Rottweil witch trials
witch trials in 16th-17th c. Rottweil, Swabia
The Rottweil witch trials were a series of witch trials in the town of Rottweil in Swabia, a town in the Margraviate of Baden, a Holy Roman Empire city in what is now Germany, between 1546 and 1661. 234 women and 53 men were accused of witchcraft. Out of 287 accused, only 21 were found innocent, while the other 266 were killed. The majority of the victims were burned to death, although some were beheaded (which was becoming more 'fashionable' in the 16th century). 400 years later, the town pardoned the accused posthumously. A commemorative plaque was placed on the tower in the city, which was formerly a prison, to serve as a memorial for the victims of the trials.
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