The witch of Ahnsbeck
The Witch of Ahnsbeck is the last novel by the German author Heinrich Hüner . The novel was written in 1944/45, but was only published after Heinrich Hüner's death.
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The Witch von Ahnsbeck is about a love story in 1570. Bruno Brantwulf (Junker von Steenlage) falls in love with Armgard Salge ( farmer's daughter from Ahnsbeck). At first the love is only one-sided, but soon Armgard falls in love too. She is later accused of being a witch , but Bruno can save her and marry the two of them.
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Bruno Brantwulf
He is the Junker von Steenlage who falls in love with Armgard. First his grandfather was a Junker, before that they were farmers. He is also the son of the wicked Brantwulf. Many ghastly stories are told about his father, but he doesn't really believe them himself. What is certain is that his father was very stingy and always tried not to have to spend his money. Bruno himself is not as stingy as his father, but he is also contentious.
Armgard Salge
She is the only daughter, besides two brothers, of a farmer in Ahnsbeck and promises Bruno to marry him. Because her mother has already died, she has to take over all the women's work on the farm. She is also the village beauty and is therefore hated by many girls. She is later accused of being a witch.
Summary
The story begins in an inn called "Blauen Donner". Only a few hours ago witches were executed on the Celler pasture. Now a lot of people sit in the inn and discuss the witch burnings and that most of the witches come from Ahnsbeck, a neighboring village. There are many strangers in the "Blue Thunder" who came because of the witch trials. Armgard Salge and her father, from the village of Ahnsbeck, are also sitting at a small table with another stranger. Since Armgard is very beautiful, she always attracts looks. Your father doesn't like it that much and that's why they leave after a short time. But Bruno Brantwulf (Junker from Steenlage) has his eye on Armgard and he really wants to see her again. He looks for her in Ahnsbeck and talks to her, but she approaches him very negatively and does not even want to offer him her hand in greeting. Bruno is not disappointed or even discouraged because of that, he just likes her all the more. He doesn't want to give up yet and that's why he is invited to go hunting with him from his war comrade, Sievert von Oppershausen, which is near Ahnsbeck. So Bruno was able to follow two hunts.
He hunted for two days with his friend and indulged in old memories. On the third day, it was decided to hunt separately and Bruno Brantwulf came to Armgard's mind again, instead of following the game, he wanted to pay more attention to his second hunt and rode to Ahnsbeck. Bruno is lucky and meets Armgard in the field while spreading flax. She rejects him again, but he decides not to give up.
A few days later there is a dance evening in the village of Ahnsbeck and Bruno comes there to dance with Armgard. The village boys don't like it at all that a stranger comes and always dances with the village beauties. Because of this, there is an argument and a fight. Bruno escapes, but Ahnsbeck calls him the devil.
He can't come back for a while because of business, but doesn't forget Armgard. Like every year, he has to fight with the bishop for the tithing of a few farms between Brunos Steenlage and Verden, where the bishop lives. Each time armed with the carters are sent to protect the wagons. The people of the bishop and Bruno meet and a fight ensues. The Steenläger lose, one man is arrested and one is killed. When Bruno Brantwulf learns of the outcome of the fight, he is very angry and decides to take revenge by robbing some of the bishop's covered wagons with valuable cargo. During the attack, Bruno is captured by the bishop and sentenced to death. He manages a spectacular escape. When he was back within the protective walls of his house, the bishop gave up and they agreed that Bruno should get the tithing of the smallest court and the bishop that of the rest. Now the Steenläger could concentrate on Armgard again, nine months had passed since the dance evening, but now he could finally see her again. He rides to Ahnsbeck and arranges a meeting with her in the Allerheide. Armgard was finally no longer so dismissive and they meet more and more often. But then there was another plague epidemic and people are suspicious of strangers again. But as soon as the epidemic is over, the two meet again. This meeting is disrupted by an unwanted visitor and again they don't see each other for a while. In the meantime Armgard has been decried as a witch in the village, the reasons for which are mostly made-up nonsense by the girls from the village. After a while, Bruno and Armgard meet again, at which the two become engaged. She wants to get everything ready for the departure from her father's court and asks Bruno to wait for a message from her. He waits a few weeks for a message from Armgard stating that he can finally come and ask for her hand publicly, but she doesn't come.
After a while he learns that Armgard is accused of witchcraft and the water test is carried out on her. The water sample can be used to determine whether a person is a witch or not. The person is thrown into the water and if he swims he is a witch, if not he is free. Bruno decides to save her and waits until the time comes. Armgard is tied up and thrown into the river. Due to an unfavorable circumstance, she swims and her tormentors want to take her out of the river again and then burn her. However, Bruno can save them, masked and with the help of his servants. Since the tormentors were not prepared for such resistance, the rescuers and Armgard can escape. Using a trick, they also manage to take off the pursuers and lay false tracks so that no one is injured or caught. Armgard is introduced to Bruno's farm as a girl from Courland who has lost her family. Bruno marries her and it never occurs to anyone that she is the witch from Ahnsbeck who escaped.