Bamberg 1626-1631 (Pt.2)

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  • Bamberg 1626-1631
    • Key People
      • Johann Gottfried von Aschhausen
        • Prince-Bishop of Bamberg (1609-1622)
        • In 1610 he issued a new ordinance concerning witchcraft
          • Within it, he ordered an investigation, whereby any person found practicing magic would be severely punished
      • Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim
        • Believed tackling witchcraft was of utmost importance
        • took personal responsibility for the investigation and hired a number of people to assist him
        • His own wealth increased dramatically with the confiscation of witches' property
          • He had a passion for witch-hunting and needed great amounts of money to conduct them effectively and in great numbers
        • Held near absolute power on both the ecclesiastical front and the secular front
        • Had great religious zeal
          • Believed Protestants to be in alliance with the Devil
            • The Devil did not need to use his power against those Protestants who already believed his lies
        • The Imperial court attempted to restrain Dornheim's zeal
          • Prominent people fled to plead for intervention
      • Frederick Forner
        • Vicar general and acted as deputy to von Dornheim
        • Strong advocate for the counter-reformation
        • Relentlessly pursued witches
        • At von Aschausen's funeral, he gave the sermon where he blamed the rise of Protestantism for the outbreak of the 30 Years' War
        • Believed that the defeat of one demonic force leads to the rise of another, more lethal force
        • Published 25 sermons on witchcraft in 1625
        • Provided an intellectual framework for the witch-hunts and was therefore indispensable to von Dornheim
        • Believed both witches and Protestants undermined the entire social and political order by failing to respect the sacraments, relics and festivals of the Catholic Church
        • Argued that the Thirty Years' War increased cases of witchcraft
          • Increased incidences of maleficia
          • The Protestant rebellion that caused the war
        • Both believed that if the devil uses violence, it is justifiable to use violence and torture in return on suspected witches
          • Johann Gottfried von Aschhausen
            • Prince-Bishop of Bamberg (1609-1622)
            • In 1610 he issued a new ordinance concerning witchcraft
              • Within it, he ordered an investigation, whereby any person found practicing magic would be severely punished
      • Dr George Haan
        • Vice-Chancellor of Bamberg
          • Loyal servant to the bishops of Bamberg for many years
          • Upper class
        • Fell out of favour as he was seen as a relatively lenient judge
          • People thought he was a witch-supervisor
            • Wanted to remove anyone from power that may prevent witches from being persecuted
        • His wife and daughter were arrested and he took his son and fled to the imperial court in Speyer
          • By the time he returned, his wife and daughter had been tortured, confessed and burned.
            • Haan and his son were also forced to confess and they were burned in 1628
              • During his torture he named 5 councillors who also got burned
      • Johannes Junius
        • Burgomaster
          • Master or Mayor of the town (highest position) for 20 years
        • He wrote a letter to his daughter whilst in prison
          • Explained the torture and the things he was 'confessing' weren't true
            • constantly insists that he is not a witch and that they have got their accusations wrong
            • Says that when thumb screws applied he felt no pain on both occasions
            • When a mark is found on his right side and prickled 3 times, he feels no pain and no blood flows out
            • Finally confesses on July 5th 1628
        • One of the most high profile cases
        • Shortly before his arrest, his wife had been executed as a witch which implicated him by association
          • Also implicated by Dr Haan and his family who had named him before they were executed
        • Seems to have been treated less harshly when examined and tortured
        • Treated badly by the evil spirits despite supposedly being in alliance with them as he had refused to do what they had said and kill his daughter
    • No one knew how to examine a witch and so an outsider named Trill was called in
      • After this many more were accused and ultimately executed
    • The Bamberg Terror
      • Torture used in Bamberg was brutal
        • More likely suspects would confess to make the pain stop
      • Devices Used
        • Thumbscrews
        • Leg vices
        • Scourging
        • the stocks, furnished with iron spikes
        • the strappardo
        • burning feathers held under the arms and groin
        • The prayer stool, a kneeling board with sharp wooden pegs
        • forcible feeding on herring cooked in salt and denial of water
        • Scalding water baths to which lime had been added
        • The Linsten Chamber
    • Drudenhaus (Witch Prison)
      • Constructed in 1627 on the orders of von Dornheim
      • The walls were covered in biblical texts
        • Witches were thought to be in allegiance with the devil and so have renounced God
          • Biblical texts were displayed to influence them to come back to Christianity and away from witchcraft

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