Gerhard Schormann

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Gerhard Schormann (born January 9, 1942 in Bochum ; † February 20, 2018 ) was a German historian who was best known for his research on the witch hunts of the early modern period.

Live and act

Gerhard Albert Schormann studied history and philosophy at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster and at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn . In 1968 he received his doctorate in Bonn with a thesis on the marriage policy of the popes between 1334 and 1378. From 1972 he was assistant at the history seminar of the University of Düsseldorf at the chair for the history of the early modern period. There he received his habilitation in 1981 with a thesis on the University of Schaumburg in Rinteln an der Weser. In 1986 he was appointed adjunct professor at the University of Düsseldorf, a position he held until his retirement.

Two main topics shaped his scientific work. The witch hunts of the early modern period and the Thirty Years War . His commitment to witch research and the publication of standard works on the subject earned him the nickname "Hexen-Schormann". He gained particular merit by rediscovering the “ Hexenkartothek ” initiated by Heinrich Himmler , which he made usable for research. His last major monograph was on his second main topic, the Thirty Years War; here he took over the new edition of the second part of volume 10 of the Handbuch der deutschen Geschichte .

In its obituary, the University of Düsseldorf emphasized that Schormann's “lively way of imparting knowledge that repeatedly captivated his listeners” would be particularly remembered. The concern for the “technical training of his students” was just as important to him as the “appreciative exchange on equal terms”. For many students, Schormann was "formative for their academic career".

Works

Monographs

  • Contributions to the marriage policy of the Popes by Benedict XII. to Gregory XI. Diss. Bonn 1968, 1969.
  • Witch trials in north-west Germany (= sources and representations on the history of Lower Saxony. Vol. 87). Lax, Hildesheim 1977.
  • From the early days of the Rinteln Law Faculty (= Schaumburg Studies. Vol. 38). Driftmann, Bückeburg 1977.
  • Rinteln students of the 17th and 18th centuries (= Schaumburg studies. Vol. 42). Bösendahl, Rinteln 1981, ISBN 3-87085-063-9 .
  • Witch trials in Germany (= Kleine Vandenhoeck series. 1470). Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1981, ISBN 3-525-33456-7 , 3rd edition 1996. online .
  • Academia Ernestina. The University of Schaumburg in Rinteln on the Weser (1610 / 21-1810) (= Academia Marburgensis. Vol. 4). Elwert, Marburg 1982, ISBN 3-7708-0751-0 .
  • The Thirty Years' War (= Kleine Vandenhoeck series. 1506). 3rd, revised edition. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2004, ISBN 3-525-33506-7 online .
  • The war against the witches. The extermination program of the Electors of Cologne. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1991, online .

Articles (selection)

  • Witch hunt in Schaumburg . In: Niedersächsisches Jahrbuch für Landesgeschichte 45 (1973), pp. 145–169.
  • Administration of criminal justice in Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel 1569–1633 . In: Braunschweigisches Jahrbuch 55 (1974), pp. 90-112.
  • Simon VI. and his library. A contribution to the Second Reformation in Lippe . In: Yearbook for Westphalian Church History 70 (1977), pp. 63–98.
  • Copius versus Hamelmann. A sacrament dispute in Lemgo . In: Lippische Mitteilungen aus Geschichte und Landeskunde 47 (1978), pp. 5–37
  • The Lemgoer Gymnasium between Lutheranism and the second Reformation . In: Lippische Mitteilungen aus Geschichte und Landeskunde 49 (1980), pp. 7–32.
  • The Fulda witch trials and the Würzburg law faculty . In: Gisela Wilbertz, Gerd Schwerhoff and Jürgen Scheffler (eds.): Witch persecution and regional history. The Grafschaft Lippe in comparison , Bielefeld 1994 (= studies on regional history , 4), pp. 311–323.
  • The Thirty Years War 1618–1648 . In: Gebhardt. Handbook of German History , Vol. 10, Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-608-60010-8 , pp. 207-282.

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Schormann, Gerhard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German historian
DATE OF BIRTH January 9, 1942
PLACE OF BIRTH Bochum
DATE OF DEATH 20th February 2018