Barbara van Beck, German Sideshow Performer

Barbara van Beck (February 18, 1629 - ?) was a German woman who suffered from a rare genetic disorder, hypertrichosis universalis, also known as Ambras or werewolf syndrome. She first came to prominence in 1639 when the anatomist Thomas Bartholin saw her exhibited in Copenhagen. He noted that her entire body was covered with soft, blond hair and a luxuriant beard'. She was married to Michael van Beck in 1655 and it is said that he married her in order to be able to control and to take advantage of her as a sideshow. In 1657 she gave birth to a child who was not afflicted with the same condition. Stipple engraving by G. Scott, undated

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1629 1639 1655 1657 Able Abnormal Advantage Afflicted Ambras Anatomist Anomaly Beck Congenital Copenhagen Disorder Dyan Entire Excessive Exhibited Freak Genetic Genetics Hairy Hypertrichosis Luxuriant Noted Peculiar Prominence Quirky Sideshow Soft Stipple Suffered Syndrome Universalis Ursula Wacky Weird Werewolf

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