Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 48 minutes ago
What would life be like if you were born covered in hair and the entire world wanted to see you? This video explores the remarkable true story of the little-known life of Barbara van Beck (aka Barbara Urselin or Barbara Ursler), a 17th-century woman who lived with hypertrichosis, also known as werewolf syndrome or Ambras syndrome. Through the lens of her life story, it looks at how disabled people were treated in the past, including those whose conditions were viewed as a disability, as Barbara's was.
Born in 1629 in Augsburg, Germany, Barbara’s condition caused excessive hair growth across her entire body, including her face. In an era where medical understanding was limited, she quickly became the subject of fascination. Rather than hide from the world, she toured 17th century Europe and became known as the hairy lady, exhibiting herself in cities such as Paris and London. Far from being treated solely as a curiosity, Barbara was seen as a natural wonder and also celebrated for her talents as a musician, her knowledge of several languages and her poised, intelligent demeanour.
This documentary from History Calling takes a deeper look at Barbara’s life: her family background, her marriage to Johan Michael van Beck, the child they had together and her mysterious disappearance after 1668. We’ll also explore first-hand accounts of those who saw her in person, including the famous English diarist John Evelyn and possibly Samuel Pepys and consider how she was viewed by society at the time and how Barbara van Beck carved out a life of purpose and success, despite living with a rare genetic disorder.
Alongside her personal story, we’ll examine the science behind hypertrichosis, from what causes werewolf syndrome to how it is diagnosed and managed today and why it has attracted attention in modern medical research, particularly in relation to hair growth and baldness treatments.
Barbara van Beck’s life offers a unique window into how a person with a rare condition not only survived but found ways to thrive and shape her own legacy in a world that saw her as extraordinary.
👉 Subscribe for more powerful stories from the past.
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
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My Shocking Story: Real Wolf Children - Laser Treatment
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Babies in Europe developing ‘werewolf syndrome’ after exposure to parents’ hair-loss treatment
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Hypertrichosis
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534854/#:~:text=Hypertrichosis%20is%20defined%20as%20excessive,hairs%20in%20androgen%2Ddependent%20sites.
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
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PRIME VIDEO
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GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
DJI Drone: amzn.to/39hROZm
Go-Pro Hero 13 camera: amzn.to/3DMg5Gj
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/3vaVxjU
Memory Card: amzn.to/3KeLZZs
Microphone: amzn.to/3rYtjH8
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
#BarbaraVanBeck #BarbaraUrsler #WerewolfSyndrome #HairyLady #hypertrichosis #AmbrasSyndrome #BarbaraUrselin
What would life be like if you were born covered in hair and the entire world wanted to see you? This video explores the remarkable true story of the little-known life of Barbara van Beck (aka Barbara Urselin or Barbara Ursler), a 17th-century woman who lived with hypertrichosis, also known as werewolf syndrome or Ambras syndrome. Through the lens of her life story, it looks at how disabled people were treated in the past, including those whose conditions were viewed as a disability, as Barbara's was.
Born in 1629 in Augsburg, Germany, Barbara’s condition caused excessive hair growth across her entire body, including her face. In an era where medical understanding was limited, she quickly became the subject of fascination. Rather than hide from the world, she toured 17th century Europe and became known as the hairy lady, exhibiting herself in cities such as Paris and London. Far from being treated solely as a curiosity, Barbara was seen as a natural wonder and also celebrated for her talents as a musician, her knowledge of several languages and her poised, intelligent demeanour.
This documentary from History Calling takes a deeper look at Barbara’s life: her family background, her marriage to Johan Michael van Beck, the child they had together and her mysterious disappearance after 1668. We’ll also explore first-hand accounts of those who saw her in person, including the famous English diarist John Evelyn and possibly Samuel Pepys and consider how she was viewed by society at the time and how Barbara van Beck carved out a life of purpose and success, despite living with a rare genetic disorder.
Alongside her personal story, we’ll examine the science behind hypertrichosis, from what causes werewolf syndrome to how it is diagnosed and managed today and why it has attracted attention in modern medical research, particularly in relation to hair growth and baldness treatments.
Barbara van Beck’s life offers a unique window into how a person with a rare condition not only survived but found ways to thrive and shape her own legacy in a world that saw her as extraordinary.
👉 Subscribe for more powerful stories from the past.
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
THE DANCING PLAGUE
youtu.be/nWImzWylwCw
DEATH BY TOILET
youtu.be/CA-kQWbRczQ
HENRY VIII’S FOOL
youtu.be/gu5hQIl_-Z0
LEARN MORE:
My Shocking Story: Real Wolf Children - Laser Treatment
youtube.com/watch?v=xuF0UYxDORY
Babies in Europe developing ‘werewolf syndrome’ after exposure to parents’ hair-loss treatment
euronews.com/health/2024/12/07/babies-in-europe-developing-werewolf-syndrome-after-exposure-parents-hair-loss-treatment
Hypertrichosis
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534854/#:~:text=Hypertrichosis%20is%20defined%20as%20excessive,hairs%20in%20androgen%2Ddependent%20sites.
Want to watch/hear/read more about history (and a whole host of other topics)? Then you might benefit from a free Audible or Prime video trial. They are available from the following links:
AUDIBLE
amzn.to/44MvlMi
AUDIBLE PLUS & AUDIBLE PREMIUM PLUS
amzn.to/42rh3PF
PRIME VIDEO
amzn.to/3LW7ykg
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
DJI Drone: amzn.to/39hROZm
Go-Pro Hero 13 camera: amzn.to/3DMg5Gj
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/3vaVxjU
Memory Card: amzn.to/3KeLZZs
Microphone: amzn.to/3rYtjH8
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
#BarbaraVanBeck #BarbaraUrsler #WerewolfSyndrome #HairyLady #hypertrichosis #AmbrasSyndrome #BarbaraUrselin
