Russian history is rich mysterious personalities. Their life gave rise to rumors; popular rumor supplemented the images with unique features. After death, their names became surrounded by new myths and legends, excluding any hope of a solution.
False Dmitry I (?-1606)
The prerequisites for the appearance of False Dmitry I in Russia are associated with mysterious death under unclear circumstances, the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry. The impostor, who pretended to be the heir who miraculously escaped death, chose a good time: taking advantage of the unrest in the country, False Dmitry took possession of the Moscow throne for almost a year.
The most popular version of the origin of False Dmitry I, which is still supported by many historians, was put forward by the government of Boris Godunov. In correspondence with the Polish king Sigismund, Godunov identified the impostor with the fugitive monk of the Chudov Monastery, Grigory Otrepyev.
However, historian Nikolai Kostomarov suggested that False Dmitry could have come from Western Rus', being the son of a nobleman or boyar. Some researchers put forward the version that the impostor’s courage can be explained by sincere faith in his royal origin. He turned out to be a blind tool in the hands of the boyars, who, having overthrown Godunov, destroyed him.
Jacob Bruce (1669-1735)
One of the associates of Peter I, a native of a noble Scottish family, Jacob Bruce was very extraordinary personality. Statesman, diplomat, military man, scientist and engineer - he left behind a bright mark. But he also gained a reputation as a warlock, “the sorcerer from the Sukharev Tower” and the first Russian Freemason.
The creation of the magical image of Jacob Bruce was greatly facilitated by the Russian romantic literature. Candidate of Philological Sciences Irina Gracheva writes that “judging by some data, Yakov Vilimovich had a skeptical rather than a mystical mindset.”
Contemporaries noted that Bruce did not believe in anything supernatural. When Tsar Peter showed the relics of the holy saints to the Scotsman, he “attributed this to the climate, to the properties of the land in which they were previously buried, to the embalming of bodies and to abstinent life.”
Yakov Bruce should go down in the history of Russia primarily as a talented military engineer who was involved in improving artillery guns and a scientist who contributed to the development of Russian science.
Monk Abel (1757-1841)
No official documents about the life of monk Abel (in the world of Vasily Vasiliev) have survived. The only exception is the case of the Ministry of Justice Russian Empire 1796, in which a monk was accused of distributing a book of his prophecies.
Historians do not question the identity of Abel, but the authenticity of the prophecies attributed to him is not recognized by most of them. In particular, the Orthodox interpreter Nikolai Kaverin notes that many of Abel’s predictions were constantly updated, and this indicates the formation of the “heresy of Tsardom”, the main sin of which is the equation of Nicholas II and Christ.
Abel's prophecies, in the form in which they exist now, predict destinies with amazing accuracy Russian emperors from Paul I to Nicholas II. In addition, the prophecies predict the end of the monarchy in Russia, the civil war and two world wars, the appearance of aircraft and underwater vehicles, as well as the use of asphyxiating gases.
Princess Tarakanova (1745?-1775)
Princess Tarakanova is one of the most famous adventurers in Europe. According to Vice-Chancellor Alexander Golitsyn, “her resourceful soul is capable of great lies and deception.” She changed lovers, names, places of residence like gloves, each time inventing new story of its origin.
On Russian throne The princess claimed under the name of Elizaveta Vladimirskaya, posing as the daughter of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna and Alexei Razumovsky.
According to historians, the decision to impersonate a grand ducal person is largely connected with the sensational story in Europe of the impostor of Emelyan Pugachev.
Princess Tarakanova refused to recognize herself until the very end. an ordinary woman" According to one version, the impostor died of tuberculosis in the Peter and Paul Fortress, according to another, she died there during the flood of 1777.
Count Palen (1745-1826)
Count Peter Palen entered Russian history primarily not as an excellent officer who advanced highly in military service, but as a cunning diplomat and intriguer who played main role in the overthrow of Paul I.
For some, he is a hero who saved the Fatherland from a tyrant tsar, for others he is Judas, who betrayed the sovereign who trusted him infinitely. But for most historians, Palen is nothing more than a puppet in the hands of the Russian nobility, who wanted to quickly get rid of the unpopular courtier.
Some researchers are convinced that Masonic roots should be sought in the conspiracy against the Tsar organized by Palen. However, in Lately In the motives of Palen’s actions, they increasingly see an “English trace”: perhaps this is how British diplomacy, through the count, took revenge on Paul for his alliance with Napoleon and for colonial interests in India.
