Bamberg - targeting individuals Flashcards
(20 cards)
numbers and social groups
how many people were implicated and executed?
1623-32: around 600-900
numbers and social groups
what was the role of gender?
women were more likely to be accused
* 81.1% (1616-22)
* 72.7% (1623-31)
not ‘stereotypical’ witches - average age of women was 33
men accused were typically middle-aged, though there is a case of a 9-year-old boy
numbers and social groups
how did von Dornheim’s election impact numbers?
elected in 1623
allowed for trials to become more widespread
mass trials took place from 1626
numbers and social groups
examples of high status individuals who were targeted
- John Juius - mayor of Bamberg
- Hans Langhans - mayor of Zeil
- around half of those accused in Zeil were other local officials or their relatives
numbers and social groups
why were so many high-status individuals targeted?
- prince-bishop gained financial advantages through property confiscations
- high-status individuals opposed trials, and so were accused as opposition was interpreted as aiding the Devil
numbers and social groups
how were Protestants targeted?
1628: officials examined Parish records for those who failed to receive Catholic communion
* those individuals were then reported to the official commission of witchcraft
* many of the individuals either refused to convert to Catholicism or had done reluctantly
numbers and social groups
what was the case of George Hann?
1628: after the execution of his wife and daughter, Hann was arrested for questioning the trials by petitoning the high imperial court to intervene in cases of accused women
torture
how was torture permitted?
- 1532 Carolina Law Code allowed for an extensive range of torture devices to be used on suspects
- prince-bishops had judicial freedom so used torture to extract confesisons
- confessions made under torture were permitted in court
torture
what torture methods were used?
- thumbscrews
- strappado - suspended by wrists, often caused dislocation
- burning of hair
- whipping
- kneeling on wood covered in metal spikes
- small room with spikes on the floor to prevent sleep
torture
what was the case of John Junius?
involved brutal use of torture
arrested in 1629
smuggled a letter out of prison to his daughter
* provides an account of the extensive torture and how it compelled him to confess despite his innocence
* when he confessed he was pressed for the names of his accomplices
torture
what were typical elements of a confession?
- how the accused became involved with the Devil
- death threat given by demon/familiar to force co-operation
- list of evil deeds committed
- additional demonds or conspirators
torture
what do typical elements of a confession show us?
- belief in close involvement of the Devil
- list of evil deeds - witches blamed for misfortune
- naming others - could account for why it was so widespread
numbers and social groups
what was the role of property confiscations?
law in Bamberg allowed for confiscation of witches’ property
* encouraged persecution of the upper classes
numbers and social groups
what was the economic benefit of witch-hunts?
victims were responsible for all theur court costs
* reduced the state-s financial liability
paid for itself, which caused a witch-hunting industry to develop
* local economy benefited - proft for lawyers, rope-makers, blacksmiths, etc
Georg Neudecker, the previous mayor of Bamberg was one of the richest citizens and was imprisoned for 3 years, presumably to get as much money out of him as possible
individuals
who was von prince-bishop von Dornheim?
- became known as the ‘witch-bishop’
- champion of Counter-Reformation
- believed tackling witchcraft was of utmost importance
individuals
who did von Dornheim hire to assist him?
Frederick Forner - legal advisor
Dr Ernst Vasolt - interrogator
* demanded suspects give up to 100 names of accomplices or those at meetings
individuals
how did von Dornheim contribute to the witch-hunt?
- took personal responsibility for investigation
- encouraged property confiscation as they dramatically increased wealth for him and the Treasury
- 1627: witch-prison which could contain 30-40 suspects at a time
individuals
what was Frederick Forner’s contribution to the hunt?
- deputy to von Dornheim and relentlessly pursued witches
- 1625: published 25 sermons on witchcraft and magic
individuals
what were Frederick Forner’s beliefs about the Counter-Reformation and witch-hunting?
- rejected Calvanism because its preachers were no different from magicians
- reported areas in Bamberg where occult practices occurred were also where Protestant preachers were harboured
- witches and Protestants undermine social nd political order by disrespecting the Catholic church
- defeat of one demonic force leads to the rise of another, more lethal, force
- blamed Protestants for the outbreak of Thirty Years’ War, and that it caused witchcraft to increase
individuals
what was the biblical justification for the hunt?
Forner made connections between disobedience and sin, believing obedience to God was the source of faith and order
* presented struggle between Devil and God as historial, in which the devil alwats prays in man’s disobedience
they believed the closer they came to defeating the Devil, the more violenct the Devil would become
* justified their use of violence in torture
