Annkatrin Marx
The Walsermännle from Straußberg – a legend from Bödmen and Riezlern
Culture
15.05.2026
Straußberg is located directly at the entrance to the Kleinwalsertal valley, above Riezlern. The Straußberghaus once stood there. This is also where the first records of the mysterious Walsermännle originate.
something's not right here the beginning of strange events
The dairy farmer who lived there said that when she went into the barn in the morning, she found that only half of the previous day's milk was left. At first, she thought she had miscounted after working long hours. But when the barn was soon ransacked, it became clear that something was amiss.
Visible to some and invisible to others The Walsermännle in Bödmen
The farmer's wife was not the only one who experienced such phenomena. A family in Bödmen was also haunted. One foster child in particular was tormented by the Walsermännle: it teased her, pulled her hair and took her toys away.
While the girl could see it clearly, it remained invisible to the others. But everyone could hear it: it whistled, knocked, hissed – and prevented anyone from sleeping peacefully. Sometimes it even started talking and spread rumours that sowed mistrust and strife among the people.
A haunting that remains Futile attempts
Many tried to drive away the Walsermännle. Chaplains and priests tried, but none were successful. It was only when the foster child returned to his biological parents after two years that the Walsermännle disappeared – and was never seen again.
To this day, the legend of the Walsermännle is still told. Whether it was a ghost, a goblin or an evil spirit, no one can say what the Walsermännle was, and we can only hope that it will never return.
On our blog, you will find stories that have been passed down through generations by the people of the valley – stories of mysterious figures, ancient customs and special places that will make your next hike in Kleinwalsertal even more exciting.