Alexander I (1777-1825)
The Emperorship of Alexander I can be called one of the most mysterious in history. national history: he scandalously ascended to the Russian throne and mysteriously left it. Publicly declaring his reluctance to reign, Alexander I was the Russian autocrat for a quarter of a century.
In 1825, when the health of the wife of Alexander I worsened, the imperial couple left for the south. After visiting Crimea, the tsar himself fell ill, which led to his sudden death. That's what the official version says.
But there are also legends, one of which says that the emperor did not die, but faked his death in order to retire from worldly affairs. According to the most common version, he went to Siberia, where, under the name of Elder Fyodor Kuzmich, he spent the rest of his days.
Of course, this version does not have documentary evidence. A story appeared in the Russian emigrant press that after the autopsy empty coffin Alexander I, in the presence of Alexander II, placed the body of a long-bearded old man there. However, the mystery of the victorious tsar could be clarified by genetic examination, which specialists from the Russian Center for Forensic Science do not exclude.
Grigory Rasputin (1869-1916)
The personality of Grigory Rasputin is shrouded in so many myths and legends that it is not easy to discern a real historical character in him. In revolutionary and Soviet propaganda, the image of the “old man” was so demonized that it acquired caricature features.
Many of the accusations brought against Rasputin - of sectarianism, debauchery, behind-the-scenes influence on politics - were never brought to completion due to the fact that they did not receive proper confirmation. For example, the alleged closeness of Rasputin to royal family was refuted by many courtiers.
In the 1990s, the time came for another extreme. Religious veneration of Grigory Rasputin gave rise to the idea of canonizing the “elder” as a holy martyr. Such an initiative was categorically rejected by Alexy II, drawing attention to the “dubious morality” of Rasputin, who cast a shadow on the August Family.
During the existence of mankind, there were many mysterious people who possessed supernatural abilities and capabilities. They left their mark on history, but not all were recognized in their era. Many of them were exiles.
This man could not only predict the future, but also project his thoughts to other people. He learned about his paranormal abilities at the age of 11. Messing had a very strict father, who beat him with rods more than once. The child could not stand it and ran away from home. He took the train and decided to go far from hometown. But since he didn’t have a ticket, little Wolf hid under the seat and fell asleep. There the conductor found him. He demanded a ticket from the boy. Then Messing handed him a piece of newspaper and really wanted the controller to believe that it was a ticket. He looked into the eyes of the inspector and thought only about his salvation. And a miracle happened - the controller punched a piece of paper and left the boy alone.
Thanks to his abilities, he met such famous people, like Einstein and Freud. Messing conducted joint experiments with the latter. Wolf could not only influence people’s consciousness, but also read their thoughts at a distance.
Narine – girl – “thorn”
For two years, an eighteen-year-old girl went to medical institutions with one problem. Thorns kept growing on her hand. Doctors removed them, but the thorns appeared again. The girl has already collected 140 spines and was very concerned about her future. In desperation, she turned to the Center for Plastic Reconstructive Surgery and Microsurgery (Yerevan). She underwent a series of examinations, as a result of which plant spores were discovered in her body.
Two years ago, Narine pricked herself with a cactus. Plant spores got into the wound and began to germinate in the girl’s weakened body. Only after the entire fistula was removed from Narine’s body did the tormenting thorns stop darkening the girl’s life.
This was not the only case. A Japanese man who was pricked by a cactus also began to grow spines on his body.
Daniel Smith - the most flexible person on the planet
This American is called the most gutta-percha man in the world. He set Guinness World Records five times.
He began twisting his body at the age of four. At that time, he did not see anything abnormal in his abilities. But later he realized that he had real talent. No one could repeat his tricks. At the age of 18 he began performing in the circus. Since that time, the “rubber man” became a real star and took part in many shows and television programs.
Daniel Smith can fit through the hole of a tennis racket or a toilet seat without any problem. He can even move his heart across his chest and tie incredible knots with his limbs. According to doctors, Smith has had such supernatural flexibility since birth. Through his efforts, he brought it to its maximum level.
Samvel Gharibyan is a human phenomenon
How much information can you remember? Armenian Samvel Gharibyan has a unique memory. A strict examiner asks him to repeat 1000 unfamiliar words in nine languages, and Samvel was able to complete this difficult task. At the same time, its capabilities are much greater. One incident helped Samvel become a real human computer. In his youth, he underwent a complex eye operation, and doctors forbade the patient to read and write for a year. At that time, Samvel was a student at Rostov University and he had to take a test. He understood all the material by ear and was able to successfully pass all exams. From that time on, he began to train his memory and became a human phenomenon.
