"Hammer of witches" … This monstrous composition for the glory of God sent thousands of innocent people to the stake. What is this book? Why has there been so much controversy around it for over 500 years?
So, get acquainted - the handbook of the inquisitors "Hammer of witches". We warn you right away - reading is not for the faint of heart. In this medieval "bestseller" you will find descriptions and intercourse of witches with Satan, and eating children and male genitals, and causing storms, hail, plague, and bloody human sacrifices, and the ability to kill with a glance, predict and fly … Compared to this " a masterpiece "all the horrors of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and other horror writers fade away.
This truly legendary work "Hammer of the Witches" (German Hexenhammer, Latin Malleus Mcdeficarum) was published in 1486 in the city of Speyer. It was written by two Dominican monks, Jacob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer (also known as Heinrich Institoris), denouncers of heretics in the Rhineland in northern Germany. From the chronicles of that time, one can learn that the pastors did not differ in exemplary holiness and the inhabitants of the region repeatedly complained about them to the bishops. Let's talk in more detail about the authors of "Hammer".
Heinrich Kramer began his activities in Tyrol, where he quickly turned the entire local population against him. Rumor has it that, in order to justify the need for a witch hunt, he persuaded a libertine to hide in a furnace, pretending to be a devil. Her voice blamed many people whom Kramer had brutally tortured. After receiving numerous complaints, the Bishop of Brixen expelled Kramer, but he received a reward for his labors from the Archduke Sigismund. Jacob Sprenger, the co-author of Kramer's essay, won the approval of the Hammer and secured a letter from the Theological Faculty of the University of Cologne in 1487. However, the fact is that this approval was signed by only four professors from the entire university and their support was limited to the statement that Parts I and VI were not contradict the Bible and other canonical books, and the last, practical,part is credible because of the evidence it contains. But it was never published or made public anywhere else. Thus, we can conclude that the letter is a fake, which adds prestige to the book. Another interesting fact testifies to the "authority" of the writers of The Hammer of the Witches. After his death on December 6, 1495, Sprenger's university colleagues did not celebrate the funeral mass. There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?But it was never published or made public anywhere else. Thus, we can conclude that the letter is a fake, which adds prestige to the book. Another interesting fact testifies to the "authority" of the writers of The Hammer of the Witches. After his death on December 6, 1495, Sprenger's university colleagues did not celebrate the funeral mass. There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?But it was never published or made public anywhere else. Thus, we can conclude that the letter is a fake, which adds prestige to the book. Another interesting fact testifies to the "authority" of the writers of The Hammer of the Witches. After his death on December 6, 1495, Sprenger's university colleagues did not celebrate the funeral mass. There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?adding prestige to the book. Another interesting fact testifies to the "authority" of the writers of The Hammer of the Witches. After his death on December 6, 1495, Sprenger's university colleagues did not celebrate the funeral mass. There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?adding prestige to the book. Another interesting fact testifies to the "authority" of the writers of The Hammer of the Witches. After his death on December 6, 1495, Sprenger's university colleagues did not celebrate the funeral mass. There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?There could be two reasons. First, the deceased bequeathed his property outside Cologne, and second, this attitude could be due to Sprenger's academic dishonesty. However, Pope Innocent VIII supported the activities of the authors of The Hammer. But already in 1491, the Grand Inquisitor of Spain, Thomas Torquemada, recognized the "Hammer of the Witches" as heresy. Why did this happen? It turns out that the Inquisition contradicts itself?
Despite the multitude of terrible tales that people who do not know history very well like to tell about it, the “Holy Department of Investigation of Heretical Sinfulness” is not the bloodiest phenomenon in the annals of mankind, although not every tyrant managed to compare with it in senseless cruelty. The Hammer was the most popular guide to action for medieval witch hunters. In the XV century. women were considered not at all the fair and weaker sex, but dangerous and insidious messengers of the devil. At best, children, the church and the kitchen became their lot. And if a woman was beautiful and smart, she was accused of witchcraft and ended up on the fire. Many of our compatriots, having visited Western Europe, note that there are very few beautiful women there. Spanish women also amaze with their strange love for black clothes, which are worn both on weekdays and on holidays. And this is not an accident - this is a scar left by the "hammer of witches" on the psychology and gene pool of European states.
