Walpurga Hausmannin
Encyclopedia
Walpurga Hausmännin was an Austria
n midwife executed for witchcraft
, vampirism, and child murder. The confession she made under torture
exemplifies the classical relationship between witch and devil
later commonly used in several witch trial
s.
The old widow Walpurga had worked as a licensed midwife in the city of Dillingen for 19 years when she was arrested and accused of sorcery
. During torture
, she made a long series of confessions. In 1556, when she, as a newly made widow, had worked in the field of the city, she had made arrangements to meet a male coworker for sex in her cottage later in the evening. But he had not arrived; instead, a demon
had come dressed in his clothes. They had sex, and the night after, he returned and promised to save her from poverty
. She had sworn herself to Satan
and written it on a contract
, and the demon, called Federlin, had then taken her to the real Devil
, and confirmed her contract, after which they had drunk wine
, eaten roasted babies and had sex (she with Federlin). Afterwords, Federlin had given her an ointment, which she had used to hurt people, children and harvest
s. Since then, she had often visited the Devil, and her demon lover Federlin often visited her and had sex with her, even in the streets at night and in prison
. He left every time she said the name of Jesus
, which is also exemplary for these relations and something she had in common with Johannes Junius
.
She confessed to having murdered forty children during her work as a midwife before they were baptized, by the method of applying a special salve or of putting pressure on their foreheads, and to having sucked their blood like a vampire
. She had killed children and animals with an oil. She had eaten the children with other witches and used their hair
for sorcery
.
Both the local authorities - the church under the archbishop
in Augsburg
and the imperial court - sentenced her to death. Her property was confiscated. She was taken through the city, and stopped five times before they reached the place of execution. At the first stop, they tore her left breast and right arm with iron
s, the second stop, they tore her right breast; the third, they tore the left arm ; the fourth stop, at the place of execution, the left hand. On the place of execution, her right hand, with which had made her oath
as a midwife, were cut off, after which she was burned alive at the stake. After she had been burnt, her ashes were not allowed to remain on the ground, but were scooped up and dumped in a stream.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n midwife executed for witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
, vampirism, and child murder. The confession she made under torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
exemplifies the classical relationship between witch and devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
later commonly used in several witch trial
Witch trial
A witch trial is a legal proceeding that is part of a witch-hunt. * Witch trials in Early Modern Europe, 15th–18th centuries** Salzburg witch trials - 1675-1690, Salzburg, Austria** Spa witch trial - 1616, Belgium...
s.
The old widow Walpurga had worked as a licensed midwife in the city of Dillingen for 19 years when she was arrested and accused of sorcery
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
. During torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
, she made a long series of confessions. In 1556, when she, as a newly made widow, had worked in the field of the city, she had made arrangements to meet a male coworker for sex in her cottage later in the evening. But he had not arrived; instead, a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
had come dressed in his clothes. They had sex, and the night after, he returned and promised to save her from poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
. She had sworn herself to Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
and written it on a contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
, and the demon, called Federlin, had then taken her to the real Devil
Devil
The Devil is believed in many religions and cultures to be a powerful, supernatural entity that is the personification of evil and the enemy of God and humankind. The nature of the role varies greatly...
, and confirmed her contract, after which they had drunk wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, eaten roasted babies and had sex (she with Federlin). Afterwords, Federlin had given her an ointment, which she had used to hurt people, children and harvest
Harvest
Harvest is the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. Reaping is the cutting of grain or pulse for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle, or reaper...
s. Since then, she had often visited the Devil, and her demon lover Federlin often visited her and had sex with her, even in the streets at night and in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. He left every time she said the name of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, which is also exemplary for these relations and something she had in common with Johannes Junius
Johannes Junius
Johannes Junius was the mayor of Bamberg, and a victim of the Bamberg witch trials, who wrote a letter to his daughter from jail while he awaited execution for witchcraft....
.
She confessed to having murdered forty children during her work as a midwife before they were baptized, by the method of applying a special salve or of putting pressure on their foreheads, and to having sucked their blood like a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
. She had killed children and animals with an oil. She had eaten the children with other witches and used their hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
for sorcery
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
.
Both the local authorities - the church under the archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
in Augsburg
Augsburg
Augsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
and the imperial court - sentenced her to death. Her property was confiscated. She was taken through the city, and stopped five times before they reached the place of execution. At the first stop, they tore her left breast and right arm with iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
s, the second stop, they tore her right breast; the third, they tore the left arm ; the fourth stop, at the place of execution, the left hand. On the place of execution, her right hand, with which had made her oath
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
as a midwife, were cut off, after which she was burned alive at the stake. After she had been burnt, her ashes were not allowed to remain on the ground, but were scooped up and dumped in a stream.