During outings in the vicinity of Poznań, it is worth stopping, if only briefly, in the places which – as legend has it – are haunted.

During outings in the vicinity of Poznań, it is worth stopping, if only briefly, in the places which – as legend has it – are haunted. And around Poznań there are quite a few such places.
”The most famous ghost of Wielkopolska” is, of course the White Lady of the Kórnik castle, situated some 25 kilometers south of Poznań. In the dining room of the castle hangs the portrait of Teofila z Działyńskich Szołdrskia-Potulicka. According to the legend the beautiful Teofila, known by all as the White Lady, comes down from the portrait at night and goes to the park where a horseman on a black horse awaits her. Together they wander through the park till dawn.
Such is the punishment set for Teofila Działyńska by the dark forces. Near the Kórnik castle there once stood a small hunter’s house. In its basement there are supposed to be buried treasures guarded by dark forces. Teofila ordered the house to be torn down and gave the bricks away to the nearby villagers. The evil spirits took their revenge, sentencing her to wander around the castle and park. The curse will be lifted when someone finds the treasure buried under the hunter’s cottage.
 
Photo 1 – Portrait of the White Lady at the Kórnik castle.
The Góreckie lake, situated in the hart of the Wielkopolska National Park, a dozen or so kilometers from the center of Poznań, also has its ghost. In the middle of this large lake there lye two islands. One of them, Zamkowa, has a legend connected to it about a ghost of a certain Górka, an owner of the surrounding lands from centuries past. According to the legend the Górka kept his wives prisoners on that very island. After he died, he was sent to hell and once a year he can “return” to earth. At that time his ghost wanders the island looking for the ruins of the castle to the ominous crowing of black crows.    
The neighboring island – Kopczysko, also has its legend. It says, that close to a thousand years ago a small church and village sat there. During a battle, the pagan people destroyed the church. The village was then said to be swallowed by the earth and the island was replaced by a lake. The older inhabitants claim that they can often hear the bells from the ruined church ring from under the water. 

Photo 2 – Góreckie Lake
A ghost of a sad woman held captive by her husband can be seen by the tower of the Szamotułchy castle, some 30 kilometers north-west of Poznań. This is a girl named Halszka, whose husband locked her in the tower. All of this took place in the mid XVI century. According to the legend the jealous husband had a iron mask put on her face. In the mask, she was only allowed to walk to church to mass. Documents say that the woman died insane. The legend has it that at night one can see a woman in penitential dress passing the tower. After she vanishes desperate woman’s sobs can be heard.

Photo 3 – Tower at Szamotułchy

Informtion from:www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~gmazurek/zpd/duchen.htm
And J. Sobczak „Across Wielkopolska...” and „Ghosts and phantoms of Wielkopolska”