Walpurgis Night in the Kremlin E-Book

Armin Dusold

• Herausgeber: novum publishing
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 194

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Witch trials in the Middle Ages and early modern times are still a story that needs to be examined more closely, especially because otherwise it could disappear into the darkness. The major landmarks are well known: the Bamberg witch trials between 1590 and 1630 and the Salem (Massachusetts) witch trials of 1692. Whether herb woman or alderman, whether prostitute or blacksmith – anyone could be sentenced to death by fire if they were suspected of witchcraft. But has this insane superstition, which once spread across Europe like the plague, really died out? Who are the sorcerers of today? Putin and the Muslim leaders? Perhaps...

Leseprobe

Foreword

Observation

On the night of April 30th to May 1st, wild legends are formed that have the most gruesome consequences. Possessed women allegedly celebrate an orgy with the devil at an open fire. During the time of witch hunts, the accused confessed to the pact with evil - the pact with the devil - under martial torture. A death sentence was usually the result.

But strange things also happened in the period between Christmas and Epiphany, which are known as the nights of the raunächte. They are magical and mysterious. According to popular belief, the stormy powers moved through the night and went on a wild hunt for ancestors, angels, beings of light and gods in order to reshape their destiny ...

"When she arrived with her broom on the Blocksberg (Brocken in the Harz Mountains), the big witches were all already gathered. They danced around the witches' bonfire with their hair flying and their skirts fluttering. There must have been five or six hundred witches in all. Mountain witches, forest witches, swamp witches, wind witches, crispy witches and herb witches. They whirled around wildly, swung their brooms, grumbled, crowed and shrieked, thundered, hurled lightning and sang 'Heia Walpurgisnacht', the old witches' song."1

In our modern perception, the terms witches' dance, Blocksberg and Walpurgisnacht are firmly linked and obviously go back to children's books. Acting against theguidelines of your elders and simply testing boundaries with relish - how far can I go?

Who is even considered a witch has changed again and again over the centuries - just like the conjecture: good and evil? The witch is actually an absolutely evil person in the imagination, both in scholarly discourse and in popular mythology. The persecution of witches refers to the tracking down, arrest, torture and especially the execution of people who are believed to practise witchcraft or be in league with the devil. According to the records, characteristics of a witch included a different eye color, red hair, freckles, warts, birthmarks and the like. Even owning a black cat was reason enough to denounce someone as a witch. In Central Europe, the persecution of witches mainly took place in the early modern period.

The witch trials are a dark chapter in European history. Mysticism, fear and superstition led to countless persecutions and executions. But what actually triggered measures like these and how were they carried out? This book takes a closer look at the witch trials - their origins, their implementation and their long-term consequences, especially in the 21st century.

The persecution of witches in Europe began in the 15th century. In the transitional period between the late Middle Ages and the early modern era. Initially, it was the scholars who published traditional writings about witches. These increasingly crystallized the opinion that this was a group of people who had conspired with the devil. This widespread assumption was increasingly given a clear hearing by the Council of Basel . It was churchmen from all over Europe in particular who listened to these modern views and took them on board. At the end of the 15th century, another scholastic writing was added.

In 1487, the Dominican Heinrich Institoris published a book entitled "Hexenhammer", which appeared in 29 editions up to the17th century. 2The book, a compendium of witchcraft beliefs that were widespread at the time, served as a guide for the persecution of witches and sorcerers. It was almost impossible to defend oneself against the accusation of witchcraft, because under embarrassing interrogation or torture, every accused person, without exception, eventually confessed. Every inhabitant of the towns and villages of the time lived in danger of being persecuted and accused of witchcraft or sorcery. It was usually enough to have freckles, fair skin and dark eyes, warts or red hair; even an accusation by a neighbor was enough to be labeled a witch. 3Even more serious, however, was the testimony of confidants extorted under torture, the so-called confession of a convicted witch. The doctrine of alleged witches, witchcraft and the associated magic spread rapidly in Europe and beyond. With the onset of humanism in the early modern era, the intellectual and cultural awakening and the Reformation, a bloodshed began that had never been seen before.

