11. The Thirty Years’ War, the greatest period of German casualties until the last months of World War II, was responsible for the deaths of between 8,000,000 and 11,500,000 people
The Thirty Years’ War, taking place between 1618 and 1648, was a lengthy conflict fought in Central Europe. Initially beginning due to disagreements between the Protestant and Catholic states of the Holy Roman Empire – accelerated by the election of Ferdinand II as Emperor in 1619 and his efforts to impose Roman Catholicism upon all the peoples of his domain – the war attracted the involvement of the foremost European powers. Seen as an opportunity for expansion and profit, for example, France interceded to prevent encirclement by the Habsburgs, Sweden did so to acquire territory in northern Germany, and Spain in an attempt to crush the Dutch rebellion.
The conflict devastated much of Central Europe, triggering famines, butchering much of the population through the fighting, and bankrupting many of those involved; conversely, France emerged greatly strengthened, as did Sweden, while the Dutch Republic, having won its independence, entered a Golden Age as the foremost economic and colonial power of Europe. Of particular note, due to the sufferings of much of Europe during the conflict many populations adopted the hysterical fear of witchcraft. Serving as the peak of the witch-hunting phenomenon, an estimated 25,000 women were put to death across these decades in a panicked attempt to end the horrific conditions of seemingly cursed everyday life.