3.3 The reasons for the end of the craze Flashcards
(29 cards)
Scepticism before 1630
1627 complaints about innocent people being executed
and then Dornheim’s proclamation
- July 1627: Von Dornheim issued a proclamation stating those who give false testimony at witch trials should be beaten
- authoriates renewed this proclamation in 1628, evidencing they must have been aware not all accusations were genuine.
Scepticism before 1630
Why did Dornheim issue the proclamation?
Forner
- because there had been a series of accusations made against Forner
- Dornheim was shocked the men who served in Bamberg in hunting witches should be accused themselves, and issued the proclamation as a warning against further slander.
Ferdinan’s involvement: the case of Dorothea Flock
who was Georg Heinrich Flock? What about his wife
dorothea and Georg’s appeal
- Georg Heinrich Flock was a bamberg councillor who fled to Nuremberg after being accused
- His wife, Dorothea, was arrested
- Georg appealed to Ferdiannd, stating her concern for her health with a newborn, and the legitimacy of the legal process.
Ferdinan’s involvement: the case of Dorothea Flock
Dornheim’s (1st) letter to the emperor: what did he say about the Flocks? what was his justification?
- there were no concerns over the health of either
- the trials were simply following standards set in other parts of Germany
- he accused Flock of being dishonest, he compelled the emperor to ignore these complaints
- he also added he only initiated the trial to honour God and turn people away from ungodly behaviour.
Ferdinan’s involvement: the case of Dorothea Flock
Renewed proceedings, Ferdinand and the Pope’s reaction?
- April 1630 proceedings against her were renewed
- her relatives appealed to the pope and to the emperor again, who both requested Dornheim stop the trial, writing if he didn’t stop, he would be punished.
Ferdinan’s involvement: the case of Dorothea Flock
Dorothea’s execution
- when hearing the letters on the way to Ferdinand from the Pope, Dornheim rushed the trial
- She was executed before they could arrive on 17 May
- she was beheaded, in secret.
Ferdinan’s involvement: the case of Dorothea Flock
Her relatives protests… bitter letter to Ferdinand: on what grounds did they question the proceedings?
testimony, credibility, evidence.
- Flock could not question the testimony of her accusers or hire a lawyer, because it was a secret trial
- Carolina Law Code of 1532 required judges to establish the credibility of the witness. Flock couldn’t.
- Carolina Law code also stated confessions through torture should only be permissible if they were supported by other evidence, this hadn’t happened.
the involvement of the imperial chamber court.
What was the imperial chamber court.
- highest judicial court in the holy roman empire with judges appointed directly by the emperor. The emperor can become involved directly in cases.
the involvement of the imperial chamber court
complaints from 2 other escapees about Von Dornheim
Emperor
- complaints started reaching the imperial chamber court, where Von Dornheim’s representative reported back that 2 other escapees from the witch prison had sent complaints to the emperor
the involvement of the imperial chamber court
What was the Diet of Regensburg
- meeting of senior leaders of the Holy Roman Empire, held between July-November 1630
the involvement of the imperial chamber court
Who did Von Dornheim send to the Diet of Regensburg, why?
- Dr Harsee and Dr Schwartzkonz were sent to the Diet of Regensburg to present a defence of the witch trials
- high profile members felt Ferdinand’s position would be jeopardised if he tolerated the persecutions
the involvement of the imperial chamber court
15 August 1630: Ferdinand’s letter to Dornheim
- in an even more forceful tone than his previous letters, he criticised him for counting the trials in defiance of his earlier instructions
- he complained about the case of Barbara Schwarz, who fled Vienna after escaping from the witch prison in Bamberg, and had petitioned to the emperor
the involvement of the imperial chamber court
What did Ferdinand demand from Dornheim? How did he respond?
- trial documents about Barbara Schwarz were demanded
- Dornheim sent copies, refusing to send originals, and instead sending transcripts he claimed were copied verbatim
- attatched to this was a letter from the witch-commissioners of Bamberg, stating no one had been arrested for witchcraft since June 1630
the involvement of the imperial chamber court
Despite the claim that witch-hunting had stopped, had it? What did Ferdinand discover? What was happening to the town?
- Ferdinand discoverd in March 1631 that at least 25 people had been arrested in the meantime
- relatives of the victims of Zeil informed him the commissioners continued to grow in riches from property confiscations, and the cost of the trials was making the town go bankrupt.
Georg Wilhelm Dümler’s letter and the end of the trials
who was Georg Wilhelm Dümler?
- former administrator of St Martin’s Church in Bamberg
Georg Wilhelm Dümler’s letter and the end of the trials
What was covered in his letter?
respectable people, proof, pregnant wife, carolina law code, trials.
- Several hundred respectable people had suffer because of torture. The witch commission was led by false accusations.
- There was never enough proof to find suspects guilty
- August 1628, his pregnang wife had been taken from their house to the witch prison, where she was tortured and miscarried, she was executed, and now he was being accused. Both were entirely innocent
- Carolina Law Code permitted a lwyer, but this was denied
- cases of witchcraft in Bamberg were being held behind closed doors.
Georg Wilhelm Dümler’s letter and the end of the trials
12 June 1631: what did Ferdinand announce?
punsishment, head of the witch commission, carolina law code, property.
- those responsible for the trials would be punished
- he appointed a new head of the witch commission, Dr Anton Winter
- he decreed all future trials be conducted according to the carolina law code.
- confiscation of property was forbidden.
Georg Wilhelm Dümler’s letter and the end of the trials
What was Dornheim’s reaction?
support, letter, custody.
- he gave little support to Winter
- he sent one last letter to the emperor, reiterating his view that those who accused him of malpractice were involved in witchcraft
- he refused to release those in custody
the arrival of the swedish army: swedish involvement in the war
what was the swedish involvement in the thirty years war?
- protestant swedish army entered the war in 1630
- much of the territory lost by the protestants was regained 1630-1634 as a result
- the army grew from around 40,000 in 1630 to 150,000 in 1632
the arrival of the swedish army in bamberg
persecutions continuing?
- despite the emperor’s direct involvement, as long as Von Dornheim remained a prince bishop, persecutions would continue
- when the army arrived Dornheim had to flee.
the arrival of the swedish armyb in bamberg
what did the thirty years war do to Bamberg’s population
- declined by 40% during the war :(
the arrival of the swedish army in bamberg
what happened to Dornheim when the swedish army arrived?
- they arrived in February 1632
- he looted the cathedral’s treasure, including 12 chests of Gold, and fled to Austria, where he died of a stroke in 1633
the arrival of the swedish army in bamberg
why did the arrival of the army lead to an end to the trials?
- Bamberg was preoccupied with a declining population, decimated farms and constnat fighting
- the prince bishop fleeing meant witch hunting wasn’t seen as a priority anymore
- any trials that took place had to follow the Carolina Law Code, and there was no longer a use for the witch prison and its torture chambers.
conclusion: why were the Bamberg trials so extensive?
Main personalities: who influenced the extent of the witch hunt?
F, VA, VD
- Forner was the most significant instigator
- without the consent of Von Ashhausen though, the initial trials until 1619 would not have taken place
- Dornheim acted with passion also to ensure the trials became extensive and horrific.
