NordenBladet – Witch trials, in which people accused of witchcraft were put on trial and often executed, took place in various parts of Europe and the American colonies from the late 15th century through the 18th century. The exact reasons for the persecution of witches varied by time and place, but they were often believed to be in league with the devil and to use their powers to harm others.
The biggest witch hunters were often religious leaders, such as priests and ministers, as well as secular officials like judges and magistrates.
Famous witches in history include Joan of Arc, who was burned at the stake in 1431, and Gilles de Rais, a French nobleman who was executed in 1440 for witchcraft and murder.
The vast majority of people accused of witchcraft were not actually practicing magic, but rather were victims of societal prejudices and power struggles. The witch trials were a form of social control and the persecution of marginalized groups such as women, poor and the elderly.
In the Nordic countries, witch trials were most common in the 17th century. In Denmark, around 400 people were executed for witchcraft between 1590 and 1693. In Sweden, the most intense period of witch trials (Look more: Wikipedia: Witch trials in Sweden) took place from 1668 to 1676, during which around 300 people were executed. In Norway, there were fewer witch trials, but around 100 people were executed for witchcraft between 1621 and 1693. In Finland, many of the people accused were men, so called “wise men” hired to perform magic by people. The largest witch trials in Finland were the Kastelholm witch trials of Åland in the 1660s, and those in Österbotten in 1674–1678, when between 157 and 200 people were charged, of which at least 41 were executed.
One of the most famous witch trials in Scandinavian history was the Torsåker witch trials in Sweden in 1675. The trial resulted in the execution of 35 people and the imprisonment of more than 80 others. The Torsåker witch trials were notable for the large number of people executed and the fact that many of the accused were men, as opposed to the majority of accused witches being women.
Witch trials in Latvia and Estonia were mainly conducted by the Baltic German elite of clergy, nobility and burghers against the indigenous peasantry in order to persecute Paganism by use of Christian demonology and witchcraft ideology.
The Põlula witch trials took place in the manor Põlula in Estonia in 1542. It centered around the noblewoman Anna Zoyge, who was accused by her husband Johann Meckes of having murdered her father-in-law with the assistance of five accomplices, who were all executed for witchcraft.
In addition to religious leaders, as mentioned earlier, secular officials such as judges and magistrates also played a significant role in the witch trials. They often had a financial incentive to prosecute witches as they were able to seize the accused person’s property and assets. There were several notable individuals who were involved in the persecution of those accused of witchcraft. Some examples include:
Norway: Tønne Huitfeldt, who led a witch hunt in the Bergen area in the late 16th century.
Denmark: Jakob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer, who wrote the infamous witch-hunting manual “Malleus Maleficarum” (The Hammer of Witches), which was used to justify the persecution of accused witches throughout Europe.
Finland: In Finland, witch hunting was less common than in other parts of Europe, however, there were some notable hunts in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
Estonia: Witch trials in Estonia were relatively rare, but still happened in the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable figure who was involved in the persecution of those accused of witchcraft in Estonia was German theologian and inquisitor Heinrich Stahl, who led witch hunts in Estonia in the late 16th century.
Also, near Nordic region…
England: Matthew Hopkins, an English witch hunter who was active in the 17th century and gained notoriety for his use of torture to extract confessions from accused witches.
As for the people who were considered or labeled as witches, it is important to note that the majority of those accused and executed for witchcraft in Scandinavia were women. Many of these women were poor and lived on the margins of society. They were often accused of using magic to harm others or of engaging in sexual relationships with the devil. Such records are not well preserved and it can be hard to know for sure who specifically were accused and executed as witches. The names of those accused and executed were often not recorded, and many of the records that do exist were destroyed during the trials.
The witch trials of Scandinavia were a dark and tragic chapter in history, in which innocent people were persecuted and executed for nothing more than being different. It serves as a reminder of the dangers of fear and ignorance and the importance of reason and compassion.
If this topic interests you, here are some authors who have written books about witch trials:
1. Silvia Federici, “Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation” (2004) – This book explores the historical relationship between capitalism and the persecution of witches, with a focus on the witch trials in Europe and in particular in Scandinavia.
2. Bengt Ankarloo, “Witchcraft and Magic in Europe: The Period of the Witch Trials” (2002) – This book provides a comprehensive overview of the history of witchcraft and magic in Europe, including in Scandinavia, covering the period from the late medieval to the early modern era.
There are several museums in Scandinavia that have exhibits related to the history of witchcraft and witch trials. Here are a few examples:
Sweden:
The Dalarna Museum in Falun, Sweden, has an exhibit on the witch trials that took place in the province of Dalarna in the late 17th century.
Denmark
The Moesgaard Museum in Aarhus, Denmark, has an exhibit on witchcraft and magic in the Viking Age and Middle Ages, including artifacts and information on the beliefs and practices of the time.
Norway:
The Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen, Norway, has an exhibit on the witch trials that took place in Bergen in the late 16th century, including the role of Tønne Huitfeldt in the witch hunts.
Finland:
The Turku Castle in Turku, Finland, has an exhibit on the history of witchcraft in Finland, including information on the beliefs and practices of the time and the witch trials that took place in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
These are a few examples of museums in Scandinavia that have exhibits related to the history of witchcraft and witch trials. There are other museums in the region with similar exhibits, but the list above is a good starting point.
Featured image: Exhibition in Stockholm in 2019 (NordenBladet)
Source: NordenBladet.ee