Michel de Nostredame - the greatest seer
In 1503 the great Nostradamus was born. His relatives were famous doctors, one of whom was the personal physician of the Duke of Calabria. Nostradamus's father belonged to ancient family Issachar, whose representatives possessed the gift of prophecy.
Nostradamus graduated from the Faculty of Medicine and received the title of Master of Pharmacy. His gift of clairvoyance was used by such royalty like Catherine de Medici, Chavigny. The clairvoyant’s legacy includes over 140 predictions that continue to come true even after his death.
The Tuquera Indian tribe lives in the Amazon forests. You can pour water on them as much as you like, but their skin and hair will remain dry.
Scientists believe that in the process of evolutionary development they have developed immunity to a humid climate and frequent heavy rains. A special coating has formed on the skin of the Indians, which protects their body from constant humidity. Water flows off them like a duck or goose.
For many years, this Indian tribe has lived in conditions of constant humidity. "Waterproof" people were discovered by Dr. Tolborn in 1988 while traveling along the Hurua River. Because of heavy rain he stopped at an Indian settlement. Then he noticed that even in heavy rain people remained completely dry. They went about their business, fishing, hunting, but did not get wet at all. The doctor took samples of their skin to determine the substance with which it was covered. He hopes to use it in the future to treat outerwear to keep them from getting wet when it rains.
Helen Torrestein and her secret to eternal youth
This unusual case happened in 1961. At that time, Helen was 32 years old. She was doing home renovations when she tripped, fell and hit her head hard. She was taken unconscious to a nearby hospital. For four months, doctors fought for her life, but the woman was in a deep coma and there was no improvement. She was transferred to a private clinic, where her body was supported with medications for many years. But throughout all this time, Helen did not age, there were no changes.
When the woman had an accident, her son was 15 years old and her daughter was 8 years old.
Relatives regularly visited Helen in the clinic, but they had no hope for her recovery. The children have long since grown up. They started their own families. And Helen remained the same as in 1961. She had not aged at all, she remained just as beautiful and slender.
And then a miracle happened - in February 1996, the woman came out of her coma. She was absolutely healthy and full of strength. But she didn’t remember her relatives. She had to get to know her family again. Her husband was already 70 years old, her daughter was 43, and her son was 50. Helen remained as young as 35 years ago.
Russian history is rich in mysterious personalities. Their life gave rise to rumors; popular rumor supplemented the images with unique features. After death, their names became surrounded by new myths and legends, excluding any hope of a solution.
The prerequisites for the appearance of False Dmitry I in Russia are associated with the mysterious death under unclear circumstances of the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Dmitry. The impostor, who pretended to be the heir who miraculously escaped death, chose a good time: taking advantage of the unrest in the country, False Dmitry took possession of the Moscow throne for almost a year.
The most popular version of the origin of False Dmitry I, which is still supported by many historians, was put forward by the government of Boris Godunov. In correspondence with the Polish king Sigismund, Godunov identified the impostor with the fugitive monk of the Chudov Monastery, Grigory Otrepyev.
However, historian Nikolai Kostomarov suggested that False Dmitry could have come from Western Rus', being the son of a nobleman or boyar. Some researchers put forward the version that the impostor’s courage can be explained by a sincere belief in his royal origin. He turned out to be a blind tool in the hands of the boyars, who, having overthrown Godunov, destroyed him.
Jacob Bruce (1669-1735)
One of the associates of Peter I, a native of a noble Scottish family, Jacob Bruce, was a very extraordinary person. A statesman, diplomat, military man, scientist and engineer - he left behind a bright mark. But he also gained a reputation as a warlock, “the sorcerer from the Sukharev Tower” and the first Russian Freemason.
Russian romantic literature contributed greatly to the creation of the magical image of Jacob Bruce. Candidate of Philological Sciences Irina Gracheva writes that “judging by some data, Yakov Vilimovich had a skeptical rather than a mystical mindset.”
Contemporaries noted that Bruce did not believe in anything supernatural. When Tsar Peter showed the relics of the holy saints to the Scotsman, he “attributed this to the climate, to the properties of the land in which they were previously buried, to the embalming of bodies and to abstinent life.” Yakov Bruce should go down in the history of Russia primarily as a talented military engineer who was involved in improving artillery guns and a scientist who contributed to the development of Russian science.
