Elizabeth of Doberschütz
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth of Doberschütz, (or Dobschütz) née of Strantz (died: 17 December 1591 in Szczecin
, Pomerania
) was beheaded as a witch on the Hay Market in Szczecin
and burned on the outskirts of the city
and magic
in 1590: she was accused of having treated Erdmuthe of Brandenburg
, the wife of Duke John Frederick of Pomerania-Stettin (1542–1600) with a "witch potion" which had made the Duchess infertile. Elizabeth had sent this potion to the Duchess years ago to reduce fever after the Duchess had suffered a miscarriage. The Duke had been married since 1577 to Princess Erdmuthe of Brandenburg (1561–1623), daughter of the elector John George
of Brandenburg and the Sabine of Brandenburg-Ansbach and the marriage was childless. Doberschütz managed to escape, but she was arrested in Krosno Odrzańskie
where she had fled with her husband. She was imprisoned in Stettin, and on 17 December 1590 sentenced to death. Exactly one year later, on 17 December 1591, she was beheaded as a witch on the Hay Market in Szczecin and then burned at the stake on the outskirts of the city, in the year in which the witch hunts in Szczecinek had reached their peak.
, lord of Plau in the Landkreis Crossen (Oder) in Brandenburg. But Doberschütz was in debt, and in 1585, he went back into 1575 in the services of John Frederick, Duke of Pomerania. Until 1584, he was city governor of the city of Neustettin
. His wife seems to have been accused of witchcraft as early as 1584 for reasons of political envy. In 1590, Melchior finally fell out of favor, due to defamation and his wife again being accused of witchcraft. He was banned from Pomerania.
The deliberate slander ultimatelyled to Elizabeth's arrest and conviction. The case file also shows, for example, that her painful thrift and uncaring severity had greatly strengthened the hatred of the maids and servants. She was alleged to have given poisoned drinks to the duke's High marshal Peter von Kameke and other court officials and to the Duke himself, that had taken their wits and senses, in order to win their favour for herself or her husband.
She was alos allaeged to have been very superstitious and to have had "some strange habits" and to have conversed with other witches even while in prison. They were tortured and forced to slander and testify against her, and that testmony eventually led to Elizabeth's death sentence. This was masterminded by Jacob von Kleist, her husbands rival for the Duke's favor and his successor as city governor of Neustettin. During his term as city governor (1584–1594), several more alleged witches were executed.
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
) was beheaded as a witch on the Hay Market in Szczecin
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
and burned on the outskirts of the city
Witch Hunt
Elizabeth of Doberschütz was accused of witchcraftWitchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
and magic
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
in 1590: she was accused of having treated Erdmuthe of Brandenburg
Erdmuthe of Brandenburg
Erdmuthe of Brandenburg was a Princess of Brandenburg and by marriage Duchess of Pomerania.- Life :...
, the wife of Duke John Frederick of Pomerania-Stettin (1542–1600) with a "witch potion" which had made the Duchess infertile. Elizabeth had sent this potion to the Duchess years ago to reduce fever after the Duchess had suffered a miscarriage. The Duke had been married since 1577 to Princess Erdmuthe of Brandenburg (1561–1623), daughter of the elector John George
John George, Elector of Brandenburg
John George of Brandenburg was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg and a Duke of Prussia...
of Brandenburg and the Sabine of Brandenburg-Ansbach and the marriage was childless. Doberschütz managed to escape, but she was arrested in Krosno Odrzańskie
Krosno Odrzanskie
Krosno Odrzańskie is a city on the east bank of Oder River, at the confluence with the Bóbr. The town in Western Poland with 12,500 inhabitants is the capital of Krosno County...
where she had fled with her husband. She was imprisoned in Stettin, and on 17 December 1590 sentenced to death. Exactly one year later, on 17 December 1591, she was beheaded as a witch on the Hay Market in Szczecin and then burned at the stake on the outskirts of the city, in the year in which the witch hunts in Szczecinek had reached their peak.
Background
Elizabeth's persecution as a witch is seen today as a result of political intrigue: Elisabeth had married Melchior of DoberschützMelchior of Doberschütz
Melchior of Doberschütz , mentioned from 1572 to 1600, was a member of the Silesian noble family of Doberschütz and was a city captain of Szczecinek in the Duchy of Pomerania and a landlord holding vast possessions in Pomerania and Brandenburg...
, lord of Plau in the Landkreis Crossen (Oder) in Brandenburg. But Doberschütz was in debt, and in 1585, he went back into 1575 in the services of John Frederick, Duke of Pomerania. Until 1584, he was city governor of the city of Neustettin
Szczecinek
Szczecinek [] is a city in Middle Pomerania, northwestern Poland with some 39,777 inhabitants . Previously in Koszalin Voivodeship , it has been the capital of Szczecinek County in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
. His wife seems to have been accused of witchcraft as early as 1584 for reasons of political envy. In 1590, Melchior finally fell out of favor, due to defamation and his wife again being accused of witchcraft. He was banned from Pomerania.
The deliberate slander ultimatelyled to Elizabeth's arrest and conviction. The case file also shows, for example, that her painful thrift and uncaring severity had greatly strengthened the hatred of the maids and servants. She was alleged to have given poisoned drinks to the duke's High marshal Peter von Kameke and other court officials and to the Duke himself, that had taken their wits and senses, in order to win their favour for herself or her husband.
She was alos allaeged to have been very superstitious and to have had "some strange habits" and to have conversed with other witches even while in prison. They were tortured and forced to slander and testify against her, and that testmony eventually led to Elizabeth's death sentence. This was masterminded by Jacob von Kleist, her husbands rival for the Duke's favor and his successor as city governor of Neustettin. During his term as city governor (1584–1594), several more alleged witches were executed.