Witches and hammer

"Hammer of Witches" was published in 1486, it became a bestseller, endure to 1520 no less than thirteen editions and was translated into French, English and Italian. Up to now being one of the worst products of human thought, not without reason, this work has been called "the perfect instrument for the legal murder."

In the first part of this work, the authors call for help all his learning, imagination and scholastic tricks winded and quite irrefutably proves the existence of witches, and their numbers undoubtedly harm they bring to the national economy .  Witch recognized creatures much worse than Satan himself .  Last fall away from God in ancient times, not knowing what threatens revolt against the Creator, the witch went to apostasy voluntarily, driven only by greed and lust ottorgnuv baptism and sacrifice of the Savior Jesus Christ .  Not only they deserved a terrible punishment, but also all those who doubted the existence of witches, heretics were to be recognized and punished accordingly .  The point of departure of the inquisitors thought served as the biblical phrase "witch do not leave alive," perhaps the only place in the Bible that could be considered a guide to action on this issue .  Based on this postulate and they came to the conclusion neobhodiosti punish witchcraft means superior cruelty all installed while punishment .

The second part of the book describes in detail all the atrocities committed witches, including the ways in which they gave themselves spiritually and physically demons and engage them in cohabitation, bedevil livestock and ruined crops. In this part offered some means of healing for those who have been bewitched by witches.
  If the first two parts were mainly devoted to the ideological, in the third part Institor Sprenger and go directly to the practice. Drawing attention to his bottomless practical experience, these worthy lawyers told in detail how to proceed against witches, how to collect the facts and how to get the necessary recognition of the defendant, without which he could not be convicted.
  Striking hatred of women, which overflows every paragraph of a terrible book. Here are some quotes that illustrate the very attitude of the authors of the female sex:

"Women are more hunger for carnal pleasure than man, is evident from all that carnal filth, which the women devotees. Already in the creation of the first woman those of its shortcomings were identified by the fact that it was taken from the curved edges - namely, from the pectoral fins, which as it deviates from the men. Because of this lack flows and the fact that a woman is always deceiving, as it is only an imperfect animal "," Woman filth by nature, since it is more doubt and more denied the faith, and this forms the basis for practicing witchcraft "

"Because of the insatiability of women to the pleasures of the flesh, human life is exposed to incalculable harm"

"By nature, a woman is false."

Reading this work one wonders why the wrath of the church collapsed on weak women .  The unequivocal answer to this question is still, however, extends the set of versions - from a purely feminist to historical materialist .  However, there is no doubt include the church originally belonged to the woman as to the merits of the second grade, because not for nothing that the authors of "Hammer of Witches" such a pleasure to quote the scripture where it says that Eve was created from Adam's rib .  But even more significant psychological aspect of hatred for the woman, because in contrast to the Orthodox way of life, which only prescribes celibacy monasticism in Catholicism chastity doomed not only monks but also priests of all ranks .  Unmet sexual needs are often transformed into a heightened religious feeling, but not less frequently took it and other forms of: sadism - sexual perversion characterized by a passion for cruelty, tortures, to getting pleasure from the contemplation of another's suffering - was clearly a peculiar and by the inquisitors and their henchmen -palacham .

However, a campaign against women let not only the church, but also ordinary citizens. After all, first of all, to begin the process needed accusation - accusation, without which the inquisitors were not allowed to start an inquiry. And the church has done everything to create favorable conditions for denunciation: Never, under any circumstances, even including full justification, that it was a rare case, the victim could not identify the name of the accuser. Denunciations poured river - and a dirty river. All the dark human passions raced. Envy is a beautiful, smart and successful, hatred of the rival-razluchnitse even pangs of conscience, for what could be more natural than to expect magical revenge on the innocent wronged you ... Witch Hunt became a universal plague, in the genocide against women, the extent of which shock even seasoned people twenty-first century.

Nothing could save him from prosecution. The first blow came under the old women - they are traditionally best fits the image of an evil witch. But youth and beauty, too, did not guarantee safety. So in 1629, he was burned at the stake nineteen Barbara Gobel, who was listed in the list of the executioner as the "most holy virgin Wurzburg." Inquisitors, who did not believe in women's virtue, beauty and piety seemed only a disguise, through which Satan helped nechestivitsam flee from the court.

Well, the reason to go to the torture chamber could serve anything .  The old woman noticed this something that picks up the horse droppings, probably, to bewitch the owner of the horse, reported wishers .  This old woman some neighbors saw during a severe thunderstorm was standing in his yard .  Such a neighbor inhabitants suspected of intercourse with the unclean because he "very much suitable for this complexion"; another - because he walks boring; Third - because in his house continually case of an accident and the children suffer from some strange disease; Fourth, on the contrary, because all it really too successful, and he becomes rich, while others in the same work, and nothing can not amass .  One woman mentioned as a very suspicious thing is that before she was cheerful disposition, and after the execution of one of her friend, burned for witchcraft, she immediately quieted down completely; in another - she is horrified when the guys on the street show her finger .  And every thing was spreading like a snowball .

For example, in the town of Geroltsgofen a laborer in his cellar at night covered the four old women and sent them to the court .  At trial, they admitted that they were witches and testified: "In all Geroltsgofeskom judicial district - they said - hardly a person over the age of seven to 60, which would not be very involved in witchcraft" .  In their first instruction was arrested three women .  During the three followed by five, then ten, then he was arrested 14 people, including three men .  All suspected they finished at the stake .  Then it was immediately arrested 26 people who suffered the same fate .  Since people whose guilt has become almost certain due to the coincidence of several misspoke, it was after that countless then intervened the prince-bishop and issued an order of this kind: "From now on, should the local authorities on a weekly basis on Tuesdays, except on the days of great feasts, uchinyat burning witches .  Every time they have to put on the fire and burn the souls of 25 or 20 and no less than 15 " .

No wonder that the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity in Western Europe was less and less. There are cases when whole villages live there were only two or three women. But the Inquisition has put women in charge conveyor, and from the lips of the tortured women frustrated more and more evidence of the horrific crimes of the devil.

What exactly is a witch the people of that time? It was a bad woman, who made a pact with the devil to his aid using a variety of magical means to cause harm to people of every kind, denouncing his words and actions of Jesus Christ and the Holy Church .  Witch participated in the night coven where they went with the help of the devil in the air and with great rapidity, covens also took place under the chairmanship of the devil, whom the witch provided veneration, kissing him on the back, as they did between himself and the devil sexual wantonness licentiousness wing and formed a large heretical sect finally witches could easily turn into animals, such as cat, wolf or mouse, in which guise be people and harm them .  Oddly enough, the collective image of the witch was formed as a result of inquiries, which regularly communicated to the public during public executions .  It seems impossible that the interrogated women to perjure himself, are fabricated so monstrous details, but their interrogation Inquisition used a very special tool that allows to achieve any of the defendants, even the most horrible details of their secret life witch .