of. After a lady named Frau Troffea began to spontaneously dance in the streets, this compulsion to move soon spread throughout the city, and before long hundreds of residents had been swept up by this ‘dancing mania’. Though it sounds idyllic in theory, the reality was very different, and the Strasbourg ‘dancing plague’ soon turned deadly. But what caused this mass display to take hold in the first place? In today’s episode, Chyaz explores the theories that have been presented over the centuries, and offers up a perspective of her own too…

Mental health resources UK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mind.org.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Source Shout Outs

BBC Article:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/culture/article/20220512-the-people-who-danced-themselves-to-death

Smithsonian Magazine Article:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-case-dancing-mania-struck-germany-six-centuries-ago-today-180959549/

Academic Paper on The Dancing Plague:

https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3366/drs.2017.0199#fn2

Public Domain Review Essay:

https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/the-dancing-plague-of-1518/

The Guardian Article:

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2018/jul/05/bizarre-dance-epidemic-of-summer-1518-strasbourg

Brittanica Article:

https://www.britannica.com/event/dancing-plague-of-1518

British Psychological Society Article:

https://www.bps.org.uk/psychologist/dancing-plagues-and-mass-hysteria

Nottingham University Article:

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/manuscriptsandspecialcollections/documents/exhibitions/plantsandprayers/5.-humoral-theory-the-basis-of-medical-thought-for-millenia.pdf

Healthline Website:

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/mass-hysteria#definition

History Extra Article:

https://www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/the-medieval-dance-of-death/

NLS Article:

https://www.nls.uk/collections/stories/scottish-history/how-martin-luther-sparked-the-reformation/

When Norwegian sisters Kari and May begin searching for an apartment in the Swedish locality of Gullspång, they end up opening a door that leads to more than they could have ever bargained for. After meeting the property’s seller, Olaug, the sisters accidentally make a discovery that changes the lives all involved forever. But is all quite what it seems? Thanks to documentary filmmaker Maria Fredriksson, this entire fascinating saga was caught on camera, but even years of footage couldn’t provide the answers to every question in this strange tale. Could the Gullspång Miracle case feature the most twists and turns ever covered on Things Are About To Get Weird?

Mental health resources UK: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.mind.org.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mental health resources Global: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://unitedgmh.org/support/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Where to find us!

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.instagram.com/ThingsGetWeirdPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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📧 Email: thingsgetweirdpodcast@gmail.com

Source Shout Outs

The Gullspång Miracle documentary:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001zhyk/storyville-the-gullspang-miracle-a-nordic-mystery

The Guardian Article:

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/article/2024/may/21/the-gullspang-miracle-review-a-staggering-film-about-love-faith-and-secret-sisters

Maria Fredriksson Interview:

https://moveablefest.com/maria-fredriksson-on-the-surprising-sister-act-of-the-gullspang-miracle/

Slant Magazine Article:

https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-gullspang-miracle-review/

Tyle Article:

https://www.tyla.com/entertainment/tv-and-film/the-gullspang-miracle-documentary-bbc-reviews-150689-20240521

Hollywood Reporter Article:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-gullspang-miracle-review-1235506797/