which is our main stay in western pop culture, but jokes and entertainment, aside being labeled, which can still get you killed. imagine you find out your ancestor with which at least they said she was a witch. apparently she poisoned people. someone even said she. so she was tried and burned as a witch. that's what happened in my family history. so let me take you on a journey to learn all about which and don't think from one minute the i was a teenager when i found out about my ancestor magole to clarify how over 300 years ago in 1642, she was accused tried tortured and ultimately burned as

a witch for years i was haunted by her story and wanted to find out what really happened. so i traveled to venting in a small town in south western germany. it's wine country, surrounded by an adult like patchwork of sloping hills and vineyards. but one of those hills is a mass grave. in the 17th century, more than 20 people died here during the vending in which trials their names are interesting to germany's oldest monument to persecuted, which is actually the place where the witches were burned. this is the execution placed for come over here. been up here several times with my family. we always came up to see our ancestor, montgomery to cuba. so what kind of a woman was she? and why was she choose to witchcraft? to find out i tracked down local history, invito and he knows the details of every which trial in this area including that of

my ancestor. if i didn't, i didn't send a file but a scene indeed since she was an interesting woman because a lot of clues indicate she was very clever that she had a deep sense of responsibility. oh indeed, stackhouse but that this inner strength and confidence and probably menchie overstepped her boundaries of it was meant with regard to others in the community to the tyson viewed. it sounds like she was a bit of a rebel, someone who didn't quite to the line of social norms. and possibly a bit before her time magazine came from a well to do family and married a judge. so she belonged to the town socially. she was the mother of 2 small boys, when the accusations against her grew rife. here in the church, she suffered a mortifying attack of dysentery. in front of the entire congregation. later her accusers said that satan had followed her into the sacred space. it was just one of

many charges, including allegedly given various people's food or drink in the past, after which they become gravely ill. in the state archives in nearby copeland, the original records of the beginning in which trials are extraordinarily well preserved. and with walter's help, make a shocking discovery. it turns out magazine, his own mother was burned as a witch before her. in fact, the neighbor was the 1st person and then again to be executed for witchcraft, already in 1631. so poor monkey to already have the card stacked against her. but when did this, we turned craze. actually begin and why? the demon ology is a science has existed since the beginning of few logical thinking. stomach, the christian n, t, a logical teaching grappled with these questions from the start to. i'm booking on

the already the old testament headed in for which is in the book of exodus, which states shall not suffer a which to live. but it was thomas of aquinas. a 13th century, dominican friar and theologians who had a profound impact on the church. the view of witchcraft, he argued, the world was full of evil demons, and that witches were practitioners of malevolence or 3. according to him, women were not only particularly susceptible to demonic possession, but we're lining up to make a pact even to have sex with the devil himself. he was backed up by pope john the 22nd in 1326 who declared any practice of magic to be an act of heresy. after that, the church went whole hall to warn people of this new threat. a decent ideas lead to the definition of a new criminal offense which crushed and laid the groundwork for the great european

which on the by the 15th century. this brand of fake news with spreading like wildfire in the form of them. a little smell in chicago, where the hammer of which is by dominican inquisitor, highness each time a 1st published in $1486.00. it was essentially the manual one, how to identify, try torture and kill, which is kind of described in obsessive detail how which is make their lustful packed with the devil, renounced the christian faith, the children. and generally, we have icon their surroundings. a book full of toxic masculine obsessions coincided with the realize that the printing press meaning its message could travel far and fast. over the next 200 years, the millennial souls like hot cakes becoming 2nd only to the bible in terms of sales. images gave form to these ideas, a seminal works like these 15th century woodcuts inspired many artists like german

painter and printmaker. i push dealer and his student had spied on green, who's interpretations of deviant devilish women were pretty salacious stuff and continued to inspire the public imagination through the ages. right on into the 20th century. like here in the 1922 called horror film tax on the whole, these had a nervous, early modern europe was fraught with problems. invasion flores, of religion, new illnesses like syphilis, even a climate crisis. from the early 14th to mid 19th century, much of northern europe was in the grip of the big chill, known as the little ice age. that many years of crop failure, extreme whether an economic hardship on to the phil wouldn't moving on to hit people gone. the idea that which is we're responsible for all of this. but that's

