Mysterious witch trials in Hofheim: Lost files remain missing!

Mysterious witch trials in Hofheim: Lost files remain missing!

In the charming town of Hofheim am Taunus, the dark chapters of the witch hunts are repeatedly brought into the public eye. Documents about the infamous ones existed until the 1950s Witch trials, which have since been considered lost. A particular focus is on the tragic fates of two women, Linden Mergen and Clasin Mergin, who were convicted of witchcraft in Höchst in 1597 and burned.

The information about these processes and the cruel circumstances surrounding them comes from a doctoral thesis from the 1990s, which is based on older sources. Roswitha Schlecker, former city archivist, recently spoke about the tragic loss of the files and the painful history of the witch hunts in Hofheim. She also made it clear that in Frankfurt the witch trials often ended with milder punishments such as dismissal or house arrest, while in Hofheim the condemned were often burned alive.

A look into the past

The witch hunters were often guided by economic interests. Frankfurt wanted to present itself as a cosmopolitan city and had no interest in seeing pyres standing at the gates. In contrast, the executions in Hofheim often took place in elevated places, such as the gallows on Zeilsheimer Strasse or on Niederhofheimer Strasse. A total of 23 women were accused of witchcraft between 1588 and 1602 in the Höchst and Hofheim offices; 15 of them lost their lives.

A striking setting for this dark story is the Witch's Tower, which is part of the city's fortifications from the 15th century. Access to this prison was originally only possible via the ramparts of the city wall, while a ground-level entrance was only created in 1935. In the tower, now known as the “Witches’ Tower,” prison conditions were so miserable that many women made confessions under torture. Imprisoned in a circular room with a diameter of 3.55 meters and a height of 13 meters, the innocent women usually suffered from the cruel methods that were used to “discover the truth” during this time.

• Denunziationen und Gerüchte aus der Bevölkerung spielten bei den Anklagen eine zentrale Rolle.
• Die „Peinliche Halsgerichtsordnung“ war dabei die rechtliche Grundlage für die Hexenverfolgungen.
• Die Befragungen endeten häufig mit der ertappten „Wahrheit“ unter Anwendung von Foltermethoden wie Elevation oder Hungerkuren.

An end in sight

The witch hunt in Hofheim was not only initiated by the Electorate of Mainz; Eva Bender also denounced other women, but they did not have to fear any serious consequences. 30 years after Bender's conviction, concerned citizens of Hofheim and Kriftel called for an investigation into the events, but due to the Thirty Years' War this went unheeded. The witch's tower, in which these dark machinations took place, now memorializes the murdered women with two reliefs.

The Hofheim witch trials are not only a reminder of the injustices of the past, but also a reminder for society to deal with these issues and not to forget the lessons of history. The events are part of a rich, albeit painful, history that shapes Hofheim to this day.

For anyone who would like to find out more about the background of the Holger witch trials Historic Hofheim insightful information and fascinating insights into the time.