Witch hunt in Neustadt am Rübenberge

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It was clear to the people of the early modern period that “witches” could be tricked into harming others by the devil . The accusation of damaging magic served people to interpret accidents in everyday life that magic could trigger diseases or impotence, and was an integral part of the charges against alleged witches. In the witch persecution in Neustadt am Rübenberge in Lower Saxony , the criminal prosecution of magicians and witches was based on the offense of harmful sorcery.

In these proceedings it also becomes clear how the persecution of witches could be misused by the powerful as a personal and political instrument. Most of the victims of the witch hunt were common people, while members of noble families had more chances of going to execution because of influential advocates.

Duke Erich II: Portrait with the Order of the Golden Fleece
Sidonie von Sachsen: Detail from an oil painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder. Ä.
Merian copper engraving of the castle and town of Neustadt am Rubenberge around 1650

Conflicts between Duke Erich and Duchess Sidonie

Duke Erich II's marriage to Sidonie von Sachsen remained childless. There were arguments between the couple, which led Sidonie to suspect that her husband was trying to poison her. When Duke Erich fell seriously ill in 1564, he again suspected poisoning and magic damage . In the course of these arguments the mutual bitterness reached its climax, and several people, e.g. Some of them came from the aristocratic class, got into witch trials and were charged with harmful magic and poisoning.

Sister of dr. Burkhardt

In a letter dated April 3, 1568, Sidonie wrote to her brother August , Elector of Saxony, that several sorceresses had been arrested in Neustadt am Rübenberge , three of which were known to have been able to use the devil's arts to prevent the duke from lust and love you had and could not stay in the country. In an interrogation, Dr. Burkhardt's sister confessed that she had taught the Duchess something that she should be dead and that she was so sick at the time that all the doctors were desperate for her life . Dr. Burkhardt's sister died as a result of the torture: The beginner was killed by her courtiers (Satan) and broke her neck in two like a turnip.

The Badelensche

Other women were accused of complicity in the poisoning. The Badelensche, an old woman, widow of Badelens, Dudensing's wife, made a confession of the devil's pact and the magic of damage. She confessed devil's pact , participation in the coven and host desecration , and she said several other women as accomplices: the Hartsche that Timm ash and others.

The cuckoo

Similar confessions passed the Kuckerin: devil's pact, participation in the coven and paramour with the devil. She accused Gesche Role (Voigtin, Geschke, des Voigts Rohle's wife) that she had led several women to harm the Duke with magic drugs. Gesche Role would have wanted to take revenge because Erich had deposed her husband. During the interrogations, several defendants confirmed suspicions that Gesche Role had cast a spell on the Duke. Gesche Role denied all charges against her. Because of her, an opinion was obtained from the jury's chair in Halle in 1571, which allowed the use of torture.

The dark woman

Another woman, the Dunkertin, confessed to having started a fire in the castle in Neustadt so that the duke would stay dead or at least the bailiff would be in danger and be deposed of his office . She was hostile to the bailiff because he did not want to marry her daughter.

Some of these accused died under the torture during the investigation, the others were executed.

Witch trials in the city of Eldagsen

In these and the following proceedings, it becomes clear how the persecution of witches was abused by the powerful as a personal and political instrument.

The Duke had initiated a witch trial against Sidonie von Sachsen and initiated the initiation of witch trials in the city of Eldagsen . Initially, ordinary people from the population were accused: Gesche Role , the Ölsin, Annecke Lange and her husband Hans Lange . Lange, Gesche Herbst and Annecke Rotschroeder were sentenced to death by fire on March 28, 1572.

Proceedings against women from higher social classes

As a result of the embarrassing interrogations and the subsequent statements, the proceedings against women from higher social classes expanded. Before the execution, the Rotschröder and the Herbst are said to have complained loudly about the Knigge, the Warnische and the Hartleb. They would have brought them into this situation and would be no less guilty than they themselves.

Through the statements of the Langesche couple in the embarrassing interrogation, ladies from the area around Sidonie were said to be, including some from the nobility: the Simonsche, the Warnische, the Kniggesche and the Hartleb.