Monk Abel (1757-1841)
No official documents about the life of monk Abel (in the world of Vasily Vasiliev) have survived. The only exception is the Case of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Empire in 1796, in which a monk was accused of distributing a book of his prophecies.
Historians do not question the identity of Abel, but the authenticity of the prophecies attributed to him is not recognized by most of them. In particular, the Orthodox interpreter Nikolai Kaverin notes that many of Abel’s predictions were constantly updated, and this indicates the formation of the “heresy of Tsardom”, the main sin of which is the equation of Nicholas II and Christ.
Abel's prophecies, in the form in which they exist now, predict with amazing accuracy the fate of Russian emperors from Paul I to Nicholas II. In addition, the prophecies predict the end of the monarchy in Russia, the civil war and two world wars, the appearance of aircraft and underwater vehicles, as well as the use of asphyxiating gases.
Princess Tarakanova (1745?-1775)
Princess Tarakanova is one of the most famous adventurers in Europe. According to Vice-Chancellor Alexander Golitsyn, “her resourceful soul is capable of great lies and deception.” Like gloves, she changed lovers, names, places of residence, each time inventing a new story of her origin.
The princess claimed the Russian throne under the name of Elizaveta Vladimirskaya, posing as the daughter of Empress Elizaveta Petrovna and Alexei Razumovsky.
According to historians, the decision to impersonate a grand ducal person is largely connected with the sensational story in Europe of the impostor of Emelyan Pugachev.
Princess Tarakanova refused to recognize herself as an “ordinary woman” until the very end. According to one version, the impostor died of tuberculosis in the Peter and Paul Fortress, according to another, she died there during the flood of 1777.
Count Palen (1745-1826)
Count Peter Palen entered Russian history primarily not as an excellent officer who advanced highly in military service, but as a cunning diplomat and intriguer who played a major role in the overthrow of Paul I.
For some, he is a hero who saved the Fatherland from a tyrant tsar, for others he is Judas, who betrayed the sovereign who trusted him infinitely.
But for most historians, Palen is nothing more than a puppet in the hands of the Russian nobility, who wanted to quickly get rid of the unpopular courtier.
Some researchers are convinced that Masonic roots should be sought in the conspiracy against the Tsar organized by Palen. However, recently, in the motives of Palen’s actions, an “English trace” has increasingly been seen: perhaps British diplomacy, through the count, took revenge on Paul for his alliance with Napoleon and for colonial interests in India.
Alexander I (1777-1825)
The reign of Alexander I can be called one of the most mysterious in Russian history: he scandalously ascended to the Russian throne and mysteriously left it. Publicly declaring his reluctance to reign, Alexander I was the Russian autocrat for a quarter of a century.
In 1825, when the health of the wife of Alexander I worsened, the imperial couple left for the south. After visiting Crimea, the tsar himself fell ill, which led to his sudden death. That's what the official version says.
But there are also legends, one of which says that the emperor did not die, but faked his death in order to retire from worldly affairs. According to the most common version, he went to Siberia, where, under the name of Elder Fyodor Kuzmich, he spent the rest of his days.
Of course, this version has no documentary evidence. A story appeared in the Russian emigrant press that after the opening of the empty coffin of Alexander I in the presence of Alexander II, the body of a long-bearded old man was placed there. However, the mystery of the victorious tsar could be clarified by genetic examination, which specialists from the Russian Center for Forensic Science do not exclude.
Grigory Rasputin (1869-1916)
The personality of Grigory Rasputin is shrouded in so many myths and legends that it is not easy to discern a real historical character in him. In revolutionary and Soviet propaganda, the image of the “old man” was so demonized that it acquired caricature features. Many of the accusations brought against Rasputin - of sectarianism, debauchery, behind-the-scenes influence on politics - were never brought to completion due to the fact that they did not receive proper confirmation. For example, the alleged closeness of Rasputin to the royal family was refuted by many courtiers.
In the 1990s, the time came for another extreme. Religious veneration of Grigory Rasputin gave rise to the idea of canonizing the “elder” as a holy martyr. Such an initiative was categorically rejected by Alexy II, drawing attention to the “dubious morality” of Rasputin, who cast a shadow on the August Family.
Today you need to try hard to make data about yourself inaccessible to the public. After all, you just need to type a few words in a search engine - and secrets are revealed, and mysteries come to the surface. With the development of science and the improvement of technology, the game of hide and seek becomes more and more difficult. It was, of course, easier before. And there are many examples in history when it was impossible to find out what kind of person he was and where he came from. Here are a few such mysterious cases.
