40 Real People Executed for Witchcraft

40 Real People Executed for Witchcraft

Tim Flight - October 15, 2019

40 Real People Executed for Witchcraft
Miniature of the birth of Julius Caesar, showing a female midwife, France, late 14th century. British Library

27. Walpurga Hausmannin burned for witchcraft, vampirism and killing children

Another midwife, Walpurga Hausmannin worked in Dillingen, Bavaria. In her long career lasting nearly two decades, 40 infants died. At a time of high infant mortality, this was not surprising. But this was also during the witch craze, and thus highly suspicious. Under torture, Hausmannin said she became a witch after having sex with a demon disguised as a local man. The demon, Federlin, convinced her to kill the infants and women she attended, and even drink their blood. She also confessed to defiling sacraments and selling her soul. In 1587, the Bishop of Augsburg burned her at the stake.

Advertisement