1Otfried Preußler: The little witch.Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 978-3-522-10580-4.

2Source: https://www.geschichtsquellen.de > Institoris Henricus: Der Hexenhammer.Retrieved on: 02.11.2023.

3https://www.uni-bamberg.de > ... > News archive: The fascination of evil.

Chapter 1

The witch - a myth in Europe

The belief in witches was a superstition that was predominantly widespread in Christian Europe, the roots of which can be found in the pre-Christian belief in gods, and became increasingly important in the 14th century in particular. In the course of the 15th century, the overall image of witches and wizards developed into a cult of witches with gatherings and rites that were intended to lead to the takeover of world domination. The main element of witchcraft was the devil's pact, which represented both a contract with the devil and a renunciation of God and heresy. Closely linked to this was the devil's courtship, sexual intercourse between the witch and the devil. The third element was the witches' sabbath in connection with the witches' flight, and the fourth element of witchcraft was the damaging spell. There were many reasons for casting a spell, such as adultery and jealousy, envy and resentment, greed, disputes and power struggles, covering up one's own misdeeds and other motives.

Course of the witch trials

Witch trials are court proceedings in which people - usually women - were accused of allegedly practising witchcraft. These trials reached their peak in Europe from the 15th to the 17th century.

The course of the witch trials was often manipulated from start to finish in order to force "confessions" and pass sentences. The witch trial usually began with an accusation from a neighbor or local clergyman.

Example: Irmgard, an elderly widow living on the outskirts of the village, may be accused of being a witch by a neighbor. The neighbor may have claimed to have seen Irmgard do inexplicable things, or she may blame Irmgard for her personal misfortunes. The accusation was often followed by imprisonment and a trial. In some cases, the mere rumor that someone was a witch was enough to get them arrested. However, there are certainly other cultural notions of witches, as women with special knowledge, who played an important role in medieval or even older obstetrics, for example, in medieval culture, where a different form of knowledge was available and handed down. This shift from a neutral person with a different knowledge system to a spy for evil permeated society right into the bedrooms of respectable people.

The driving forces behind the persecution

Various causes can lead to witch trials. Some of the most important are religious fanaticism, superstition and social or personal conflicts. In times when diseases and natural disasters were seen as punishment from God, witches were often accused and persecuted. Religious reforms often led to witch trials as new leaders sought to consolidate their power by eliminating "witches". People were accused of witchcraft out of envy, fear or personal enmity. In addition, ignorance, superstition, greed, social envy, poor harvests, famines and plague epidemics were all factors that encouraged the persecution of witches.

The methods used during the witch trials were cruel and inhumane. The witch trials also had a far-reaching impact on society and culture and ultimately led to the entrenchment of certain gender stereotypes. An interesting fact is that the witch trials influenced the development of modern judicial practice.Efforts to enforce a fair trial for accused witches led to the development of rules for witness testimony and evidence.

For a long time, they mainly reinforced certain gender roles and stereotypes. Typically, more women than men were accused of witchcraft. The image of the "evil witch" is still present in many cultures today. Stereotypes are fixed ideas that one group of people has about another. These ideas are often based on prejudices and clichés rather than actual observations or experiences.

Overall, the witch trials show what can happen when superstition, fear and power dynamics collide. They serve as a cautionary tale of how important it is to promote critical thinking and respect for fundamental rights.

A timeline of the witch trials

Witch trials have a deep-rooted and complex history that goes back centuries. The persecution of so-called "witches" knew no borders and took place all over the world. The witch trials are usually associated with the Middle Ages and early modern times. The persecution of witches took place during the Middle Ages (500-1500 AD). However, it is important to note that the severe persecution of witchcraft and the holding of trials was more of a phenomenon in the late Middle Ages and early modern period (1500-1650 AD). In the middle of the 15th century, the papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus by Pope Innocent VIII marked a turning point in the Church's attitude towards witchcraft. In it, the heretics 4were blamed as witches (vampires) for evil and their persecution was advocated.