Simonsche

The 88-year-old Annecke Voss (Simensche, Anna von Reden, widow of Simon von Reden and mother of Curt von Reden) from Pattensen had, according to Duke Erich II, been accused of sorcery several years earlier. She was interrogated on March 13th and confessed to dealing with the devil, magic and ordering poison from Annecke Lange. This poison was intended for Duke Erich. Since he didn't want to stay with his wife, he shouldn't be able to stay in the country either. In addition, the Duke would not have wanted to take her sons into his service. Annecke Lange had stated that she had been instigated by this woman to poison Duke Erich II with the promise of a good reward. When she consented, she received the poison as a powder in a small white pot through “the devil” of the Simons.

The warning niche

The Warnische (Katharine / Katharina) was the old Vogtin, widow of the Grand Vogt von Rübenberge Curt Warnickes (Kurd Warneken), a born von Dassel , married to the Oberamtmann von Wolfenbüttel and Hauptmann zu Calvörde Erich Dux.

On March 14th, the Warnische was interrogated and said Barbara Hartleb as her devil teacher. In the case of poisoning against the Duke, she made the desired confession and incriminated the Duchess directly. She had given her a small green box with gray powder so that she could pour it into beer or food for the Duke so that he would be verqueime (exhausted). She would not have reported the Duchess earlier because she had received a lot of grace and goodness from her. For the first time in the interrogations it is stated that the Duchess intended to kill the Duke with poison. Duchess Hedwig, Margarethe, Duchess of Münsterberg, and Duchess Sofia, widow of Heinrich the Elder, used the Warnische for Duke Erich II. During the interrogation on March 14th, the Warnische said Barbara Hartleb was her devil teacher.

Barbara Hartleb

Barbara Hartleb (née Vorwalt) was the housewife of Johann Hartleb (Hartleben), bailiff at Burg Lauenburg Castle in the former county of Dassel . She was said by the Warnischen as her devil teacher.

Margarethe Knigge

The Kniggesche (Kniggische) was Margarethe Knigge geb. Black from Pattensen / Egestorf. Her son Jobst had an estate in Leveste . She was a stately nobility and frequented the Duchess Sidonie von Sachsen. On March 20, 1572, she was arrested by Vogt Dillies von Calenberg and confessed to all allegations in several interrogations from March 20 to 25. Her relatives asked Duke Erich II for her release on bail and offered 100,000 guilders as security. Her brother, Count Adolf Schwarz, Lippesche Landdrost, turned to the emperor and obtained a mandate that his sister was to be handed over to the dukes of Wolfenbüttel . Hedwig, the wife of Duke Julius, also referred to Duke Erich on April 9 in a letter.

After Duke Erich had ended the trials against the three accused with the "lower" social class by executing them, he continued the trial against the four women from the higher social class. For more fastening and witness to the truth presented Erich them on March 30 in the long hall in the castle of Neustadt in front of a special, extraordinary Court with 33 judges, including deputies of the Counts of Schaumburg and Hoya , representatives of chivalry and the country Assen, envoy Cities of Hanover and Hamelin , plus nine people who were present in the earlier interrogations.

The women were read their original poems in the presence of Duke Erich II . With the exception of Hartleb, who had previously revoked a previous confession, the women confirmed their statements. The next day, when some of those assigned had already left, Hartleb was interrogated again, and she confessed to her confession, questioned amicably and without an executioner or scared man . She even confessed to a conversation with the Duchess about the poison and the failure of the Coldinger assassination attempt. The Warnische had been tortured so badly that she could not speak aloud but only point. The etiquette pointed out to the gentlemen that they had made their statements under torture. She would have been torqued four times on the ladder. On March 28th and April 19th she asked the Duke's forgiveness and offered a large sum for her release. On April 20, she asked for a pardon for beheading in order not to suffer the horrific death by fire. As a result of these interrogations , Sidonie stood there, insulted in front of all of Germany, portrayed as a poisoner who did not disdain even the devil's support.

On April 21, 1572 the embarrassing court was held. The Warnische and the Knigge were accused of poisoning, the Simonsche and Hartleb also of sorcery and intercourse with the devil. Knigge fell on their feet and asked the nobles present to intercede with Duke Erich that he would give her life. The court suspended her verdict and returned her to prison.

