From heresy to witchcraft: the Fribourg laboratory

The study offers the exposition of the persecution of heretics and witches and sorcerers in the region of Fribourg in the first half of the 14th century. The progress from persecution of heretics to the ensuing witch trials in the town of Fribourg and its surroundings was not strictly linear. In fact, for some time the persecution of heretics coincided with the persecution of witches and sorcerers, particularly in the years of the trial against Waldensians in 1430. After 1442, there were no more trials with heretics, and the persecution of witches and sorcerers alone ensued. The fundamental difference between the persecution of heretics and the persecution of witches lied in their point of focus. Persecution of heretics was aimed at towns, whereas the persecution of witches was directed at village populations. In the case of Waldensians, mainly men were persecuted; the persecution of witches was aimed primarily at women. With one exception, all trials were held before the same court, i.e. the inquisition court, where members of the Fribourg Municipal Council acted as observers. The unceasing inquisition and the employed inquisition procedure became the link between heresy and witchcraft; naturally, this statement is not exclusively applicable to Fribourg.