The last burning of witches in Cologne: A dark chapter revealed

The last burning of witches in Cologne: A dark chapter revealed

The dark history of witch hunts has left deep traces in Cologne. The case of the young Entgen Lenarts is particularly impressive. Entgen, who was only ten years old, was interrogated in the Frankenturm in 1655, where she stated that she had already been to the witches' dance 30 times and had dedicated herself to the devil. Her career is tragic: her father was shot and her mother left with another man. At that time, life was particularly hard for an orphan like her, which probably fueled her accusations. Due to her age, she was not executed immediately, but had to endure three years in the prison tower before she was beheaded on February 18, 1655 and then burned. This was the last officially documented execution for witchcraft in Cologne, where a total of 103 accusations and trials for witchcraft can be found. Of these, 38 ended with a public execution, a frightening part of history that ksta.de traces in detail.

But why do such atrocities happen? The witch hunt craze reached its peak in the 16th and 17th centuries. Historians like Irene Franken point out that the circumstances of social crises, such as epidemics or wars, often simply required scapegoats. Tens of thousands of people, mostly women, were killed in Germany. In Cologne, for example, 34 women, two children and two men had to lose their lives because of accusations of witchcraft. It was often women from poor backgrounds who were considered easy targets, which kliotop.hypotheses.org highlights in its analyses.

Witchcraft and denunciation

The book “Hexenhammer”, first published in 1487, provided the necessary legitimacy for the persecutions and contained instructions for interrogation and torture. Many Christian practices could hardly be separated from magic, and so it often happened that denunciations from neighbors or acquaintances triggered investigations. The Cologne City Council carried out the initial investigation, which was then forwarded to the archiepiscopal court. Although acquittals were possible, this privilege was rarely extended to the accused.

The procedures followed a specific pattern that included psychological and physical torture to extract confessions. Witch tests such as the water test were used even though they were officially forbidden. During this time, belief in witches and their powers was widespread. Historians report over 40,000 to 60,000 executions in Europe, with around 80% of the victims being women, which also impressively shows the drama of this time. Wikipedia adds that the alarm about the magic of witches and the fears associated with it were deeply woven into the social structure.

Legacy of the witch hunt

The effects of these persecutions are still felt in society today, as sexual and social stigmatization still exists. In his work on the witch hunts in Cologne, Gerd Schwerhoff has shown that many of these historical processes were shaped not only by superstition, but also by social factors such as poverty and marginal existence. The lecture, which was also published in the Bensberg Protocols, offers an impressive overview and illustrates how thin the line was between suspicion and judgment.

Overall, it remains to be said that the history of the witch hunt in Cologne and elsewhere is a dark reminder of what can arise from social fear and ignorance. Reflecting on these events remains essential in order to raise awareness of justice and humanity in our time. The lessons of the past must not be forgotten.