End of the trial against the noble women

After Duchess Sidonia escaped on April 20, Duke Erich sent copies of the judgments of the embarrassing necklaces of the executed and the original court cases of the imprisoned women to befriended and influential princes and cities in order to improve his reputation. At a specially scheduled state parliament in Hameln for the estates of his country, he had the trial files read out publicly and a report to the emperor in Vienna drawn up. At considerable expense, he had legal opinions drawn up by several domestic and foreign law faculties in his case against the captured women and because of the relationship with his wife Sidonie. The imprisoned women were allowed to write letters to their relatives at Pentecost (May 25): the etiquette to their son, the Hartleb and the Warnische to their husbands. Notary Meineking wrote down the words for the severely weakened Warnische. In the letters, the defendants assured that food, drink and all necessities would be fine. They repeated the confession of guilt and asked for mercy from the duke. The letters make it clear that the work was commissioned . Duchess Sidonie obtained a letter from the emperor that the duke should appear before the emperor for a confrontation with his wife and the captive women . He should deliver this to Duke Julius within three days. In Wolfenbüttel an attempt was made by delegates to extradite the captured women on July 24th.

Duke Erich II shied away from bringing the trial of five imprisoned noble ladies to a conclusion. Finally, Duke Julius from Wolfenbüttel reached their delivery on May 5, 1573: Margarethe Knigge, the Warnicke, the Hartleb, the Simonsche and the Ölsin. At a conference in Halberstadt , they described their ordeal to a committee. The Duchess Sidonia, who was present, was particularly keen to prove the innocence of women, including her own. The captured women were released on January 7, 1574 against the protest of Erich's envoy.

See also

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Karl von Weber : Sidonie, Duchess of Braunschweig, born. Duchess of Saxony. † 1575 . In: From four centuries: communications from the main state archive in Dresden , Leipzig 1858, volume 2, p. 51
  2. ^ Karl von Weber: Sidonie, Duchess of Braunschweig, born. Duchess of Saxony. † 1575 . In: From four centuries: communications from the main state archive in Dresden , Leipzig 1858, volume 2, p. 51 ff.
  3. ^ Christian Dyck: Witch burnings in the center of Neustadt am Rübenberge? Research on the witch trials under Erich the Second . Accessed May 22, 2016
  4. ^ Karl von Weber: Sidonie, Duchess of Braunschweig, born. Duchess of Saxony. † 1575. In: From four centuries: communications from the main state archive in Dresden , Leipzig 1858, volume 2, p. 57
  5. ↑ Johannes Merkel: The errors between Duke Erich II and his wife Sidonia . In: Journal of the Historical Association for Lower Saxony . Year 1899, page 31. (PDF), accessed on April 28, 2016 online version.
  6. ^ Karl von Weber: Sidonie, Duchess of Braunschweig, born. Duchess of Saxony. † 1575. In: From four centuries: communications from the main state archive in Dresden , Leipzig 1858, volume 2, p. 57
  7. ↑ Johannes Merkel: The errors between Duke Erich II and his wife Sidonia . In: Journal of the Historical Association for Lower Saxony . Year 1899, pp. 19, 31, 35, 40–41. (PDF), accessed on April 28, 2016 Online version.
  8. ^ Karl von Weber: Sidonie, Duchess of Braunschweig, born. Duchess of Saxony. † 1575. In: From four centuries: communications from the main state archive in Dresden , Leipzig 1858, volume 2, p. 57
  9. ↑ Johannes Merkel: The errors between Duke Erich II and his wife Sidonia . In: Journal of the Historical Association for Lower Saxony . Year 1899, page 31. (PDF), accessed on April 28, 2016 online version.
  10. ^ Karl von Weber: Sidonie, Duchess of Braunschweig, born. Duchess of Saxony. † 1575 . In: From four centuries: communications from the main state archive in Dresden , Leipzig 1858, volume 2, p. 59
  11. ↑ Johannes Merkel: The errors between Duke Erich II and his wife Sidonia . In: Journal of the Historical Association for Lower Saxony . Year 1899, p. 50 (PDF), accessed on April 28, 2016 online version.