Eichstätt witch trials

The first larger persecution happened under the authority of Prince-Bishop Martin von Schaumberg (1560–1590) and affected only women in the upper exclaves ("Oberes Stift") of the prince-bishopric mainly in 1590.

During the governance of Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen (1595–1612) at least 20 women of the lower exclaves ("Unteres Stift") were put to death for witchcraft, most of them 1603.

The by far largest persecution phase of so-called witches in the Prince-Bishopric of Eichstätt began 1613 when Johann Christoph von Westerstetten became Prince-Bishop there.

The massive pursuance ended suddenly in July 1630 when the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand and Prince-elector of Bavaria Maximilian prohibited the witch-hunt in the Franconian Circle at the Diet of Regensburg (1630).

The last known execution in Eichstätt affected Walburga Rung, a pauperized girl at the age of 22, on November 22, 1723.

Among the victims were six councilmen (Ratsherren), ten mayor (Bürgermeister) and five steward (Kastner) respectively their wives and many women whose husbands worked as craftsman for the Bishop.

Map of the Bishopric of Eichstätt with its exclaves Herrieden, Ornbau, Spalt, Pleinfeld und Abenberg
Number of executions for witchcraft per year in the Bishopric of Eichstätt from 1532 to 1723 (n=224).