AP Euro Witchcraft

From about 1480-1700, many individuals in Europe were accused of being witches, put on trial, prosecuted and later executed for witchcraft. This witch craze was concentrated in southwestern Germany, Switzerland, England, Scotland, Poland, and parts of France, and resulted in 100,000 witches put on trial. The three main reasons for the persecution of these “witches” were economic greed, religious beliefs and social prejudices. Most of those who accused the witches as being so ultimately sought profit and wealth. The Canon Linden, an eye witness to the prosecutions in Trier, Germany, described the financial motives of the accusers. He concluded that they promoted the movement in hopes of achieving wealth, and that they succeeded. Many notaries, innkeepers and copyists grew rich. He also noted that the children of those prosecuted had their goods confiscated. Professor Brian Levack also tells about this, but he focuses on the women. In his book, “The Witch,” he talked about how women incurred hostility of men when they wanted to inherit their property. They had no reason to accuse these men except for their own economic desires. Also, Alan MacFarlane studied the occupations of the husbands of those accused of witchcraft, and the results are very clear. The women who were accused the most had husbands with good jobs financially (laborers, farmers, tailors, etc.). It is not a coincidence that the wives of the Beer Brewers, Shoemakers, Weavers, and Gentlemen, had a combined three accusations. Most of the proclaimed “witches” were simply targeted because the accusers wanted to take their goods, and achieve wealth.
Another major reason for the persecution of individuals as witches in Europe was religious beliefs and superstitions. The testimony of a licensed midwife at Dillingen, Germany describes Walpurga Hausmannin’s confession. Before she was burned in 1587, she confessed to getting involved with the Evil One (the devil), and being a witch. It was said that the Evil