What caused the birth of the terrible weapon of the Inquisition? The Inquisition, created in 1204, was legally entitled to inherit the property of convicted heretics, which it used. Cathars, marans, Hussites were a reliable source of replenishment of the treasury of the Church. When the largest heretical sects were defeated, gaping holes appeared in the Vatican's budget, which had to be urgently "patched". In addition, the Inquisition was a comfortable, tried and tested machine that wielded tremendous power. It was not only impossible to slow down her work, but also dangerous. The holy fathers began to look for a new source of income - and they found it. They were "sorcerers" and "witches". A rumor, a hint, an anonymous letter could be the reason for the accusation of witchcraft. Anyone could fall victim to libel: an artisan, a merchant, and an aristocrat. In the inquisitorial court, all charges were admitted - the testimony of other convicts, passers-by and even children, which even in those days was not recognized as worthy of trust in ordinary courts. It should be borne in mind that the general mental health of most of the inhabitants of medieval Europe left much to be desired: for centuries people were frightened by the omnipotent, omnipresent God, who mercilessly punished sinners. The "Hammer of Witches", the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, was called to determine who this very sinner and the servant of the devil is, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.passers-by and even children, which in those days was not recognized as trustworthy in ordinary courts. It should be borne in mind that the general mental health of most of the inhabitants of medieval Europe left much to be desired: for centuries people were frightened by the omnipotent, omnipresent God, who mercilessly punished sinners. The "Hammer of Witches", the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, was called to determine who this very sinner and the servant of the devil is, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.passers-by and even children, which in those days was not recognized as trustworthy in ordinary courts. It should be borne in mind that the general mental health of most of the inhabitants of medieval Europe left much to be desired: for centuries people were frightened by the omnipotent, omnipresent God, who mercilessly punished sinners. The "Hammer of Witches", the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, was called to determine who this very sinner and the servant of the devil is, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.that the general mental health of most of the inhabitants of medieval Europe left much to be desired: for centuries people were frightened by the omnipotent, omnipresent God, who mercilessly punished sinners. The "Hammer of Witches", the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, was called to determine who this very sinner and the servant of the devil is, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.that the general mental health of most of the inhabitants of medieval Europe left much to be desired: for centuries people were frightened by the omnipotent, omnipresent God, who mercilessly punished sinners. The "Hammer of Witches", the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, was called to determine who this very sinner and the servant of the devil is, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.who is this very sinner and the servant of the devil, the "Hammer of the Witches" was called - the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.who is this very sinner and the servant of the devil, the "Hammer of Witches" was called - the most authoritative treatise on demonology at that time, the reliability of which was confirmed by the Pope himself in his bull. The authors of the publication were well versed in the subject, it was not difficult for them to combine ancient legends and church knowledge in order to draw up a detailed instruction on identifying witches and fighting them. The consequences of applying the Hammer's recommendations are truly nightmarish.
In just six years, the archbishop - Elector of Trier - burned 368 witches, that is, more than one witch per week died at the stake. In two German villages, women aroused such serious suspicion among the inquisitors that only one woman remained alive in each of them. In three months, the bishop of Geneva sent 500 imaginary witches to the stake. In Savoy, over 800 people were burned to death on charges of witchcraft. According to the records of the inquisitors themselves, in different parts of Europe, about 30 thousand witches were put to shameful execution at the stake for 150 years. The Church has always been more than prone to misogyny. It was a real crusade against women, and the bible of its participants was the "Hammer of the Witches", which consists of three parts. Each part includes several chapters - in full accordance with the canons of oratory. The head is usuallybegins with a question, and then the authors give a number of reasoning and examples and at the end give an answer to the question posed. The authors use the texts of Holy Scripture, the Episcopi Canon (Episcopal Canon), the teachings of Aristotle, as well as the Divine Church and Civil Law as arguments and proofs of their innocence, although from the point of view of modern psychology this work can be an excellent illustrative material for Freud's theory of sexual deviations. A striking proof of this is the example of the authors' interpretation of the word "woman" (femina), derived from two words - "faith" and "small." No less paradoxical is the interpretation of the word "devil" (diabolus) given in the book. According to the monks, it comes from the words "two" and "death". This symbolizes that the devil kills the physical and spiritual nature of a person - soul and body. The Hammer endorsed the most ridiculous prejudices about magic and sorcerers.