Kaspar Hauser
May 26, Nuremberg, Germany. 1828 A teenager of about seventeen wanders aimlessly through the streets, clutching a letter addressed to Commander von Wessenig. The letter states that the boy was taken in for training in 1812, taught to read and write, but was never allowed to "take one step out of the door." It was also said that the boy should become a "cavalryman like his father" and the commander could either accept him or hang him.
After meticulous questioning, we were able to find out that his name was Kaspar Hauser and he spent his entire life in a “darkened cage” 2 meters long, 1 meter wide and 1.5 meters high, in which there were only an armful of straw and three toys carved from wood (two horses and dog). A hole was made in the floor of the cell so he could relieve himself. The foundling hardly spoke, could not eat anything except water and black bread, called all people boys, and all animals horses. The police tried to find out where he came from and who the criminal was who made a savage out of the boy, but they could not find out. Over the next few years, he was cared for by one person or another, taking him into their homes and caring for him. Until on December 14, 1833, Kaspar was found with a stab wound to the chest. A purple silk wallet was found nearby, and inside it was a note made in such a way that it could only be read in a mirror image. It read:
“Hauser will be able to describe to you exactly what I look like and where I came from. In order not to bother Hauser, I want to tell you myself where I come from _ _ I came from _ _ the Bavarian border _ _ on the river _ _ I’ll even tell you my name: M . L. O."
Green Children of Woolpit
Imagine that you live in the 12th century in the small village of Woolpit in the English county of Suffolk. While harvesting in a field, you find two children huddled in an empty wolf's hole. The children speak an incomprehensible language, are dressed in indescribable clothes, but the most interesting thing is that their skin is green. You take them to your home where they refuse to eat anything other than green beans.
After a while, these children - brother and sister - begin to speak a little English, eat more than just beans, and their skin gradually loses its green tint. The boy gets sick and dies. The surviving girl explains that they came from the "Land of St. Martin", an underground "world of darkness", where they looked after their father's cattle, and then heard a noise and found themselves in a wolf's den. The inhabitants of the underworld are green and dark all the time. There were two versions: either it was a fairy tale, or the children escaped from the copper mines.
The Man from Somerton
On December 1, 1948, police discovered the body of a man on Somerton Beach in Glenelg (a suburb of Adelaide) in Australia. All the labels on his clothes were cut off, he had no documents or wallet on him, and his face was clean shaven. Even the teeth could not be identified. That is, there was not a single clue at all.
After the autopsy, the pathologist concluded that “death could not have occurred due to natural causes” and assumed poisoning, although no traces of toxic substances were found in the body. Apart from this hypothesis, the doctor could not guess anything more about the cause of death. Perhaps the most mysterious thing in this whole story was that with the deceased they found a piece of paper torn from a very rare edition of Omar Khayyam, on which only two words were written - Tamam Shud (“Tamam Shud”). These words are translated from Persian as “finished” or “completed”. The victim remained unidentified.
Man from Taured
In 1954, in Japan, at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, thousands of passengers were rushing about their business. However, one passenger seemed to be taking no part in it. For some reason, this outwardly completely normal man in a business suit attracted the attention of airport security, they stopped him and started asking questions. The man answered in French, but was also fluent in several other languages. His passport contained stamps from many countries, including Japan. But this man claimed that he came from a country called Taured, located between France and Spain. The problem was that none of the maps offered to him showed any Taured in this place - Andorra was located there. This fact greatly saddened the man. He said that his country had existed for centuries and that he even had its stamps in his passport.
Discouraged, airport officials left the man in a hotel room with two armed guards outside the door while they tried to find more information about the man. They didn't find anything. When they returned to the hotel for him, it turned out that the man had disappeared without a trace. The door did not open, the guards did not hear any noise or movement in the room, and he could not leave through the window - it was too high. Moreover, all of this passenger’s belongings disappeared from the airport security premises.
The man, simply put, dived into the abyss and did not return.
Lady Grandmother
The 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy has given rise to many conspiracy theories, and one of the most mystical details of this event is the presence in photographs of a certain woman who was dubbed Lady Granny. This woman in a coat and sunglasses was in a bunch of pictures, moreover, they show that she had a camera and was filming what was happening.
The FBI tried to find her and establish her identity, but to no avail. The FBI later called on her to turn over her videotape as evidence, but no one ever came. Just think: this woman, in daylight, in full view of at least 32 witnesses (photographed and videoed by her), witnessed and videotaped a murder, and yet no one, not even the FBI, could identify her. It remained a secret.
