Arndt Bottermann

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Arndt Bottermann († October 4, 1647 in Witten ) was a farmer and a victim of the witch hunt .

life and death

Wall painting of a witch from the 1950s across from Bottermannstrasse in Witten

The case of Arndt Bottermann from Witten (Protestant since 1582) is one of the few witch trials that took place in the county of Mark . Full farmer Arndt Bottermann, a prominent member of the village community, fell into the clutches of witch justice in 1647 through defamation. The defendant was charged with killing two horses using damaging spells.

In order to rid himself of the rumors of magic in front of the neighbors, on September 30, 1647, Bottermann applied for a repeated application to be admitted to the water test. Finally, Judge Hermann Übelgünn agreed. But a three-time water test on October 3rd turned out to be unfavorable for him. The tradition in the case of Arndt Bottermann suggests the imposition and execution of a death sentence, but has not been handed down in writing.

In 1900 a novella was published which dealt with the Bottermann case and which contributed to the fact that his name is still common in the 20th and 21st centuries, at least in Witten.

The historical interrogation protocols for the Bottermann case are in the archive of the Association for Local and Regional Studies in the Grafschaft Mark in Witten.

Commemoration

A witch depiction in Witten has been commemorating Bottermann and other victims of the witch hunt since the 1950s. However, there is no plaque.

On September 15, 2014, the city of Witten decided to rehabilitate the victims of the witch persecution in Witten in a moral and socio-ethical manner.

literature

  • Hartmut Hegeler : Arndt Bottermann , in: Protestant profiles in the Ruhr area. Five hundred life pictures from five centuries. Edited by Michael Basse , Traugott Jähnichen , Harald Schroeter-Wittke . Verlag Hartmut Spenner, 2009, Kamen, pp. 114–115
  • Heinrich Schoppmeyer : New considerations on the witchcraft trial against Arndt Bottermann in Witten . In: Yearbook of the association for local and local history in the county of Mark . tape 89 , 1991, pp. 183-201 .
  • Petersen, 87; Bahlmann, 87f .: Kuhn, 133f.
  • Gerrit Haren: The judiciary in Witten. Fehmgericht. Witch trials . In: Yearbook of the association for local and local history in the county of Mark . tape 12 , 1898, pp. 139–156 (with the reproduction of the traditional interrogatorium, mentioned in German chancellery language in witch interrogation protocols of the early modern period, Vol. 1, De Gruyter, ISBN 3-11-018091-X , entry online ).
  • Ralf-Peter Fuchs : witch hunt on the Ruhr and Lippe. The use of justice by masters and subjects. Münster 2002 Table of Contents

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Ralf-Peter Fuchs : witch hunt on Ruhr and Lippe. The use of justice by masters and subjects . Westphalian Institute for Regional History. Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe. Muenster. Forum Regionalgeschichte 8. Ed. By Bernd Walter. Ardey Verlag Münster 2004, pp. 87ff
  2. ↑ Gerrit Haren: The last witch trial in Witten. A true story, told on the basis of a file. Lengerich undated (around 1900). Compare: Ralf-Peter Fuchs : A message about the Witten magic trials of the year 1580. Online
  3. ^ Resolution of the city council of the city of Witten. (PDF, 363 kB) September 23, 2014, accessed October 7, 2014 .
personal data
SURNAME Bottermann, Arndt
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bauer, accused in a witch trial
DATE OF BIRTH 16th century or 17th century
DATE OF DEATH October 4, 1647
Place of death Witten