GERMAN
WITCH PANIC:
Erik Midelfort, Witch Hunting in S. W. Germany
I. POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE [HRE]
1555 Peace of Augsburg: Reformation political settlement
confirms sovereignty of local princes
reduces role of Emperor, increases decentralization
conflicts between Imperial & local (princely) legislation
1532: Constitutio Criminalis Carolina [CAROLINA]
Emperor Charles V: new criminal code for Empire
article on witchcraft:
l) limits placed on torture
2) requires judges
to seek "legal counsel" from
university professors
of law
3) result is growing
influence of Roman law
1572: Electoral Saxony adopts new criminal code
II. CHRONOLOGY: 1520-1576 (no editions of Malleus)
Known executions for witchcraft
1400-1560: approx.
88 in all of Empire
1561-1670: approx.
3200 in Southwest alone
40%
of executions occur in panic trials
1630-1650: hiatus
in trials -- 30 Years War 1618-1648
military governments
prohibit trials
III. Geography: smaller states have larger panics
Ecclesiastical states (Prince-Bishoprics)
1587-93:
Archbishop of TRIER: 368 executed (K&P #47)
1620's: Prince-Bishop
of WURZBURG: 900 exec. (K&P #54)
1623-1633: Prince-Bishop
of BAMBERG: 600 executed
including Burgher Johannes Junius (K&P #53)
Secular states: BAVARIA approx. 2,000 executions
IV. Mechanisms of Panic Trials
Accelerating factors in "chain reaction"
1. Confiscation of property??
2. "Legal counsel"
leads to emphasis on theory of diabolical
nature of W/C (Sabbath, pact)
3. Torture: standardized
confessions
Braking mechanisms: How do trials stop?
breakdown in stereotype
of old, female witch in panics
80-90% women: but
men, social elites & children accused
gradual decline of
confidence in torture
Frederick von Spee: Jesuit witch confessor in Wurzburg
1631 CAUTIO CRIMINALIS
(Precautions for Prosecutors)
[K&P #65]