Margarethe Rockemann

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Margarethe Rockemann (* between 1609 and 1619  ? † October 24, 1669 in Minden ) was a victim of the witch trials in the 17th century in the East Westphalian city ​​of Minden.

Life

Margarethe Rockemann, née Rabedings, had been a Minden citizen and widow since 1651. Her husband, who died in 1660, was the master craftsman (trader) Johann Rockemann, her children were son Heinrich and daughter Margarethe. She lived in Minden on Kuhtorstrasse (today Königsstrasse) and was well integrated into social life: she was friends with Ilsche Costede (wife of the master baker) and Catharina, widow of Christian Vagts (the Hotkersche).

Witch trial

After 30 years without persecution, the Minden Council Court began intensive witch trials in 1669, the year the government of the Brandenburg Principality of Minden moved to the city of Minden, which was free from office. Margarethe Rockemann was among the 24 accused. The case of the Höker widow Margarethe Rockemann shows the role of soldiers billeted in town houses in the origin and spread of rumors of witchcraft during this time. They hoped to integrate into urban society if they helped to expose the dangerous witch sect and denounced people .

Margarethe Rockemann had been rumored about the witch crime for many years: a fiery dragon (symbol of Satan) is said to have flown in and out of the house of the Rockemanns as early as 1659. She suspected that one of the Brandenburg-Prussian soldiers stationed in Minden was the author of the talk: the soldier Johann Schröer had seen a light on the storage room and had started the rumor.

In July 1669, Margarethe Rockemann was "denounced" (denounced) in witch trials under torture as one of the colonels at the dance. In addition, she would have a pot with ointment (lubricating pot) under the bed for the flight to the Witches' Sabbath . Reputation witnesses said she was "mistaken for a witch".

The Rinteln Law Faculty recommended a house search , but no ointment jar was found. It became more dangerous when, among other accused, her mentally retarded maid Margarethe Wehking "said" her as a magician and witch's dance participant. Said a relative was a serious witch evidence.

In September 1669, during the interrogation in the town hall, the council court held her against further statements by other defendants. She resisted, describes it as a lie and protested her innocence: "If there had been a grease pot, the council servants would have found it!" The councilors threatened her with torture, but she demanded her release, which was granted on her son's bail .

Unique in the Minden witch trials: at dawn on September 16, 1669, she fled the city to relatives in Bremen . The family had prepared the escape in good time, because weeks before all the milking maids thought the Rockemannsche was a witch. Immediately the councilors asked all surrounding places for administrative assistance . The escape failed due to intercepted letters. Margarethe Rockemann was arrested in Bremen on September 22, 1669 and extradited four days later.

Witnesses were found in Minden who accused them of the magic of harm (illness). She did not confess during amicable interrogation on October 7th. Your request for a water sample was not granted, but the councilors carried out a needle test . The Rinteln University approved the torture.

In the torture chamber , the executioner put her leg screws on. Eventually she confessed to being a witch. Her lover Johann Bruhne rewarded her with a gold piece for the devil's pact . Two caterpillar-like creatures were created at the Teufelsbühschaft . The devil took it from her to prepare poison. The torture also squeezed out of her: she had poisoned her husband and her 2-year-old granddaughter Margarethe, as well as calves and pigs. Under the torture, she reported 21 people for taking part in the witch's dance on the Minderheide.

On October 10, the Rockemannsche was supposed to confirm her confession before the council. Then she revoked the name of her "devilish teacher" and instead named someone who had died. When the councilors threatened to torture them again, their resistance was broken. The councilors sentenced them to death, read the Urgicht publicly and announced their verdict: not burning at the stake , but beheading . In another process, the relatives paid 100 thalers to the councilors for such a reduction in sentences. On October 24, 1669 she was beheaded and buried by the executioner Matthias Albrecht.

In 1672 three other members of the family got into witch trials.

swell

File on the trial of Margarethe Röckemann in the Minden City Archives, B, No. 248, 2 (old) with testimony, statements by the defendant and reports from the Law Faculty of the University of Rinteln and an invoice for the costs. On the second page of the invoice (fol. 71v) there is the entry, according to which "d. August 10th M. Mattias and his servants have received money for beer" and "d. 22nd [...] M Mattias for the interrogation" and "Pro decollatione" as well as "for buried" money was given. There is no death sentence in this file (Dr. Monika Schulte, City of Minden, archive, 2012), but in the Arndt Meyers councilor's register (StAMS, Mscr. VII, no. 2418, Bl. 46-249, Bl. 170 v.)

literature

Barbara Groß: Witchcraft in Minden. On the social logic of witchcraft suspicions and witch trials (1584–1684). Münster 2009, pp. 148-181

Web links

See also

personal data
SURNAME Rockemann, Margarethe
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Rockemannian
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Victims of the witch trials
DATE OF BIRTH between 1610 and 1619
DATE OF DEATH October 24, 1669
Place of death Minden