D. B. Cooper
It happened on November 24, 1971 at Portland International Airport, where a man who had bought a ticket using documents in the name of Dan Cooper boarded a plane bound for Seattle, clutching a black briefcase in his hands. After takeoff, Cooper gave the flight attendant a note saying that he had a bomb in his briefcase and his demands were $200,000 and four parachutes. The flight attendant notified the pilot, who contacted authorities.
After landing at Seattle Airport, all passengers were released, Cooper's demands were met and the exchange was made, after which the plane took off again. As he flew over Reno, Nevada, the calm Cooper ordered all personnel on board to remain seated as he opened the passenger door and jumped into the night sky. Despite big number no witnesses were ever found who could identify him. Only a small portion of the money was found in a river in Vancouver, Washington.
21-faced monster
In May 1984, a Japanese food corporation called Ezaki Glico faced a problem. Its president, Katsuhiza Yezaki, was kidnapped for ransom from his home and held for some time in an abandoned warehouse, but then managed to escape. A little later, the company received a letter stating that the products were poisoned with potassium cyanide and there would be casualties if all products were not immediately recalled from food warehouses and stores. The company's losses amounted to $21 million, 450 people lost their jobs. The Unknowns - a group of people who took the name "21-faced monster" - sent mocking letters to the police, who could not find them, and even gave hints. The next message said that they had “forgiven” Glico, and the persecution had stopped.
Not content with playing with one large corporation, the Monster organization has its eyes on others: Morinaga and several other food companies. They acted according to the same scenario - they threatened to poison the food, but this time they demanded money. During a botched money exchange operation, a police officer almost managed to capture one of the criminals, but still let him go. Superintendent Yamamoto, who was responsible for investigating this case, could not bear the shame and committed suicide by self-immolation.
Soon after this, "Monster" sent his last message in the media, ridiculing the death of a police officer and ending with the words: "We are the bad guys. That means we have something else to do besides harass companies. Being bad is fun. A monster with 21 faces." And nothing more was heard about them.
The Man in the Iron Mask
The "man in the iron mask" had the number 64389000, as follows from prison archives. In 1669, the minister of Louis XIV sent a letter to the governor of the prison in French city Pignerol, in which he announced the imminent arrival of a special prisoner. The minister ordered the construction of a cell with several doors to prevent eavesdropping, to provide for this prisoner's every basic need, and finally, if the prisoner ever spoke of anything other than this, to kill him without hesitation.
This prison was known for incarcerating "black sheep" from noble families and the government. It is noteworthy that the "mask" received special treatment: his cell was well furnished, unlike the rest of the prison cells, and two soldiers were on duty at the door of his cell, who were ordered to kill the prisoner if he removed his iron mask. The imprisonment lasted until the prisoner's death in 1703. The same fate befell the things he used: the furniture and clothes were destroyed, the walls of the cell were scraped and washed, and the iron mask was melted down.
Many historians have since fiercely debated the identity of the prisoner in an attempt to find out whether he was a relative of Louis XIV and for what reasons he was destined for such an unenviable fate.
Jack the Ripper
Perhaps the most famous and mysterious serial killer in history, London first heard about him in 1888, when five women were killed (although it is sometimes said that there were eleven victims). All the victims were connected by the fact that they were prostitutes, and also by the fact that all of them had their throats cut (in one of the cases, the cut went right up to the spine). All victims had at least one organ cut out of their bodies, and their faces and body parts were mutilated almost beyond recognition.
What's most suspicious is that these women were clearly not killed by a novice or amateur. The killer knew exactly how and where to cut, and he knew the anatomy perfectly, so many immediately decided that the killer was a doctor. The police received hundreds of letters in which people accused the police of incompetence, and there appeared to be letters from the Ripper himself, signed “From Hell.”
None of the many suspects and none of the countless conspiracy theories have been able to shed any light on the case.
Agent 355
One of the first spies in US history, and a female spy, was Agent 355, who worked for George Washington during the American Revolution and was part of the Culper Ring spy organization. This woman provided vital important information about the British army and its tactics, including plans for sabotage and ambushes, and if not for her, the outcome of the war might have been different.
Supposedly in 1780, she was arrested and sent aboard a prison ship, where she gave birth to a boy, who was named Robert Townsend Jr. She died a little later. However, historians are suspicious of this story, stating that women were not sent to floating prisons, and there is no evidence of the birth of a child.