The martyrdom for the population began as early as the end of the 15th century, as anyone living near a church bell tower had very restless nights in May. Between 9 p.m. and 4 a.m., the individual churches took turns ringing their bells. But people put up with it; after all, it protected them. People believed that a particularly large number of witches were on the loose in May. Only the consecrated bells could stop them from harming a normal citizen. But what did normal mean back then? Since the 15th century, anyone who had unusual knowledge, led an allegedly improper lifestyle or was simply wealthy could be made a witch. After all, culprits had to be found for famines, freak weather or nationwide epidemics. And if the executed person also left behind a fortune, his death seemed doubly beneficial.

A good example of a mass trial is the Waldsee Witches' Sabbath in 1589 (Germany), in which 63 people were accused of witchcraft and burned to death within four months. Some of the most intensive witch trials took place in Germany. In the 16th and 17th centuries in particular, the country experienced a wave of witch persecutions. One of the most famous series of witch trials in Germany was the Trier witch trials between 1581 and 1593. It is estimated that around 400 people were accused and executed. 5

An interesting fact is that the witch hunts were not limited to the countryside, but also affected larger cities such as Cologne, Würzburg and Bamberg, where witch trials also took place. These were often even more ruthless because the municipal authorities had greater resources at their disposal. The Bamberg witch trials of 1627-1632, which took placein the self-governing Catholic principality of Bamberg in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, are one of the largest mass trials and mass executions ever seen in Europe - and one of the largest witch trials in history.

America's most notorious witch trial in Salem

The Salem Witch Trials (USA) are probably the most famous witch trials in history. They took place in 1692 in the village of Salem in the British colony of Massachusetts. 6

The event is notorious for the rapid spread of mass hysteria and paranoia within society. The Salem witch trials began when a group of young girls in the village claimed to have been bewitched by certain villagers. The subsequent arrests and accusations led to a wave of accusations that quickly spiraled out of control. In total, 200 people were accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials, and 19 of them were executed. In addition, five people died in prison, including a four-year-old girl. 7

The witch trials ended after a few months, but the effects can still be felt today. The Salem witch trials are a powerful example of how fear and paranoia can lead to cruel and unjust actions. Throughout history, there have been countless witch trials, many of which resulted in tragic and unjust deaths. Someof these trials are particularly horrifying due to their scale, brutality or the circumstances surrounding them. They shed a harsh light on the human propensity for fear, paranoia and ruthless persecution. 8

Bamberg witch trials

The Bamberg witch trials are known as one of the largest mass persecutions of witches. These trials took place during the Thirty Years' War, a time of great political and religious unrest in Germany. The trials, which were initiated by Prince-Bishop Johann Georg II. Fuchs von Dornheim, aimed to restore moral and spiritual purity to his territory. To this end, people from all social classes were accused of witchcraft and persecuted. The Bamberg witch trials were characterized by intense torture and brutal executions. It is estimated that up to 1000 people were executed. One person who became famous during the Bamberg witch trials was the mayor of Bamberg, Johannes Junius. Junius was accused of witchcraft and was eventually executed despite his efforts to prove his innocence. 9

His heartbreaking letter to his daughter, in which he described his innocent situation, is one of the best documented accounts of the injustices of the witch trials.

Letter from Johannes Junius from prison to his daughter: (freely translated)

... dear daughter. Innocent I have come into prison, innocent I have been martyred, innocentI must die. For whoever enters the house will be martyred until he confesses something conceived ... from his mind!10

A short time later, Johannes Junius was burned at the stake.11

A remarkable fact is that the Bamberg witch trials only ended when the city was taken by Swedish troops during the Thirty Years' War.12The new rulers put an end to the witch hunts and many of the surviving victims were able to return to their homes.

The Bamberg witch trials are a drastic example of the effects of mass paranoia combined with religious fanaticism and authoritarianism. They serve as a stark reminder of the importance of respecting human rights and the presumption of innocence in our society.

