Southern Germany Flashcards
Who is Peter Binsfield?
Suffragen bishop of Trier
He wrote an influential book on the danger of witch craft
What factors helped Binsfield to persecute witches in Trier?
- a series of poor harvests in the 1580s resulted in harsh economic conditions. People sought scapegoats. Possible that local pressure caused authorities to act
- A long standing struggle for power between Trier town council and the prince-bishop was decided in favour of the prince-bishop
- A newly established Jesuit college enthusiastically supported Binsfeld’s campaign against witches. They kept in custody young boys who claimed that they had attended the sabbat and could identify witches
Who was Dr Dietrich Flade?
A witch accused of attending the sabbat by a Jesuit boy in 1587
He served as a councillor to the prince-bishop, as chancellor to the university and as chief-prosecutor
He was tortured until he confessed and was burned in 1589
It is possible he opposed the hunt and thus was regarded by the Jesuits as an enemy
What did Cornelius Loos do?
He wrote a treatise condemning the hunts and the village committees that coordinated them in Trier
Before he could get it published he was arrested by the archbishop of Trier and imprisoned until he formally recanted his views
Who was Ehrenburg?
Prince-bishop of Würzburg
Who were some of the victims in Würzburg?
- Nobles and Mayors
- Ehrenburg’s own nephew
- 19 Catholic Priests
- Children
Who took over Würzburg after the Prince-Bishop died and what happened to the witch-hunts?
Würzburg was taken over by the King of Sweden in 1631 and the Witch trial came to an end
Who wrote ‘Cautio Criminalis’ and what was it about?
Jesuit, Von Langenfeld wrote ‘Cautio Criminalis’, condemning the activities in Würzburg
The book was printed anonymously and had a considerable effect in halting the witchcraft persecution in many parts of Germany
Typically, large-scale witch hunts pass through three stages into they come to an end. What are they?
- Accusation of stereotypical witches
- Accusation of non-stereotypical witches
- Accusation of members of the elite
In 1626 what caused pressure for prosecution from below in Bamberg and Würzburg?
The vineyards all froze over, as did the grain fields, which rotted
This caused great inflation resulting in the ‘great pleading from the common rabble’ questioning why witches hadn’t been punished for spoiling the crops - Behringer
Around a quarter of witches in Würzburg were…..?
Children
Who was Aschhausen?
Prince-Bishop of Bamberg 1609-22
He was determined to re-Catholicism his diocese and invited Jesuits into Bamberg and founded new schools in order to remove any sign of Protestantism
Who is Johannesburg Junius?
Has been Lord Mayor of Bamberg
Was one of the men denounced by Han
Tortured extensively until he confessed
Quote from Johannesburg Junius?
“Innocent I have come into prison, innocent I have been tortured, innocent I must die”
What did Emperor Ferdinand II do to try and control the Bamberg hunts?
1630 issued strong directives opposing the hunts
Ordered that in future trials the basis of accusation be made public
Legal counsel be allowed to the defendants
Confiscation of property cease
He also appointed an official, known to be opposed to he witch-hunts, as head of the Bamberg witch commission