The Zodiac Killer
Another serial killer who remains unknown is the Zodiac. This is practically an American Jack the Ripper. In December 1968, he shot two teenagers in California - right on the side of the road - and attacked five more people in next year. Only two of them survived. One victim described the attacker as a pistol-waving man wearing a cloak with an executioner's hood and a white cross painted on his forehead.
Like Jack the Ripper, the Zodiac maniac also sent letters to the press. The difference is that these were ciphers and cryptograms along with crazy threats, and at the end of the letter there was always a crosshair symbol. The main suspect was a man named Arthur Lee Allen, but the evidence against him was only circumstantial and his guilt was never proven. And he himself died of natural causes shortly before the trial. Who was the Zodiac? No answer.
Unknown Rebel (Tank Man)
This photograph of a protester facing a column of tanks is one of the most famous anti-war photographs and also contains a mystery: the identity of this man, called Tank Man, has never been established. An unidentified rebel single-handedly held off a column of tanks for half an hour during the Tiananmen Square riots in June 1989.
The tank was unable to avoid the protester and stopped. This prompted Tank Man to climb onto the tank and talk to the crew through the vent. After some time, the protester got down from the tank and continued his standing strike, preventing the tanks from moving forward. Well, then he was carried away by people in blue. It is unknown what happened to him - whether he was killed by the government or forced into hiding.
Woman from Isdalen
In 1970, the partially burned body of a naked woman was discovered in the Isdalen Valley (Norway). More than a dozen sleeping pills, a lunch box, an empty liquor bottle and plastic bottles that smelled like gasoline were found on her. The woman suffered serious burns and carbon monoxide poisoning, 50 sleeping pills were found inside her, and she may have been hit in the neck. The tips of her fingers were cut off so that she could not be identified by her prints. And when the police found her luggage at a nearby train station, it turned out that all the labels on the clothes had also been cut off.
Upon further investigation, it turned out that the deceased had a total of nine aliases, a whole collection of different wigs and a collection of suspicious diaries. She also spoke four languages. But this information did not greatly help in identifying the woman. A little later, a witness was found who saw a woman in fashionable clothes walking along the path from the station, followed by two men in black coats - towards the place where the body was discovered 5 days later.
But this evidence was not very helpful.
Grinning Man
Usually paranormal events are difficult to take seriously and almost all phenomena of this kind are exposed almost immediately. However, this case seems to be of a different kind. In 1966, in New Jersey, two boys were walking along the road towards the barrier at night and one of them noticed a figure behind the fence. The towering figure was dressed in a green suit that shimmered in the lantern light. The creature had a wide grin or grin and small prickly eyes that constantly followed the frightened boys with their gaze. The boys were then questioned separately and in great detail, and their stories matched exactly.
Some time later, reports of such a strange Grinning Man appeared again in West Virginia, and in large numbers and from different people. Grinning even had a conversation with one of them, Woodrow Dereberger. He identified himself as "Indrid Cold" and asked if there had been any reports of unidentified flying objects in the area. In general, he made an indelible impression on Woodrow. Then this paranormal entity was still encountered here and there until he disappeared completely.
Rasputin
Perhaps no other historical figure can compare with Grigory Rasputin in terms of the degree of mystery. And although we know who he is and where he comes from, his personality is surrounded by rumors, legends and mysticism and is still a mystery. Rasputin was born in January 1869 into a peasant family in Siberia, where he became a religious wanderer and “healer,” claiming that a certain deity gave him visions. A series of controversial and bizarre events led to Rasputin's employment as a healer in the royal family. He was invited to treat Tsarevich Alexei, who was suffering from hemophilia, in which he was even somewhat successful - and as a result acquired enormous power and influence over the royal family.
Rasputin, associated with corruption and evil, suffered countless unsuccessful assassination attempts. Either they sent a woman with a knife to him under the guise of a beggar, and she almost gutted him, or they invited him to the house of a famous politician and tried to poison him there with cyanide mixed into his drink. But that didn't work either! In the end, he was simply shot. The killers wrapped the body in sheets and threw it into the icy river. It later turned out that Rasputin died from hypothermia, and not from bullets, and was even almost able to extricate himself from his cocoon, but this time luck did not smile on him.
They came without a name, left an unforgettable mark on world history and left. Below we propose to study the list of 10 people who amazed those around them and ultimately disappeared to no one knows where.Their identities were never identified, which made them the most mysterious people on Earth.
