Bamberg Trials Flashcards

1
Q

When was the Bamberg Witch hunt?

A

1623-1632

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2
Q

How many people were executed?

A

Between 600 and 900

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3
Q

Which group of people were targeted?

A

Younger, wealthier people- the average age was 33 ½

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4
Q

What is the Holy Roman Empire?

A

a patchwork of complex central European territories that were under the overall authority of an emperor

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5
Q

What religious changes happened in the HRE during the C16th?

A

The Protestant Reformation

The Peace of Augsburg (1555) religion of state decided by its leader

The Counter Reformation the Catholic attempt to counter the Protestant changes

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6
Q

What was the political structure of the Empire and how did this cause problems?

A

The Emperor had overall control, but each state was ruled by different a person

Each state had slightly different laws

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7
Q

Who were the Jesuits?

A

A group commissioned by the Catholic Church to spread and share the Catholic Church’s methods

They were invited to states to set up schools- this happened under von Aschhausen in Bamberg

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8
Q

How did tensions between the Catholics and Protestants in Bamberg increase?

A

Fines and restricted supplies to Protestant parishes

Catholic troops stationed in Protestant areas

Lutherans rounded up and executed

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9
Q

How could Protestants be punished?

A

Faced imprisonment in Bamberg Tower

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10
Q

How many witches were executed under Aschhausen?

A

Around 300

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11
Q

What law was introduced in 1610?

A

Anyone practicing magic would be severely punished

It coincided with with Protestant rebellions in Bohemia
Protestant preachers were being harboured- enhanced the link between Protestants and witchcraft

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12
Q

What happened between 1616-1619?

A

An intense period of witch hunting in Bamberg

It ended with the moderates who were focussed on the 30 Years War

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13
Q

What was the background of the Thirty Years War?

A

It lay in the religious divisions found in Northern Europe

The Emperor’s desire to have more land through military gains or marriage

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14
Q

How did the actions of the Emperor cause resentment?

A

Protestants felt like they were being targeted, especially as a result of the Counter Reformation policies

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15
Q

What was the Defenestration of Prague?

A

A group of the Emperors representatives were thrown out of a tower window by some Protestants

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16
Q

What was the economic impact of the Thirty Years War?

A

There was high levels of famine and many men were conscripted.
This was combined with previous crop failures and inflation

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17
Q

What was the religious impact of the Thirty Years War?

A

Catholics became more fanatical than ever- clear anti-Protestant theme to the witch trials

Anyone who deviated from Orthodox Catholic practices were seen as heretics - seen to be the Devils work

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18
Q

Which groups of people were targeted?

A

Sexually promiscuous women

People whose views deviated from the Catholic norm

People with a reputation for healing and fortune telling

Members of the upper classes (property confiscation)

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19
Q

What was the ‘Little Ice Age’ and what impact did this have?

A

A long period of cold weather that led to crop failures- especially the fruit and wine crop

20
Q

What was the level of debt and how did the prince-bishop try and solve it?

A

800,000 florins

The prince bishops tried to levy high taxes

They needed the witch hunt to end the frost

21
Q

Why was there inflation and economic crisis?

A

Imports of silver from America start to decline
gold florins were used- gold content dropped to 77%

As money lost value and crops failed and no logical understanding of the cause they looked at witch craft

22
Q

What did the Carolina Law Code outline about witchcraft?

A

It was a severe crime- compared to murder, manslaughter, and homosexuality

It wanted to unite the HRE with a law against witchcraft that could be used everywhere- prevent local jurisdiction

23
Q

What did Carolina Law Codeoutline about punishment of witchcraft?

A

Those found guilty should be executed with fire

Trials should be done publicly- not done in Bamberg

Confessions need to be backed up with evidence- not done in Bamberg

Property could be confiscated

24
Q

What did Carolina Law Code say about torture?

A

It does not specifically allow torture- unless there is other evidence

Torture was used in Bamberg- justice to be dealt with at a local level

25
Q

How many people were targeted?

