A SPEAR-WIELDING naked "wolf man" has been pictured lurking in mountains where witches are said to commune with the devil.
The mystery figure has been photographed for the first time in woodland after years of rumours sweeping central Germany.
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A spear-wielding naked 'wolf man' has been captured on camera by hikers Credit: Bild 7
He was captured on camera in the Harz mountains 250km from Berlin
Two hikers spotted and captured on camera the man sitting naked and clinging to a wooden spear at the foot of a ruined castle.
Gina Weiss, 31, has now described their ten-minute encounter with the person she estimated to be in his 40s, the Times reports.
She and her friend Tobi, 38, were exploring the woods near Blankenburg in the state of Saxony-Anhalt - about 250km from the German capital Berlin.
She told the country's Bild newspaper how the figure stood up on a sand cave and "held a long wooden stick like a lance in his arm".
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She said: "He wouldn’t take his eyes of us, said nothing - he looked dirty like a Stone Age man from a history book."
Her experience comes after authorities in the region told of reports over the past five years of a man in the mountains clad in what appeared to be wolf fur or at least a costume.
There have also been carefully-constructed fire sites and shelters in the branches found in the forest.
Alexander Beck, chief of the Blankenburg fire brigade, said: "Someone clearly knows how to live outside and adapt to the changing seasons."
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Police were previously called by hikers in March who pleaded: "Help - there's a wolf man running around here."
The Harz mountain region has previously appeared an attraction for witches wishing to commune with and "marry" the devil.
Pagan ceremonies which also involve dancing around fires are said to be held on Walpurgis Night on April 30 each year.
Meanwhile nearby villagers light fires aimed at keeping them and their livestock safe, as part of the traditional rites which resumed last year after a two-year break caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fancy dress parties, medieval markets and light shows are put on as part of the annual celebrations - which also sees women and girls applying for "broomstick licences" to take part.
Elsewhere, a man earlier this year went to a firm in Japan to help him transform into a "human wolf" - at a cost of ￡20,000.
Meanwhile, Larry Gomez living in California has been dubbed "Wolf Man" because 98 per cent of his body is covered in hair.
Yet cops in Pakistan detained a man who dressed as a werewolf on New Year's Eve to frighten people.
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Reports of the 'wolf man' in the region have been rife in recent years 7
There have been sightings of the mystery figure living in Germany's Harz mountains Credit: AP 7
People in surrounding towns such as Quedlinburg take part in annual traditions Credit: Anna Baranowska 7
The Harz woods are picturesque but also an attraction for witches holding ceremonies Credit: Getty 7
The forest where the 'wolf man' was seen sits below ruined castles and medieval streets Credit: Taschen