The Persecuted
Women
1/5 infants died during this period
Lying-in maids were more susceptible to accusations
Essex 1560-1675 93% female
Bishopric of Basel 1571-1670 95% female
In Germany a midwife called Walpurga Hausmannin was accused in 1587 of having
caused the deaths of 40 children over 12 years
In 1728 a Hungarian midwife was burned at the stake for witchcraft accused of
baptising 2,000 in the devils name
Malleus Malificarum: ‘slippery tongues’ and ‘impressionable’ and ‘since they are
weak’
In Baden Baden Germany over half of the accused were involved in food preparation
In Switzerland women were persecuted to stop them stepping out of line
Russia 1601-1701 74% male
Iceland 1625-1675 92% male
Age
In Geneva and Essex the median age of witches was about 60
Healers and midwives were usually older women
Women over 60 manifest antisocial behaviour
Older women could no longer contribute economically to society
Geneva 75% are aged 50 or over
Essex in England 87% aged 50 or over
Cologne average age was 50
Of those executed in Wurzburg a quarter were children
Where love magic was a primary accusation, such as in southern Europe, witches
tended to be younger e.g. Venetian Inquisition
Marital Status
In areas where the reformation had closed nunneries and convents there were even
more independent
In the area around Mainz 55.84% of female victims were married
Socio-Economic
Nicholas Remy in 1595 claimed that witches were ‘for the most part beggars’
In New England before Salem most of those accused were dependant on the
community
In Norway large numbers were recorded as being ‘extremely poor’
Vagrants barely appeared in persecutions except in Russia and Austria
In New England often those accused had a reputation of being disorderly
Elizabeth Clarke accused in East Anglian witch hunts was immediately suspected by
her neighbours as she was elderly and relied on charity
Religion
Women
1/5 infants died during this period
Lying-in maids were more susceptible to accusations
Essex 1560-1675 93% female
Bishopric of Basel 1571-1670 95% female
In Germany a midwife called Walpurga Hausmannin was accused in 1587 of having
caused the deaths of 40 children over 12 years
In 1728 a Hungarian midwife was burned at the stake for witchcraft accused of
baptising 2,000 in the devils name
Malleus Malificarum: ‘slippery tongues’ and ‘impressionable’ and ‘since they are
weak’
In Baden Baden Germany over half of the accused were involved in food preparation
In Switzerland women were persecuted to stop them stepping out of line
Russia 1601-1701 74% male
Iceland 1625-1675 92% male
Age
In Geneva and Essex the median age of witches was about 60
Healers and midwives were usually older women
Women over 60 manifest antisocial behaviour
Older women could no longer contribute economically to society
Geneva 75% are aged 50 or over
Essex in England 87% aged 50 or over
Cologne average age was 50
Of those executed in Wurzburg a quarter were children
Where love magic was a primary accusation, such as in southern Europe, witches
tended to be younger e.g. Venetian Inquisition
Marital Status
In areas where the reformation had closed nunneries and convents there were even
more independent
In the area around Mainz 55.84% of female victims were married
Socio-Economic
Nicholas Remy in 1595 claimed that witches were ‘for the most part beggars’
In New England before Salem most of those accused were dependant on the
community
In Norway large numbers were recorded as being ‘extremely poor’
Vagrants barely appeared in persecutions except in Russia and Austria
In New England often those accused had a reputation of being disorderly
Elizabeth Clarke accused in East Anglian witch hunts was immediately suspected by
her neighbours as she was elderly and relied on charity
Religion