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The first part of the book tells about the three forces that make up witchcraft, namely: the devil, the sorcerer, and God's permission. It says that the devil exists, can do supernatural things and witches help him. And God allows it! At the same time, the Church calls witchcraft the worst of crimes. Therefore, the ministers of the Church must fully realize all the vileness of divination, which is the essence of renunciation of the Catholic faith, devotion and worship to the Devil, the offering of gifts to him: the sacrifice of unbaptized children and carnal intercourse. Among the most unreliable were women endowed with beauty. Beauty, as you know, was created by the devil to tempt people. At all times, the owners of an attractive appearance and a sharp mind attracted people and … had envious people, and most importantly - envious people. Therefore, jealous and not shining with beauty and intelligence, spouses often wrote denunciations about pretty charming neighbors - just in case. The inquisitors, all men without exception, also could not resist the charm of their beautiful prisoners. And this was another proof of their devilish essence and witchcraft gift. Oddly enough, Midwives were counted among the witches. Why? Yes, because women believed them much more than local priests, who could help a patient or a woman in labor only by prayer and absolutely did not understand anything about gynecology. The female body seemed to them so unclean and terrible that over time the priests were convinced that the witch could grow fangs in the causal place. Another argument of the inquisitors is that midwives could consecrate babies to the devil or even sacrifice them to him. The inquisitors did not pass by the seduced and abandoned women: "The fallen girls, abandoned by their lovers, to whom they gave themselves for the sake of the promise to marry them, having lost all hope and from everywhere meeting only shame and shame, turn to the help of the devil." At the same time, the male seducer was in no way condemned.
With such a list of the amazing talents and deeds of witches, it was believed that disbelief in their ability is heresy: … Following the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas, where he spoke about the witchcraft of witches, some tried to assert that witchcraft does not exist in the world and that it lives only in the imagination of people attributing natural phenomena to the machinations of witches, the cause of which is hidden. Others recognized the existence of witches, but believed that their witchcraft act only on imagination and fantasy. These false doctrines will be revealed and refuted in the following.
The Bible says that witches exist, and yet "anyone who does not believe in the ordinances of Scripture is a heretic." The authors argue that the power of the devil is most pronounced during carnal intercourse. The Hammer explicitly states that "all witchcraft comes from the carnal lusts of insatiable women." Witches are divided into three types: those who engage in all kinds of sabotage; those who have only healing abilities; those who have both of these witchcraft gifts. There was supposedly a higher class of witches who possessed great strength. They drew it from the bodies of the devoured babies. Since these sins were great, even criminals excommunicated from the Church, false witnesses, prostitutes, and foreigners were allowed to testify against witches in court. The second part of the treatise by Sprenger and Kramer talks about the methods of witchcraft and how it can be removed. Here are already given not theoretical calculations, but an analysis of practical magic. The authors describe in detail and in detail how witches conjure and how you can protect yourself from their spell. A large part of the chapters, oddly enough, describes the sexual intercourse of witches with the devil, succubi, incubi, methods of seducing men with the help of witchcraft, removing their genitals and delaying childbearing in women. It also tells about other types of witchcraft: transforming oneself and other people into an animal, sending diseases, including plague and leprosy, spoiling crops, introducing into another's body, controlling the forces of the elements … The authors describe in detail the course of witchcraft rituals, for example, sprinkling with water to cause rain, or piercing a wax figure symbolizing a sacrifice with needles. If the witch wanted to steal milk, she pretended to be milking a knife stuck in the wall, while telling the devil which cow to milk. Also in the second chapter, eighteen sections are devoted to ways to combat witch sabotage. Among the remedies for the spell are offered: a pilgrimage to holy places, full confession, exorcism. But only a witch who performed witchcraft, or her death, can return the genitals or human appearance. To resist crop failures, natural disasters and diseases, believers must go around the damned places with a procession of the cross.pilgrimage to holy places, full confession, exorcism. But only a witch who performed witchcraft, or her death, can return the genitals or human appearance. To resist crop failures, natural disasters and diseases, believers must go around the damned places with a procession of the cross.pilgrimage to holy places, full confession, exorcism. But only a witch who performed witchcraft, or her death, can return the genitals or human appearance. To resist crop failures, natural disasters and diseases, believers must go around the damned places with a procession of the cross.
This chapter also mentions categories of people who are not subject to the spell of witches: inquisitors, fighters against witches, people protected by sacred rites and angels. A separate chapter is devoted to male sorcerers.
The third part of the treatise is based on the commandment: "Do not leave the sorcerers alive." The whole procedure is described in detail here: ways to identify witches, indictment, persuasion, torture and ways to obtain a confession.
Silence under torture automatically enlisted the victim in the ranks of the witches. Many inquisitors promised pardon in exchange for confession and received it in this way: people believed the promises, and later were invariably tortured. The inquisitors were obliged to snatch a confession of guilt from the accused - according to the law, a witch or sorcerer could not be condemned without a confession. This part consists of 35 questions and answers. Ironically, most of them are considering acquitting and commuting sentences. But in reality, the victims rarely managed to avoid the fire.