how that out of greed, n v and resentment. they were in league with the devil. and using my level of magic to create this, whether chaos is this list and that's all, that's all it. it was quite literally a perfect storm which is offered europe's beleaguered populations. a simple explanation for widespread fenn and sickness and suffering. and that's when which hunts really took off the contemporary historians estimate that between 50 and 60000 people died as a result of the european witch trials. and about 80 percent of the victims were women. about half of those victims were 20. 5000 people were killed within the boundaries of present day germany, which brings us back to august a to whose ordeal was pretty typical. for the time she was denounced and arrested for body searched for an incriminating devil's mark. they shaved off all her hair,

but she refused to confess. so the witch commission resorted to torture a legal policy at the time. you know, i'm not good for anyone who was accused was assumed to be guilty and the person have to prove their own innocent bucket of stuff. so the idea was that the confession was inherently there just under the surface and had to be drawn out. torture was seen as a necessary means of killing off the body to free the soul to allowed to reveal remorse sent to confess. to costume maga, he to was strapped into the fire in an instrument design to slowly crush the lower leg. when she still maintained her innocence, they hosted her up by her hands with a roof out of her mind with pain. she was forced to denounce another woman, a common practice that led to more witch trials, and kept the brutal cycle going. after 2 days, she could stand no more and confess to being a witch, feeling her own death sentence, the trial,

the goods revealed much more about my family and that even more relatives were victims of that. which on here in the nearby town of coast alone, in this freezing dungeon, one of them was imprisoned for weeks. his family fought in vain to save him. wait a minute, him you her right. and in fact, nearly one ins for victims of the european, which hans was a man a detail which often ignored but wasn't it cunning women, midwife and healers who were most likely to be accused of witchcraft. * the hip only to us, this midwife smith has incredible longevity that church and state colluded to go after cunning women healers and midwives, and destroyed their knowledge of birth control into motions. that's not true at all . so for initial assessment of got kind 5 reset and her colleagues agree that some of the most common mistakes about which ones have been perpetuated by feminist

interpretations where they fit perfectly into a political agenda. for decades, women's movements eager to rebel against patriarchal structures embrace to which is a potent symbol of power, which he remains to this day in most of the western world. she is this symbol of power that is subversive. she is a symbol of women, be free and independent, getting justice. and so she is ultimately this really inspiring figure because nobody can keep her down. oh, back in 1642, a woman like that was certainly a provocation. but neither midwives, nor red haired women were more likely to be accused of witchcraft in the end. it could happen to anyone. but back to beginning in such a seemingly peaceful little place,

why were 20 which is executed in this town alone. one explanation could be that as a one growing region, it was hit hard by the little ice age. the people here just need someone to blame for the hailstones that ruined their harvest. or were their religious radicals at work. who was actually on the local, which commission the historians, i to whom it says it was a group of local citizens, eager to better their status. a secular court that seized the opportunity to up in social power structures to its own advantage. and the victims, fortunes along with it. it was all about power, money, envy and resentment as a well off family high up in the pecking order. it's no wonder my gums each. it was a target whereby we can clear up yet another misconception that the catholic church was the driving force behind the european witch trials, does i smoke the notion of the catholics hunted witches and protestants were restrained? doesn't hold any water. indeed,

after the reformation vending and was predominantly protestant, and it turns out products to communities were often farm or zealous in their persecution, of which has been catholic ones. i know cough shop the in an area that converted to protestantism. in 1557, surrounded by the so called the wrong catholic religion. they were under enormous pressure to prove that protestantism was the better religion as they pointed to the right religion. and you've been that had quite an effect on the accusations hot except high on cloud and get picked. in fact, protestant countries like scotland and sweden so much higher incidence of which trials and catholic dominated ireland or portugal, italy and spain. both predominantly catholic were comparatively safe for anyone associated with witchcraft of your machine creates one the room and inquisition persecuted people for sorcery, magic and superstition for what they were barely put any one to death to the spanish inquisition never executed, which is because very early on they concluded that which is don't even exist on the

