Lycanthropy has gone through various phases throughout history. One of the most difficult times for those accused of lycanthropy was in the Middle Ages. The Christian church saw the figure of the werewolf as something demonic and to be persecuted. Although they were seen as a work of witchcraft, curiously a priest could curse someone to become a werewolf.
Another thing that was believed in the Middle Ages is that whoever was born on Christmas Day would be a werewolf. The main reason was that the church thought that babies born on the same day as Jesus Christ were blasphemous. All this led to the persecution of lycanthropy, in the same way that witchcraft and paganism were persecuted. The testimonies of having seen werewolves was something very common and the church was that she always interceded. Many were accused of being lycanthropes. Most ended up tortured and executed.
There are also cases of serial killers claiming to be werewolves. One of the most popular cases was that of Peter Stumpp. In this case the church officially said that Stumpp was a true werewolf. His execution was one of the most brutal in memory. He was tied to a wagon wheel and was cut off pieces of meat with red-hot tongs until he died. On the other hand, many think that his execution was for a political issue.