The White Lady has been linked to several historical figures:

• the guilt-ridden countess Kunigunda of Orlamünde, born Landgravine of Leuchtenberg (Oberpfalz), who, according to legend, murdered her two young children because she believed they stood in the way of her marriage to Albert of Nuremberg.

• the unfortunate widow Bertha of Rosenberg from Bohemia, overthrown by the heathen Perchta.

There is a legend of a White Lady who was a prince's wife in the town of Rheda-Wiedenbrück, North Rhein Westfalia. The prince was away, fighting in the 30 years war, and his wife took a wandering minstrel as a lover. The prince returned unexpectedly, caught the two lovers, and killed the minstrel in the moat. He then took his wife and encased her behind a wall in his manor with some food and water, so that she wouldn't cheat on him again as he returned to the fighting.

The prince died in battle, the food and water ran out, and his wife died. Her spirit now haunts the manor. When the manor was renovated, the new owner had his construction crew tear down the wall she was encased behind. The next day, the worker who tore down the wall, was working on the roof of the manor when he fell, broke his back, and died. The manor is called Haus Aussel.