Child witch trials in Freising
The two child witch trials in Freising took place towards the end of the witch hunt in Freising , at that time the center of the Hochstift Freising , from 1715 to 1717 and from 1721 to 1723.
First trial
The first trial began with the arrest of begging boys Andre and Lorenz on December 3, 1715, as they were accused of being able to make piglets and mice. Other children were arrested based on what they said. On August 12, 1717 Andre hanged himself in his cell, another boy died of an illness. Three boys were executed with sword and fire on November 12, 1717 . Two other boys had to watch the execution , were punished with rods and then placed under spiritual supervision.
Second process
The second child witch trial was triggered by the arrest of Veit Adlwart for theft. Presumably because of his conviction in the first child witch trial (he was one of the two boys who witnessed the execution), the charge was changed from theft to witchcraft. Over a hundred people were subsequently arrested, but most of them were released. A total of eight boys between the ages of 14 and 23 and three middle-aged beggars were executed. Among the boys executed was Veit Adlwart, who was executed on December 15, 1721. The wave of arrests and executions did not end until more and more members of the upper classes were targeted.
swell
- Sabine Seidel: Kindermund (not always) reveals the truth - consideration of the role of children in European witch trials (taking into account Southeastern European ideas of magic). Thesis . Karl Franzens University , Graz 2003.
literature
- Rainer Beck: Mäuselmacher or the imagination of evil - A witch trial 1715–1723. 2nd Edition. CH Beck, Munich 2012, ISBN 978-3-406-62187-1 .
- Karl Mayer: Flayer and executioner in the Hochstift Freising. Fink, Freising 2011, ISBN 978-3-00-034978-2 .