Historix-Tours has been offering this historical city tour on the persecution of witches in Freiburg im Breisgau since 1998. The focus is on the life storey of Catharina Stadellmenin, who went down in the city's history as the “Witch of Freiburg.”
In 1599, Catharina Stadellmenin lived as a citizen in Freiburg until she was accused of malevolent magic and witchcraft. A trial began, the records of which have survived to this day. How did such trials proceed? What questions were asked of the accused, and why did the courts seemingly see evidence in them? How did the trial end for Catharina Stadellmenin? And was she the only one to suffer such a fate in Freiburg?
On the walking tour through the Old Town, you will follow the traces of this storey and learn what the city looked like at the time of the trials, where the lives of the accused took place, and how the council and the court operated. The focus is on the people behind the trials, the role of the city council and the area, and the question of how fear, times of crisis and denunciation contributed to there being so many witch trials in Freiburg.
The tour is designed for all adults (and young people aged 14 and over) who would like to engage in an in-depth examination of the persecution of women in the early modern period. Because the persecution of witches is not a phenomenon of the Middle Ages: it began in the 16th century and lasted in Breisgau until 1751. That was less long ago than many people think, and it raises questions that are still relevant today: How do scapegoats come into being? And what protects a society from this?
