Malleus Maleficarum: The Hammer For Witches

Paranoia and despair has been a tool in survival since the beginning of humanity; during the Roman Inquisition in the 13th century, the Catholic Church was anxious from the fine line of superstition and witchcraft being a threat to their teachings. During this time period, two Theologist professors by the names of Jacob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer crafted an essential “guidebook” for Inquisitors in search of witches. Appropriately named, Malleus Maleficarum, Latin for “The Hammer for Witches”, was held in the hands for Inquisitors to properly dispose of those who worked for the devil (Lewis). A witch was a threat to Catholicism, as in this time period the church was in despair of anyone who revolted against their theories. Witches, when loyal to the Devil, were granted “spells” to harm humanity; therefore, the church enforced Inquisitors to diminish the existence of witches. To be accused as a witch, simply the disposition of an innocent being gave the answer to a “witch hunter”. However, it was …show more content…
The first section, elaborated on why witchcraft was not a superstition, and how it was a threat to normal society. The second, was how witchcraft harmed society, and lastly, the “Hammer of Witches” instructed the Inquisitor on how to abolish the witch. Upon accusation, the suspect was immediately interrogated about witchcraft and their associations, along with looking for physical and non-physical aspects that served to be “devil’s marks”. Witches, mostly women, were stripped in their cells to find “instruments of witchcraft”; their hair was shaven to find any obscure markings (common day birthmarks or skin tags), along with a heavy interrogation to have the witch confess to her workings with the devil. By doing so, the said witch may have avoided a death sentence. However, if she did not confess, she was put under torturous physical acts, and if she did not weep, she was 100% certified witch