The Influence of Peter Binsfeld’s Activities (1540–1598/1603) on the Witch-Hunt In the Electorate of Trier

Relevance. The study is dedicated to rethinking the mechanisms of influence on 16th century German society in crisis and examining how religiously biased works can reinterpret official criminal codes. The activities of the theologian and auxiliary bishop (suffragan) Peter Binsfeld became a turning point in the witch-hunts in German lands, triggering a transition from individual witchcraft accusations to chain trials affecting all social strata of the population, including political elites. For this reason, the 16th century became one of the most prolific periods of witch-hunting in the German territories. Purpose. To comprehensively investigate the influence of the theoretical works of the German theologian Peter Binsfeld on the radicalization of judicial practices in the Electorate of Trier in the 16th century and to trace the transformation of the «exceptional crime» status, specifically in witchcraft accusations, regarding the legitimization of torture and denunciations. Methods. The study was conducted based on the principles of historicism and objectivism, utilizing the comparative-historical method to juxtapose the articles of the «Carolina» criminal constitution with Binsfeld’s theses presented in his theoretical works, and the historical-systemic method to consider witch-hunts as a consequence of the general crisis situation in the state. The analytical method was applied during the examination of judicial trials in Trier in which Peter Binsfeld personally participated, allowing for the demonstration of the practical application of the theologian’s treatises. Analysis was also employed for the processing of original texts. Results. As a result of the study, it was established that the German theologian Peter Binsfeld carried out a legal revolution in the 16th century within the Electorate of Trier by reinterpreting witchcraft as high treason against Divine Majesty. It was found that his theoretical works, «Treatise on the Confessions of Evildoers and Witches» (1589) and «Enchiridion of Pastoral Theology and Necessary Doctrine» (1595), laid the foundations for undermining the presumption of innocence and the right to a defence. It was determined that chain trials destroyed gender and social stereotypes regarding witches and began to threaten even representatives of the clergy and the magistracy. Conclusions. Binsfeld’s activity became a decisive factor in the formation of brutal judicial methods in the Electorate of Trier in the 16th century, which bypassed imperial criminal justice. The concept of the «exceptional crime» allowed local authorities to transform witch-hunts into a tool for purging marginalized layers of the population and, subsequently, into a mechanism for political cleansing. His theoretical works altered the perception of witches and facilitated the emergence of «chain trials», which incited panic and mutual suspicion among the population.