Baba Anujka: Healer Or Killer?

Explore this chilling true crime story of Baba Anujka, a healer turned deadly legend at the edge of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 

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Chapters

• 0:16 Setting The Historical Stage
• 1:24 Anushka’s Education And Losses
• 4:10 The Rise Of A Village Healer
• 6:42 A Pattern Of Illness And Death
• 6:56 Why Suspicion Took So Long
• 6:58 The 1928 Death That Sparked Inquiry
• 8:04 Forensics, Exhumations, And Testimony
• 9:54 Arrest, Trial, And Sentencing
• 11:09 Media Myths And Gendered Narratives
• 12:47 What Records Prove Versus Speculation
• 13:54 Closing And Listener Support

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 0:16

Welcome to Clotrail, the path through history's darkest crimes and strangest mysteries. In Eastern Europe, at the turn of the twentieth century, life in rural villages was very hard. Medical care was limited. Education was scarce, and poverty was everywhere. So when a woman began offering remedies for life's most desperate problems, no one questioned it. But with little explanation, men began to fall ill after drinking what she saw. Some weakened slowly, and others died within days. This is the story of Baba Anushka. The story of Baba Anushka begins in Banat, a rural region in Eastern Europe that today lies across parts of Serbia and Romania, but which at the turn of the 20th century belonged to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Villages like Vladimirovac were isolated and largely self-reliant, and life revolved around farming, family, and community. Most people in the villages had little formal education, and access to trained doctors was limited or non-existent. In this world, natural remedy knowledge really mattered, and herbal remedies, home treatments and traditional healers were the usual go-to when someone was feeling under the weather. And it was in this environment that Anna Drakschen was born in around 1837. Unlike many women of her time, Anna, or how she was widely known Anushka, was educated. She attended school in Panchevo, where she learned to read and write, and developed an interest in chemistry and medicine, which were subjects rarely encouraged for women in that period of time. She even spoke several languages and was widely regarded as intelligent and sharp-minded. She married and lived a conventional life for a time, raising children and managing a household. But over the years, her life changed drastically, shaped by a series of personal tragedies. She was widowed, and most of her children died young. Losses which no doubt were devastating for her. Sadly, not unusual in the region and at that time. By middle age, Anushka became completely withdrawn, and she was living alone on the outskirts of Vladimirovac. She dressed in black, kept to herself, and presented an image that set her apart from the rest of the village. She was deemed somewhat peculiar, but people spoke of her education, her knowledge of herbs, and her understanding of remedies. And although some people feared her, most of the village simply just accepted her presence. In time, Anushka's reputation as a healer grew and she was known for having a special skill at mixing and preparing remedies. She became known locally as someone who could provide mixtures for common health complaints and practical problems people didn't want to take to a doctor. Many accounts describe her offering small bottles of medicine, often referred to as magic water or miracle mixtures. The remedies ranged from treatments for common cold to more uncommon types, such as mixtures intended to help with domestic problems. There are even accounts of her providing medicine that would make men temporarily unfit for military service. Essentially, whatever the need, Anushka would sort it out. But while some of these remedies appeared to work with little to no issue shortly after being ingested, their long-term effects were not always safe. In a later account, it was reported that the majority of men who had taken whatever potion Anushka provided later began to fall ill. The symptoms did not appear immediately and usually took the form of stomach pain, weakness, fatigue, and a steady physical decline. The illness often lasted for weeks, but for some, most likely those who were already weakened by whatever illness they were looking for a cure, death came more quickly. But surprisingly, even with a steady pattern of deaths, this did not immediately raise suspicion at the time. Illness was common in rural areas, and with very little medical presence, death was not unusual. In the few instances when doctors were consulted, deaths were frequently attributed to natural causes, so families and communities accepted these explanations, and life in the village continued. And this continued for several decades with little to no suspicion, and Anna, who now was known as Baba Anushka, became the local healer, and the men, who were the majority recipients of her remedies, continued to die. But that finally changed in 1928, when a man named Lazar Ludovsky died after becoming seriously ill, and unlike earlier cases, his death prompted closer attention. And it was for the first time when authorities began to suspect that the death might not have been accidental. What changed and what prompted this investigation? It's hard to tell. There is little information on this. But finally, Baba Anushka's decades of experimental poisoning came to an end. Almost immediately, an autopsy was ordered, and the chemical analysis carried out suggested signs of poisoning rather than death by natural causes. This was the turning point. And with that, the investigation widened quickly. First, police began asking the most obvious question: where the remedy that made this man so sick and ended in his death had come from. That led them straight to Vladimir Ovac and to Baba Anushka. When probing further, the investigators learned that this was not the first time someone had come ill after taking one of her mixtures. And in fact, it was a pattern. As the case developed, police revisited earlier deaths and reports of sickness, bodies were exhumed, further examinations were carried out, and it was discovered that in several cases, traces of poison were found. Investigators also began questioning people who had purchased remedies from Anushka and whether there was more foul play involving the families. Some admitted that they got her help for personal or domestical reasons, and more importantly, a few said they had been instructed to give the medicine to specific individuals. Now, with these statements, alongside the evidence of poisoning, led to the arrest of Baba Anushka in May 1928. She was in her 90s at the time. The case finally went to trial in 1929. Anushka, who was not the only person charged, several other individuals who had purchased or administered the remedies which have led to deaths, were also brought before the court. The trial was relatively straightforward, focusing only on the specific deaths that could be supported by forensic evidence and testimony rather than the many alleged cases. And with the mounting evidence of poisoning, witness statements, and a clear pattern of illness and death following the ingestion of the medicine provided, the outcome was unsurprising. Baba Anushka was convicted as an accomplice in multiple murders and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The others arrested at that time and were deemed involved received longer sentences, including life imprisonment. Due to her age, Anushka did not serve the full sentence. She was released after several years and returned to Vladimirovac, where she later died in 1938, reportedly at around 100 years old. And although the case against her was resolved in court, it did not end there. And there was a lot of debate afterwards. Legally, the matter was clear. Baba Anushka was convicted as an accomplice in those cases where poisoning could be proven and was imprisoned. However, in the eyes of the press, the matter was far from resolved. After the trial, newspapers reported on the case in increasingly dramatic terms. Many described her as a witch or a sorceress and claimed she had poisoned dozens or even hundreds of men over several decades. Another point of debate has been whether Papa Anushka specifically targeted men. This cannot be fully proven. While most of the documented deaths involved men, this may just simply reflect who the remedies were intended for rather than deliberate targeting. In many cases, the medicines were obtained by women but given to husbands, fathers, or other male relatives. It has also been suggested that maybe some individuals may have noticed that the medicine leads to death and possibly have recognized an opportunity. However, there is no direct evidence to support this, and such interpretations remain speculative. Modern historians and journalists generally urge a little bit more cautious when reporting these claims. Records from rural Banat in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are incomplete, and many deaths were never medically examined. As a result, it's not possible to establish how many people may have been affected in any other foul play, beyond the cases proven in court. What is supported by historical records is limited but factual. Baba Anushka sold remedies for many years. Some recipients became ill after taking them. And by the late 1920s, authorities identified a pattern serious enough to prompt investigation, arrest, and conviction. Everything else, at least for now, is just speculation. That brings us to the end of this episode. Thank you for listening to Clue Trail. I wish you all a happy new year. And if you'd like to support the show or hear more episodes, you can find us on Patreon. Thanks for being here.