A variety of ways have been proposed to identify witches. This procedure was very important for the indictment. What kind of means did not fanatics come up with! The witch was recognized by the flight of a knife with the image of a cross thrown through her. The priest could identify all the witches in his parish by bringing an Easter egg to the church. By the way, not all witch hunters dared to carry out this "feat". The legend said that if the witch managed to snatch the egg from him and crush him, then the person who started the test would break his heart. It was believed that the children's shoes brought to the church, previously oiled with lard, could immobilize the witch. One of the most common was the water test. In the presence of witnesses, the executioner or the person playing his role tied the witch's right hand to the left leg, and the left hand to the right,after which the sorceress was thrown into the water. If she began to sink, it means that she was not guilty, and if it floated up, it meant that the water did not accept the sinner. Then the fathers-inquisitors had no doubts - the woman definitely serves Satan. It was also believed that since a witch can fly, it means that she weighs less than other people. Thus, people accused of witchcraft were also checked by weighing. These methods were widespread among the people.people accused of witchcraft were also checked by weighing. These methods were widespread among the people.people accused of witchcraft were also checked by weighing. These methods were widespread among the people.
Please note that the common people did not share the opinion of the Inquisition regarding witches. If the priests considered women to be the main accomplices of the devil, then the peasants or townspeople were guided in determining the sorcerers not by gender, but by the appearance and behavior of a person. Lonely, unsociable, angry, physically handicapped, as well as those who did not follow local customs, disregarded moral standards, or suddenly became rich, could turn out to be sorcerers.
As a rule, they were not touched until something extraordinary happened. Then the search began for a sorcerer or witch who caused damage.
But these methods were used until the 15th century. When the witch-hunt gained European proportions, only one procedure began to be used everywhere for identification - pricking with a needle. They looked for suspicious spots, moles, marks and scars on the bodies of those accused of witchcraft and stuck a needle into them. If the wound did not bleed and the accused did not experience pain, the judges concluded that this was the mark of the devil, therefore, the person had a connection with the unclean.
However, the "Hammer of the Witches" questioned both this and all previous methods of identifying accomplices of the devil. The authors of the book argued that only a judge can speak for sure about the guilt of the witch. This was in fact a verdict on everyone who fell into the hands of the inquisitors, since the fanatics were not inclined to justify anyone. The only hope of salvation for those against whom direct accusations were not brought was the renunciation of heretical thoughts, that is, the recognition of the existence of witches! After all, the Inquisition sentenced witches to be burned not for magic, but for heresy - an agreement with the devil and service to him.
According to the law, a witch could not be tried without providing her with a lawyer and having her confession in relations with the devil, which the inquisitors quite easily managed to knock out of the victim during torture. The accused could not find out the names of the informers and witnesses who confirmed the denunciation. In other words, it follows from the book that the woman is guilty before the Church for being born. Her connection with the devil, therefore, is practically inevitable and does not even require special evidence. Therefore, she has no right to life.
Guided by these considerations, the Inquisition destroyed, according to various sources, from several tens to hundreds of thousands of women - the most beautiful, intelligent, talented, and wealthy. Since then, the "Hammer of the Witches", which became the cause of their death, is considered the darkest and most terrible book in history. It was reprinted 29 times! This is a record for the Middle Ages! The Hammer of the Witches became the source of inspiration for the authors of all subsequent manuals and the main manual of the Inquisition.
Since its inception, this "scientific work" has received many rave reviews. The famous Dutch jurist of the 16th century. Iodokus Damguder in his popular at that time research "The Practice of Criminal Cases" wrote: "This book has the force of law for the world." The genius artist Albrecht Durer devoted his talent to displaying the stories described in the book. The creators of the Bavarian Codex Maximillian proceeded in compiling the department for punishing heretics from the provisions of the book of Cramer and Sprenger. Pope Alexander VI, Leo X and Adrian VI have repeatedly pointed out the correctness and infallibility of all the postulates of the "Hammer of the Witches". Modern scholars characterize the intellectual level of the book as follows: “Its pitiful style, with its monotony resembling aimless, confusing endless walking from place to place, is a wandering of thought,incapable of concentration and ready to follow any obsession. " Of course, it is illogical to judge the ideas of medieval mystics from the point of view of modern science, but the reason and common sense inherent in enlightened people of all eras pushes them to think: this book, fatal for mankind, threw the development of civilization several hundred years ago.
ANNA VERBITSKAYA
