Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MA

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

History

Committee Chair

Matthew Vester.

Committee Co-Chair

Katherine Aaslestad

Committee Member

Kate Staples

Abstract

This thesis examined Cologne during the years that witchcraft persecution was the highest in the city, from 1627-1662. By using a microhistorical approach on primary sources it found that strained relationships were the chief causes of the accusations. This thesis also discovered that in Cologne, at least, all of those under the age of 30 confessed to witchcraft while all of those above the age of 30 denied the accusations. It did this by both statistical analysis of the questions asked of the accused as well as in depth analysis of the answers that the accused gave their judges.

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