The chain reaction of a small ice age

A series of four major volcanic eruptions in Iceland triggered the so-called Little Ice Age - at the end of the Middle Ages. As early as the end of the 13th century, these eruptions led to a cooling of the climate, marking the beginning of a cold period that lasted for centuries in the northern hemisphere.

The Little Ice Age therefore began much earlier and more suddenly than previously assumed.The Little Ice Age ended an extended medieval warm period and caused extremely cold, long winters and cool, rainy summers in Europe and North America from the 15th century onwards. The Baltic Sea and many rivers froze over several times during this period, and Alpine glaciers advanced into the valleys. Pack ice isolated entire civilizations from the outside world. Periods of drought on an unprecedented scale destroyed harvests, resulting in catastrophic famines across large parts of the country. Generating food was a daily struggle for survival for society. Diseases, epidemics and the plague swept the northern hemisphere in waves at ever shorter intervals.13

The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), with all its brutality, also rapidly worsened the living conditions of society in Central and Northern Europe. In hardly any other period since its existence has mankind had to struggle with the consequences of a cold climate as much as during the "Little Ice Age", which lasted until the middle of the 19th century.14Fears and doubts arose on a massive scale, from which the question of the cause of this catastrophe steadily developed. Panic and great concern for the development and future of the people spread among those in power. However, the opinion about this tragedy grew in Central Europe and beyond that the reasons for this were of an earthly nature. The culprit was quickly identified.

Witches are the cause of evil. While the high church leaders opposed this thesis, the culprit had already been identified in regional areas. An unprecedented, inhuman machinery took its course. Once a person had come under suspicion, the death sentence was almost certainly sealed. Without anydistinction between the sexes, whether young, old or still a child. Even high dignitaries and impeccable personalities fell victim to their fate. They have been torn from their lives in an inhumane manner.

4Anyone within a religious community who holds a viewpoint that differs from the doctrine or prevailing opinion.

5Herbert Eiden (ed.), Rita Voltmer (ed.): Trierer Hexenprozesse.Hanover 2001. ISBN 978-3877601280.

6Hoffer, Peter Charles: The Salem Witchcraft Trials: A Legal History. University Press of Kansas. Lawrence 1997, pp. 4-9.

ISBN 978-0-7006-0859-1.

7Hoffer, Peter Charles: The Salem Witchcraft Trials: A Legal History. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence 1997, pp. 12-24.

ISBN 978-0-7006-0859-1.

8Source: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/rituale-der -hexen-heia-walpurgisnacht-der-wilde-ritt-zum110.html.

9Source: https://www.studysmarter.der History > Early modern period.

10Source: https://www.br.de > The Bamberg witch trials: Innocent I must... > History.

11Source: http://www.hexen-franken.de > katholische-herrschaften.

12Source: http://www.wikipedia.org. > wiki > Battle of Bamberg.

13Behringer Wolfgang: The crisis of 1570: A contribution to the history of crises in modern times.In: Manfred Jakubowski-Tiessen/Hartmut Lehman (eds.): Um Himmels willen.Religion in times of catastrophe. Göttingen2003, pp. 51-156.

14Source: https://www.scinexx.de/news/geowissen/vulkanausbrueche-loesten-die-kleine-eiszeit-aus.

Chapter 2

The birth of modern-day Satanists and witches

The Romanovs lift the Tsarist Empire onto the world political stage. Under Stalin and his successors, the Soviet Union became a world power.1516Vladimir Putin sees their downfall as a mistake in history that must be corrected. And so Russia's wars never end - even today.

A great deal has been written and reported about the decline and fall of the Soviet Union. For this reason, this topic, which has already been dealt with many times, will not be discussed further here.

The witches in the Kremlin have actually always been present, ever-present, day and night - looking for a reason to commit atrocities. It is possible that the roots of this satanic driving force actually originated in Stalin's time. Like an incited dog that is finally allowed to pick up the scent. The unpredictable monster Boris Yeltsin turned his innermost self outwards, Mikhail Gorbachev, the General Secretary, an exceptional man in this harsh Kremlin world on the magnificent "Blocksberg", had disappeared from the political stage. The witches in the Kremlin are now showing their teeth, the initially blurred ones of Boris Yeltsin and then those of the initially smart, inconspicuous Vladimir Putin. But the world does not see these sharp, mercilessly biting teeth! Perhaps they are not so sharp after all, and his witches don't fly very far on theirbrooms anyway, at least that's what the Western world hopes!

