FALSE WITCHCRAFT
The Daily Telegraph of March 7
contains the following announcement:
«
Trial for Witchcraft
Berlin, Tuesday.
A trial for witchcraft, which has
just been held in the Upper Palatinate, is attracting wide attention as a
forcible illustration of the depths of ignorance and superstition in which
large districts of Southern Germany are still sunk. A farm laborer named Hirmer was employed by a
woman named Koelbl to look after her horse. Hirmer, however, neglected his duties, the horse became sick, and to
excuse himself Hirmer asserted that the animal had been bewitched. Every morning he found it bathed in sweat,
and with its mane and tail plaited by unearthly hands.
He advised Frau Koelbl to secure
the services of a neighboring witch doctor, a certain Hartwig. At dead of night Hartwig entered the stable,
fixed a crucifix with two burning candles at the horse’s head, wrote some
mysterious letters on the wall with “consecrated” chalk, drew a magic circle
round himself, opened his book, and began incantations in some unknown jargon.
He shivered with the violence of
his emotions, and after three-quarters of an hour revealed that the witch who
had “possessed” the horse was a certain Frau Schaumberger. At the trial the judge at first was not
inclined to convict Hartwig, as he regarded the witch doctor as perfectly
sincere, but on reflection he condemned him to four weeks’ imprisonment as an
impostor. »
Such trials for witchcraft are
not very rare in Bavaria and the Tyrol, and they occasionally take place in
other countries likewise.
- In the year 1836 a woman was tried for witchcraft at Hela (near Danzig) and thrown into the sea. As she did not sink immediately, her clothes keeping her afloat, they killed her with the oars.
- In Mothale (Palatinate) a young lady was arrested for witchcraft because they attributed to her doings the death of a calf in a stable while she was in the house.
- In 1807 a beggar was burnt alive for witchcraft in Mayenne (France).
- In June 1825 a poor old woman was thrown into a fire at Boumel (France), being accused of witchcraft.
- In Tarbos (France) a lady was burnt to death by advice of the priest who said she was a witch.
- In April 1826 an old woman suffered the same death at Mora (Belgium) because it was claimed that she had caused the death of several persons by means of witchcraft.
- In the county of Essex (England) an old man was tortured to death for being a sorcerer (see London Times of September 24, 1863).
- In 1874 a supposed witch was burnt alive at Jekaterinoda (Russia), and another at Comargo (Mexico), together with her infant brother in 1860.
- The most modern trial for witchcraft is perhaps the trial of Jeanne Veber, which took place in Paris on January 30, 1906. In this case it seems that this Jeanne Veber was actually possessed by some evil power, unknown to herself, which caused a number of children to die by her touch.
There is no doubt that the great
majority of those who were tried for witchcraft or sorcery were entirely
innocent. Some of these may have been
unconscious “mediums” or hysterical and obsessed people, but the important part
of the question is whether there exists at present really such a thing as
“black magic,” witchcraft and sorcery, whether consciously or unconsciously
exercised, and this I am ready to affirm; for not only have several cases of
undoubted “black magic” come to my knowledge in Italy, but such things as are
mentioned in the article of the Daily Telegraph have happened in my own family.
TRUE WITCHCRAFT
My brother-in-law, Count A. von S., was captain in the Bavarian cavalry (cheveaux-legers), and lives at present at S., after having retired from service.
Some years ago while on duty he noticed that one of his horses was
sickly, and the groom reported that he found it every morning bathed in sweat
and with its mane and tail plaited in a most unaccountable way.
The Count, being a total
unbeliever in things unnatural, made up his mind to investigate the matter, and
so he spent the night in the stable watching the horse.
Everything seemed all right, but at about 2
a.m. a sudden tremor shook the horse, and in a moment its mane and tail was
plaited in a most intricate manner, and the animal became covered with sweat.
Concerning the bewitching of
cattle and horses, the possibility of it is believed in (or to express it more
correctly) known to almost every peasant in Bavaria and Austria, especially in
the mountainous districts, where the farmers will often refuse to permit a
stranger to enter their stable unless he pronounces a blessing.
If a cow is “bewitched” the milk
soon after the milking turns dark blue and emits a putrid odor, rendering it
unfit for use. Such a case happened at
the dairy of my sister at her residence at S., near Munich. And this case has been described in my book on
“Paracelsus,” and I will repeat the particulars.
At a farmhouse in the vicinity of
the castle of S., where my sister lives, the milk one day became “blue.” After having been deposited in the usual
place it began to darken, became light blue, and that color after a while
deepened into an almost inky black, while the layer of cream on the top
exhibited zigzag lines. Soon the whole mass began to putrefy and to emit a
horrible odor.
This occurred again and again
every day, and the farmer was in despair.
Everything was tried to find out the cause of the trouble: the stable
was thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, the place where the milk was kept was
changed, new pails were bought, a different kind of food given to the cows,
samples of the milk were sent to the university professors to be examined by
chemists, veterinary surgeons were called in and everything possible was done
without any effect.
At last my sister, hearing of
these things, and being incredulous, went to the farm for the purpose of
investigating the matter. She took with her a clean, new bottle and filled it
with the milk directly from the cow. This she took home with her and deposited it in her pantry. On the following day her cows became
bewitched and their milk became blue, while the trouble in the house of the neighbor
ceased.
Now again everything possible was
tried to find out the cause, but without any success. University professors and veterinary surgeons
came and examined and went away as wise as before, and the trouble continued
for about three months. Finally, my brother-in-law was advised to apply to an
old woman reputed to be able be cure such things.
She lived at K., about 300 miles
distant. The Count went to see her and told her about this affair, whereupon
she wrote certain signs upon slips of paper and gave them to him, asking him to
put one of these slips over each opening in the stable and told him that soon
after that something curious would happen.
My brother-in-law followed her
advice, and a couple of days afterwards, as the milkmaid went to the dairy in
the morning before sunrise, carrying a lantern, when she opened the stable door
something like a black animal of the size of a big dog rushed out, knocking the
milk-pail and lantern out of her hands and disappearing. After this event all was right again.
Another similar case happened
about two years ago at Berehtesgaden (Bavaria). In this case the owner of the cattle accused one of his neighbors of
having bewitched his cows, but as he could not prove it he had to pay a fine
for defamation of character.
~ * ~
Those who do not believe in
magic, and obsession, may consider these stories incredible; but for my part, I
am satisfied that the said troubles had occult causes, and I know that there
are still forces existing in nature whose qualities and activity are not yet
recognized by the world in general.
(The Occult Review, May 1906, vol.
3, p.237-239)
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