A

Between 600 and 900 people

72.7% of people accused were women

26
Q

Where did the hunts begin?

A

Zeil, a small market town in Bamberg

Only 7 older women were accused, most were middle aged men

27
Q

What age were the victims?

A

The average age was 33 ½

There was one 9 year old boy who confessed to an elaborate plot, destroying crops and stealing wine

28
Q

How wealthy were the victims?

A

The upper classes were targeted as their properties could be confiscated- they also had to pay for their trials, imprisonment and execution

29
Q

What were the stories of some of the victims?

3

A

Hans Langhans- mayor of Zeil kept a diary of the early trials, he was tortured and then confessed

Lange Gasse (the main street in Bamberg)- 17 well respected families were targeted

10 members of the town council and their relatives

30
Q

Which groups of people would have benefitted from the hunts?

A

Rope makers, inn keepers, shop owners, lawyers, coachmen, blacksmiths

31
Q

What was hereditary guilt?

A

A member of a family was executed and then their family was targeted

The Merklein and Orter families were virtually wiped out in this way

32
Q

What did the Carolina Law Code allow for?

A

An extensive range of torture devices, many confessions came from torture

33
Q

What torture methods were used?

A
Thumbscrews (also on toes)
Strappado 
Whipping
Sleep deprivation - room covered in spikes 
Dunking in freezing or boiling water
34
Q

Who was John Junis?

A

Mayor of Bamberg for around 20 years - he was arrested after his wife had been executed

He wrote letters to his daughter that outline the torture he faced

35
Q

Who were von Dornheim and Forner?

A

Dornheim was the Prince Bishop of Bamberg- known as the ‘Hexenbischof’
Forner was ‘the brains’ he understood the justification

36
Q

What was the role of von Dornheim in the witch trials?

A

He built a Drudenhaus- a witch prison built in 1627, it could contain 30-40 suspects at a time who would be tortured

37
Q

What was the role of Forner?

A

He provided the justification for the hunts:
Protestants were no different to magicians, they were false prophets
More lethal force is needed to defeat the devil

He made a connection between disobedience and sin, and therefore the devil and God

38
Q

What was happening before 1630?

A

Complaints about innocent people executed were being sent to religious and imperial courts

Dornheim proclaimed that people giving false testimony would be flogged

39
Q

What happened to Dorothea Flock?

A

Her husband was accused but fled, instead Dorothea was arrested.

An appeal was put out to the Emperor but her case was rushed through- she was tried and executed in secret

The case was found to go against the Carolina Law Code

40
Q

What happened with the Imperial Chamber Court?

A

Complaints reached them and to preserve his reputation von Dornheim sent two commissioners

A letter was sent to Dornheim ordering him to end the hunt

41
Q

Who was Georg Wilhelm Dumler?

A

Former administrator of St Martin’s Church in Bamberg who wrote to the Emperor

42
Q

What did Georg Wilhelm Dumler letter state?

A

That 100s of people had been tortured and there were false accusations,

his wife had been tortured and executed- they were both innocent Catholics

The Carolina Law Code permitted a lawyer- this had been denied in Bamberg

43
Q

What was the impact of Georg Wilhelm Dumler letter?

A

Ferdinand announced he was to punish those responsible,

a new commissioner was appointed and future trials were conducted strictly against the Carolina Law Code confiscation of property banned

44
Q

How big was the Swedish Army by 1532?

A

150,000 people- they were a massive force of Protestant support

45
Q

What happened when Swedish Army arrived in Bamberg?

A

They invaded and took over administration of Bamberg- Dornheim was forced to flee but not before looting cathedrals

Catholics were able to continue with their daily lives

46
Q

What was the impact of Swedish Army arrived in Bamberg?

A

With a declining population, constant fighting and no prince-bishop → witch hunting was no longer a priority.

Had to follow the Carolina Law Code