1: Alte Hofhaltung (old parish)
At the end of May 1626, southern Germany experienced a cold snap that destroyed the grain in the fields. In nearby Zeil am Main, the citizens railed against the supposed weather magic of witches. The helpless mayor appealed to the Prince-Bishop of Bamberg, Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim, for assistance, and thus the witch hunt began, its spark soon spreading to Bamberg. The Old Court initially served as the site for interrogations and executions.
2: Obere Pfarre (Upper parish)
In 1612, Friedrich Förner was appointed auxiliary bishop. He preached more or less regularly in the Upper Parish against witches and incited the congregation from the pulpit for years. As the right-hand man of Prince-Bishop Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim, he is considered a fanatical evil spirit at the center of the most intense wave of persecution that began in 1626.
3: Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall)
Increasingly, respected citizens and even some mayors are becoming targets of the witch hunters. The main motivation – besides greed – is the persecution of political opponents and supporters of the Reformation.
4: Schönleinsplatz
On August 6, 1628, Johannes Junius was burned at the stake in what is now Schönleinsplatz. Junius was one of at least four mayors executed. A document unique in Europe has survived from him: his farewell letter to his daughter. The installation "The Brand" at the edge of the green space commemorates the many victims.
5: Das Malefizhaus (The House of Maleficent)
In 1627, Prince-Bishop Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim and his right-hand man, Auxiliary Bishop Friedrich Förner, commissioned the construction of the Malefizhaus (Witches' House) at the corner of what is now the intersection of Franz-Ludwig-Straße and Promenadestraße. It served as a prison, interrogation and torture site for those suspected of witchcraft, and here the inmates – including, of course, Mayor Johannes Junius – awaited their execution.
The witches of Bamberg
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As a young woman, I experienced the witch hunts in Bamberg and escaped this madness by the skin of my teeth. Let me tell you what happened!
Who I am
My name is Katharina Maria Beck, and I was born in Bamberg in 1605. A city known for its beauty – and for its dark history of witch hunts. As a young woman, I lived a simple life. I helped my mother tend herbs and cared for the sick in our neighborhood. But in those dark times, this was enough to be suspected of evil.
The Dark Years
Between 1626 and 1631, the worst witch hunt in German history raged in Bamberg. Prince-Bishop Johann Georg Fuchs von Dornheim, known as the »Witch Burner«, had hundreds of innocent people executed. Women, men, even children. Rich and poor alike – no one was safe.
I am here to bear witness. As a virtual eyewitness, I want to tell you the history and the stories of the people from that time.
Why I'm speaking
Today I return to share my fate with you firsthand. Ask me about daily life and my experiences in Bamberg, about the trials, about the people who fell victim to this fanatical madness. I will answer you from my personal perspective – so that the memory of that time remains alive! Such events and deeds must never be forgotten!
Katharina Beck