It is December 11, 1994, and once again the first Russian tanks are rolling into Chechnya. The country's aspirations for independence were a thorn in the side of the leadership in Moscow.17The storming of the Chechen capital Grozny and two wars in quick succession caused deep wounds.18

BBC television pictures from December 1994 show the merciless actions of the Russian soldiers. The Russian army has been bombing Grozny, the capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, for days. Flames scorch a lifeless body on the ground, cars burn, black smoke rises.

A young boy stands desperately among the wreckage. BBC reporter Robert Parsons reports directly from the war zone.19

"At least two people were killed where I'm standing, innocent bystanders. Many were wounded. The Russian government claims to only attack strategic targets, but on the ground it looks very different." Western society with its intellectual leaders looks on. Watching in amazement, closing its eyes as Satan and his witches murder a peace-loving, freedom-seeking society that wants to leave the burden of oppression behind. Two wars in the 1990s and 2000s reduced Grozny to rubble. There is no room for dissenters or even human rights activists in Chechnya. At that time, the Soviet Union broke apart,and former Soviet republics such as Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine declared their independence.

The battle for Grozny lasted several days. At the time, Vakhadzh Issayev had entrenched himself with other Chechen fighters in a government building [...].

"We ate salted tomatoes and were very thirsty, but had no drinking water. So I went with a comrade to fetch water. We crawled out through a window. The river Sunscha was nearby. As we were walking there, I heard the plane.

While we were taking water, it threw me into the river. The building was hit. Almost all of our people were hit."20

"The leadership of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense and the secret service wanted as many of their people as possible to come under fire in the Chechen war so that they could gain combat experience.

In the first few weeks, Yeltsin increased the number of troops from an official 20,000 to an official 70,000."21These included not only soldiers. The Interior Ministry was also involved, with ordinary militiamen and fighters from the elite OMON and SOBR units. The domestic intelligence service also sent troops.

Those responsible saw the Chechen war as welcome training for their own people, says Alexander Sharkovsky, a military expert for Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Moscow.

Despite their superior strength, the Russian troops suffered one defeat after another. The losses were enormous. Exact figures are still not available today.

From then on, the greed for power and influence of those in power had no regard for the "life and limb" of people, whether friend or foe. The "Raunächte" became more frequent. The grimace of evil now called on its witches to go to extremes. Everything is permitted, robbery, murder, torture, rape. An instruction, an invitation that Satan gives his witches and demands mercilessly. Those who don't want to do this go against the fatherland and in many cases become victims themselves. Opposition, signs of morality, compassion or hesitation against the use of typical Russian cruelty are not tolerated. The world looks on and looks away! While in the days of witch-hunts there was still a court, at least for the sake of form, which gave the appearance of a proper investigation and determined the sentence with the conviction, this is no longer necessary in the modern age. Satan decides on the sentence ad hoc. There are no rules or reasons for punishment. The more cruel and bloodthirsty - the better!

But there is hope. The ailing Tsar Boris Yeltsin loses his teeth.

A new witch tamer enters the world stage during these "nights of smoke". Vladimir Putin. Friendly, nice, often with an engaging grin on his face, as if he wants to show the world: Look how smart, how nice, how lovable and decent I am. He presents himself as a philanthropist, always trying to do his best for the people and his Russian nation! And the world doesn't doubt this person for a moment, who, seemingly slight, reminds us of the charlatan hidden behind him, of the chameleon, at least when he's not on the "Blocksberg" and moving around the international stage. A gentleman, almost fragile in appearance, when he takes part in the military parade alongside the greats of the Western world. Who suspects, thinks, believes, thinks they know that a big wolf in sheep's clothing has entered the political stage here? Without exception, nobody! Like the unsolved riddle of the hen and the egg, the same will be true of