Occasionally, I will introduce a topic of conversation that most assuredly will be received with questioning looks because I often forget everyone is not as nerdy as me and therefore not as apt to randomly research obscure subjects as myself. For instance, one such topic is the story of the allegedly undead Count Saint- Germain, whose tale reminds me of the novel written by Alexandre Dumas, “The Count of Monte Christo.” It is my mother’s favorite book and a good one if not for its lackluster ending. I much prefer the 2002 movie version starring Jim Caviezel [I know, gasp of horror for recommending a movie over a book!].

According to legend, Count Saint- Germain was a 17th century alchemist who claimed to have created the Sorcerer’s Stone, fabled to change lead into gold and be the secret of eternal youth. If you don’t believe the one about the stone, lore attributes other sources for the Count’s unnaturally long life to vampirism or being cursed for mocking the Son of God. That’s right, the Count is rumored to have been roaming the earth since the days of baby Jesus.

Supposedly born in Transylvania, Saint- Germain’s story circles the globe. He was wealthy, weird, and fond of throwing lavish parties where he did not take part in any of the refreshments, instead preferring to stick with sipping his own peculiar tonic. Over the centuries, people worldwide have claimed to have met the enigmatic Count and despite the passage of time, all describe him as being around 45 years of age. When questioned by people about his age and unchanging appearance, Saint- Germain reportedly fed into the lore, often saying he was over 1,000 years old. If pressed too hard, he laughed jovially and declared himself to be joking. In 1760, famed lover Casanova claimed the alchemist confided in him he was 300 years old, and Saint- Germain’s own servants allegedly told people they were over 300 years old.

His mysterious nature, intelligence, wealth of talents, financial independence, and eccentric nature stoked the rumors. Wherever he was spotted, the Count appeared youthful, fabulously wealthy, and performed “magic” tricks through his mastery of alchemy. Additionally, the Count was a genius musician, able to speak several different languages and rumored to be a trusted diplomat to King Louie XV of France and the Russian Federation. Historical records recount Saint- Germain was on a first name basis with many famous figures, including Madame de Pompadour, Voltaire, and Catherine the Great. In fact, Voltaire is alleged to have said of Saint-Germain, he is “a man who never dies, and who knows everything.”

In one lauded tale proving Saint- Germain’s sorcery, he convinced the king of France to give him what, at that time, was one of the biggest diamonds in the world to repair, as it had but one flaw. The Count claimed he would need four weeks to complete this process, and sure enough, according to legend, Saint- Germain returned the diamond four weeks later, minus its previous flaw, and doubled in value.

Count Saint -Germain was a real person according to the historical record, allegedly passing away at Castle Eckernforde under extreme secrecy February 27, 1784, as recorded by the registry at St. Nicolai Church. Supposedly, the Count was then buried on March 2, 1784. No relatives could be found, so a marker was erected at his gravesite, and his belongings were auctioned. Not even a year after Saint- Germain’s purported passing, he would allegedly be spotted, alive, by Franz Antoine Mesmer, the famed German hypnotist. Also in 1785, Saint-Germain was chosen by the Freemasons as their representative in official records.

The good Count is said to have made his way stateside after his death, moving into a home on Royal Street in 1902 New Orleans, and this is where the vampire legend truly takes hold. Here, the Count is alleged to have developed womanizing and partying ways. One night, a woman’s screams were heard coming from the Count’s home and not long after, a whole woman threw herself from his second story home. Immediately, she began screaming at everyone on the street that Saint -Germain had just attacked her, violently trying to bite her neck. The woman was later pronounced dead from her injuries at Charity Hospital. Legend claims when law enforcement arrived at the Count’s home, they found him already gone; only bloodstains and wine bottles filled with blood remained.

Sightings of the Count continued through the 1970s when the supposedly undead man’s trail grows inexplicably and suddenly cold. I am barely scratching the surface on the information and legend that surrounds Germain, so if you are interested in learning more about this possibly undead individual, there are many resources available and his former home on Royal Street is now a favorite tourist destination.

When contemplating the story of Saint- Germain, it becomes truly challenging separating fact from fiction and begs the questions; can one really live forever, and would you want to if you could?