Wolfgang Behringer

By itself, "witchcraft beliefs do not automatically generate persecutions." There’s always a triggering factor involved. There was a centuries long construction of the concept of witchcraft, emerging as a singular crime only around 1400. Religious minorities were arrested for heresy first and then magical crimes were added. The word "synagogue" with its "heretical" origin, was used to describe the gatherings of Waldensians, and later any religious minority eventually settling on "sabbath" or "sabbat." It’s no coincidence, Behring argues, that the mass persecutions coincide with the most religiously turbulent, politically unstable and environmentally challenging period in European history. The Reformation, Religious Wars, Thirty Years’ War, Little Ice Age, Plague…Scapegoating a witch provided a solution for an otherwise uncontrollable situation, and most trials originated in the lower classes and secular courts. These illegal trials were either shut down by higher authority, or encouraged to deflect blame.

Behring also explains a lot of misconceptions: i.e. 1) The idea that "up to 9 million witches" were executed has its origins in Nazi propaganda. 2) 80% of the victims being female is due to location. In Northern Europe the distribution is reversed. Also, women accused other women because of their social sphere, contributing to the number. 3) The Malleus Maleficarum was not backed by any higher authority originally and was rare in it's pointed attack on women. Behring also points out that the neglected research of contemporary women's psychology and witchcraft among slaves in the New World.

Behringer's "Witches and Witch-Hunts" contains impressive research and countless examples of witch trials, but does focus mainly on Central Europe, which should’ve been stated outright. It's also dense at times and the timeline could've been cleaner for easier reading. Highly recommend though!… (more)