Unveiled Witch Trials in Europe's Press
In the 15th century, the introduction of the printing press marked a significant shift in the realm of ideas worldwide. However, recent research led by sociologist Kerice Doten-Snitker from the Santa Fe Institute indicates that this innovation inadvertently fueled the notorious witch hunts in Europe, resulting in the tragic deaths of approximately 45,000 individuals, primarily women. This study hints at a manual as playing a pivotal role in this macabre event.
The modern printing press's inception in the 15th century marked an essential milestone in human history, playing a substantial role in the formative stages of the modern era. Yet, as reported by a research team led by Doten-Snitker, this major advancement also had a sinister connotation: it contributed to the surge in the brutal witch hunts that swept across Europe.
Between 1450 and 1750, an estimated 90,000 individuals fell victim to prosecution, and around 45,000 lost their lives in this savage crackdown. Despite the longstanding presence of witchcraft beliefs in Europe, the sudden, widespread, and unusually violent practice of witch-hunting appeared rather abruptly, the team observed.
Various perspectives have been proposed to explain this phenomenon, such as the religious fervor during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, epidemics, conflicts, or the search for scapegoats. Nevertheless, the emergence of systematic witch-hunting coincided with the advent of the printing press, as the team pointed out.
The printing press significantly expanded the dissemination of knowledge and humanist ideals, as well as new philosophies. "It was the printing press that allowed for the rapid and widespread spread of ideas relating to witchcraft and its associated practices," the authors observed.
The publication of influential manuals, such as the "Malleus maleficarum" (also known as the "Hexenhammer"), first released in Speyer during the latter half of the 1480s, was a crucial catalyst. This German Dominican and inquisitor Heinrich Kramer's groundbreaking text was the first comprehensive guide to witch-hunting, offering a combination of theoretical understanding and practical instructions for questioning, interrogating, and indicting suspected individuals.
Published in multiple editions throughout the 17th century, the "Malleus maleficarum" left a lasting impact on witch trials throughout Europe, as documented by the study. The local authorities in Trier, among others, explicitly employed this manual to justify and carry out their investigations in the early 1580s.
Witch trials also intensified in towns like Wiesensteig near Göppingen, Osnabrück, Fulda, Würzburg, and Bamberg during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The study indicated that the practice of conducting witch trials spread to nearby communities. "Towns did not make such decisions in isolation," explained Doten-Snitker. "They watched what their neighbors were doing and learned from their examples. The mingling of novel ideas from books and the influence of nearby trials created suitable conditions for the proliferation of these persecutions."
Contemporary examples of this phenomenon are not uncommon, as the scholars highlighted. Emerging ideas have the potential to spread through social networks, eventually taking root and shaping societal behaviors.
The "Malleus maleficarum," a influential manual published in 15th century Germany by Dominican and inquisitor Heinrich Kramer, served as a key catalyst for the widespread witch hunts that followed. The study suggests that the spread of towns conducting witch trials was influenced by neighboring communities, showcasing the impact of such ideas spreading through social networks.