6th about the another place where which trial devastated a protest in population was in norway. the tiny town of bar do saw one of the biggest rich trials in scandinavia. unimpressive monument commemorates the execution of 91 people for witchcraft back in 1621. nearly a 3rd of the village at the time the my ancestors story came to its tragic in the november 1642 because he to cuba was forced to address the towns, people who had gathered to witness her execution. as god is my witness, i beg anyone whom i may have wronged in my life. for forgiveness. may i be an example to all and dine,

treat all of you to keep god before dying eyes and shield yourselves from the evil enemy. she was granted a merciful death and would be headed before her body was burned. perhaps the most shocking of all was the feeding frenzy that ensued. according to records, 250 leaders of wine were hold up to the execution side. a treacherous ploy to ensure the whole town was completed. now does he does, husband was handed the bill. in short, which trials were a lucrative business commissioners, scribes vintners, executioners all made a handsome living, perpetuating the system. by the mid 16 hundreds, europe's witchcraft mania had made its way to the new world. the most famous witch trials began in salem, massachusetts, in 1692 of nearly 200 people accused of witchcraft 19 were executed, one crushed to death and at least 5 died. in jail,

so when did all these madness stopped? as a count of their dead and salem witch hunting hysteria and europe began to die down . as people doubted so many could be guilty of witchcraft? the age of enlightenment gave more credence to science and reason men to superstitious belief, food was more plentiful and the advent of insurance when people were less prone to disaster. the last the legend which in europe was beheaded in switzerland in $1782.00, marking the end of a dark chapter. thank god, that's over. what is it the it's got? so there's never been so many which congress, as we see in today's world. the words of which fund expert advice can bailing a who's research is a shocker. he says more people were killed for witchcraft in the 20th century. then in the entire 300 years of european, which once, in fact,

a recent global study shows that the lease in witchcraft is to widespread today. and thousands of countries are effected in the pacific on a nation of papua new guinea, the public torture and murder of a legend, which is so common that sorcery accusation related violence or s a r v has its own acronym. most often the victims are women and according to experts, their numbers on the rise, especially in village and tribal communities. the un estimate some $200.00 people are killed each year until it gets super on. well, there's a very high number of murders of a legend which is the go unreported in pop when you're getting to come in either real quick and get to you can read every week in the times of india in which village, which is have just been killed to pick some, sometimes men, mostly women, and who have been ostracized, outcast with these are 10,

murdered by the village community, so to speak. it always gets to, it happens every week, and that's can cheat eatable in south asia, women are still blamed for crop failure. disease or natural disasters are frequently branded as witches for a trifle like this woman from jack con to offered medicine to a neighbor. in galvin with the next week, the village elder took me captive. he made me eat, beat me for so long. they thought i was dead, but i was able to escape when single them victims are often helpless in the face of mob dynamics. single women and widows are particularly at risk as they are in africa, where the problem is ramp and then the ones the term and can, if we look at recent times, then we see that in a country like tanza near alone since its independence and the early sixty's, but between 30 and 40000 people mostly women have been killed for

a legit crimes of witchcraft mention residence hall. and the most likely found guilty by some kind of village tribunal and then killed by young people to take on . and it's not just tens in the many countries, including nigeria or the democratic republic of congo are also dealing with the problem in northern gonna hundreds of older women have been banished to segregated villages or which camps. one of them is gone by the these women have been denounced for causing fires, drought and disease. many were accused by their own families. a country long had to flee her village after a neighbor accused her of witchcraft. she's been in gum bag or for 10 years. mom was badly abused. my landlord asked me to vacate the property because of the witchcraft accusation layout. i also fled to stop the brutalities. just look at my arm, this is what they did to me. it's broken up on the frontier nigeria and human rights