Mysterious terrorist
November 24 1971 the man who was called Dan Cooper, hijacked a Boeing 727 plane, threatening him with a bomb that was allegedly in his briefcase. The mysterious man demanded $200,000 and four parachutes. His demands were fulfilled.
In the middle of the night he jumped out from an airplane with a parachute. It's never again not found and never again did not see. Its origin and further fate after 43 years remains a mystery. And the name Dan Cooper was given to him by mistake in the media.
Mysterious woman
IN 1963 on the day of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, unknown woman was present when the escort of the US leader passed. According to witnesses, and also given the filmed footage of the mysterious woman in a headscarf, she filmed the murder on her camera.
After the shooting, the woman merged with the crowd and disappeared. No one ever found out the identity of this lady. She also did not respond to public requests from the FBI to respond.
In all photographs and filming, the woman either turned away from the cameras or covered her face with her camera. Who it was, and why she never came forward remains a mystery. big question.
Mysterious Passenger
IN 1954 A mysterious passenger has arrived at Tokyo International Airport. His passport was quite ordinary, but only the country from which he came was indicated as Taurus(Taurus). When a security officer asked him to point out his country on a map, he pointed to Andorra.
He claimed that he Mother country it is called Taurus, and the state has existed for 1,000 years, but he had never heard of Andorra before. Airport employees, in turn, have never heard of mysterious country Taurus.
His passport, driver's license and checkbooks confirmed passenger's words.
Then strange man They sent him to a hotel nearby, leaving two representatives of the migration service to keep an eye on him. The next morning this man disappeared mysteriously without a trace, and no one saw him again.
Jack the Ripper
IN 1888 five women people of easy virtue were brutally murdered by a serial killer. The criminal first slit the throats of the victims, and then cut open the abdominal cavity and removed the internal organs of the unfortunate victims.
From the way the victims were killed, it can be assumed that the killer had anatomical or surgical knowledge.
During the investigation, the police and the media received numerous letters, supposedly from the murderer himself, named Jack the Ripper. But who is he and why were those women targeted? These questions have never been answered.
Green children
IN 12th century two children - a brother and a sister - suddenly appeared in the village Wulpt, Suffolk County. They had an unusual green skin. The children spoke unknown language and ate nothing but beans. After a while, they began to understand English language, and also began to eat other foods. Green color their skin has also faded over time.
The boy was weak, fell ill and died. And the girl claimed that they came from a place called Land of Saint Martin which was supposedly underground. They had never seen the Sun, and everything was green. No one could explain their origin. This case still remains an unsolved mystery.
The story of the foundling
26 of May 1828 unusual boy appeared on the street in Nuremberg. He carried a letter addressed to the captain of the 4th company of the 6th cavalry regiment. The boy said his name was Kaspar and he grew up in a dark little isolated chamber.
The boy didn't know much about his past, except that his father was a cavalry soldier. The boy ate only black bread and drank only water. He was very surprised by all the shiny objects, as if he had never seen them. There are several theories about the real identity of Kaspar Hauser, but no one has ever known the truth.
Woman spy
Nickname "agent 355" received by a female spy who lived during the reign of George Washington and such events as the American Revolution. She was intelligent agent. The spy was arrested by the British and imprisoned on a ship, where she later died. Her real identity was never identified.
Iron mask
The man who was nicknamed "Iron Mask" was arrested and imprisoned in 1669. He was subsequently held in a number of prisons for almost 34 years old. Nobody didn't see his face because it was always hidden by a cloth of black velvet. On November 19, 1703, the masked man died.
Since then, there have been many legends about him, but no one can reliably say who the “Iron Mask” was.
Man vs tank
On the morning of June 5 1989 When the Chinese military suppressed an unauthorized protest in Tiananmen Square, a man who took part in the riots stood opposite columns of tanks, to prevent their passage .
Although the newspapers claimed that it was a student named Van Weilin(Wang Weilin), but Communist Party China denied this information. They said the man had not been arrested and authorities had no idea about the identity of the man captured on camera.
There is still no reliable information about who that person was and what his fate was.
Woman from Isdalen
IN 1970 the unknown body of a woman was found in the "Valley of Death" (Isdalskvinnen) near the city Bergen(Norway). She was naked. The police found her burnt passport and sleeping pills that were next to her.
During the investigation it turned out that the woman used nine different aliases, traveling around Norway and other European countries. An autopsy revealed that the mystery woman had taken a quantity of sleeping pills before her death, indicating a possible suicide.
However, it is believed that the woman was killed, but her identity has not yet been clarified.
