Jakob Sprenger, German Witch-Hunter

In his notorious work, the Malleus Maleficarum, Sprenger laid down a standardized form of witch trial, appointing a course of examination by which inquisitors could discover witches. The questions, always backed up by torture, were both absurd and disgusting by today's standards. Inquisitors must ask suspects

• whether they had midnight meetings with Satan?
• whether they attended witches' Sabbats on the Brocken?
• whether they had familiar spirits?
• whether they could raise storms and call down lightning?
• whether they had carnal relations with the devil?

Sprenger went to work in Germany and burned at least five hundred people in one year alone (Mackay 498).

Lost?

Jakob Sprenger, German Witch-Hunter copyrighted 1996-1998 to Shantell Powell.