activist blue. it has visited gun biographer, his research for years he's been fighting the persecution of which is through i would have for co and urgent governments to protect the victims. his goal that by 2030, which once in africa, will be a thing of the past, the victims, amending women. and let me tell you what we mean by a weaker social course or opposition. the african countries often comes, the size of the eyes are on that we may not treated as a single classroom. and as you might be, is that you'll kind of get the results in 2022 over a few women were living in dunbar in squalid conditions. with no health care, they live from donations, selling firewood, or doing the occasional work on surrounding funds. illness, famine, floods, or drove brought on by climate change. despite the cultural divide,

there are striking parallels between the witch hunts in africa and those in early modern europe. asia, your lot, even young, he describes her ordeal, can done one way street mean they took it one step to shave me everywhere. as part of the rituals my private parts and my armpits. gone as government is well aware of the witchcraft, superstition, and it's often federal consequences has announced its intention to close all which villages which come in his life addresses students. all they do, the students are being targeted to begin the dublin, 60 miles the i'm forced to go back to communities. so the government of drama is approaching the problem wrongly. and that is why i think we have not seen any significance sheets in terms of resolving the problem, which basically shutting down. this is a bottle that we have to,

we have to when it will africa. we have to wait for your mind that you know, it takes inspiration from to women who did when their bass will be active as further which is of scotland for 2 years. clare mitchell. and so we've ended taught to campaigned for illegal pardon and apology for the 2500 people. mostly women convicted an executed for witchcraft in scotland. although their persecution dates back several centuries. they saw their demand as a signal for the presence that are still people across the worlds generally vulnerable. often women are old people, they are being accused of witchcraft and in some cases, being killed by more justice. and is that that are some countries that are trying to put it into their legal system where people can still be accused of witchcraft. so we don't think that it's an issue this past is still sadly very, very available on march 8th, 2022. there plea was heard. scotlands been 1st minister nicholas sturgeon, acknowledge the historic injustice before parliament. on behalf of the scottish

government, i'm choosing to acknowledge that agree just historic injustice, and extend a formal positive mis apology to all those accused convicted, vilified, or executed under the witchcraft act of 15. 63. a signal to the rest of the world. where at least in the west, which is in witchcraft or having something of a renaissance, new york based pam grossman is a self proclaimed which author and host of the successful which weighs podcast. while exact numbers are elusive, she, it serves the growing interest in witchcraft and paganism in recent years and puts it down to a need for alternatives. in on certain times, we see what is happening with capitalism being so ravenous and so bottomless, that it is destroying the very planet that we live on. and so which craft is

a beautiful alternative to all of that? because which craft says that we all are define no matter what our gender or background is. we all have access to in our power from spiritual connection to political and environmental activism. the shape shifting, which has more than proliferated in popular culture and online. so which is of instagram and videos with the 1st type which talk a math and millions of use of people find strength, balance, and community in modern interpretations of the craft. at the same time, the word which continues to be used to the same strong women, the smear campaigns against hillary clinton prior to the 2016 us election are just one example the. and then of course, there's this guy for years, former us president donald trump has complained about

a never ending which wants against him. he continues to misuse the term and is always the victim spending millions and millions of dollars. others continue, which are an appalling distortion of history. the trivializes, the plight of so many women, still suffering today spinning and prefers a more sober approach to it's not past one that owners the victims of which ones and brings them back into the conversation. all these delving into the history of our family, which has been enlightening and emotionally exhausting. so real to retrace her footsteps and unbearably sad to think so many suffered her fate. even more upsetting is the fact that women are still going through it, which ones are only a phenomenon of centuries ago, but rather an urgent problem that effects thousands of phone number women every day in africa, asia, and elsewhere. the deadly chain of events instigated by envy as neighbors and ma,

gonna need to clear this case is a pattern that keeps getting repeated in life and on line the victims, their pain. they're suffering deserve our awareness and respect. uh, certainly a strange feeling to be here. it's a good thing that they've been vindicated, or at least recognized historically and by the community, the, the the,

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