The Ghost of Theodore Belitzer

During the tour of the Jewish cemetery we visited a few weeks ago, we were told a ghost story about a man who was buried there. His name was Theodore Belitzer served as a private in the German Hussars. He was taken as a prisoner to Wilmington, NC, and died on a steamer carrying prisoners when it caught fire at sea.

He was buried in the Jewish Cemetery on Coming St in Charleston, along beside members who fought the same war with him. Not much was known about him except that one of his parents was from Prussia, and he came to Charleston in 1850.

Not much was recorded about his personal life so it is unknown whether or not he was married but he joined Captain Disher's cavalry company then was transferred to German Hussars. His final service was Absent without leave since 5th November 1864.

Something that is very interesting about Theodore Belitzer is that one day when a man was working on cutting down tree in that cemetery, he took a picture of the cemetery and in the corner, he saw a figure that looked like a man in a uniform. They inferred that it was Theodore Belitzer, because he was buried there but had no headstone, so a family dedicated money for Belitzer to have his own headstone made. It sits in the exact spot where he was seen.

Photo by: Patrick Harwood