#153 ~ The Last Witch of Langenburg

The Last Witch of Langenburg: Murder in a German Village by Thomas Robisheaux

I don’t typically read a great deal of non-fiction.  I most often read for pleasure and my choice is almost always fiction.  I was excited, however, to receive an offer from W. W. Norton to read this book.  I’ve been interested in European witch trials ever since I read The Witch’s Trinity by Erika Mailman.  I could not pass up the opportunity to read about German witch trials from a historian’s perspective.  The Last Witch of Langenburg concentrates on the witch trial of Anna Schmieg. She is an older woman and the wife of the local miller.  She is arrested on suspicion of witchcraft after the death of Anna Fessler, the friend of Schmieg’s daughter Eva.  Fessler had still been recovering from childbirth when Eva brought the Fessler family some of the Shrove Tuesday cakes Schmieg had baked. When Anna Fessler died later than night, Anna Schmieg was the prime suspect.  The structure of the book and the writing kept the story interesting while making it much more dramatic than I had anticipated.

Thomas Robisheuax, a Professor of History at Duke University, constructed his book in such a way as to first highlight the basic facts surrounding the death of Anna Fessler and the arrests of Anna Schmeig and her daughter Eva.  After explaining the circumstances that directly surrounded thoses events, Robisheaux explores the social, economic, political and religous history of Langenburg and its residents. He provides insight into the experiences of the townspeople as well as background information on the key investigators and government officials who played a role in establishing order in Langenburg or who participated in Anna Schmieg’s trial.  I found these sections of the book as interesting as the more dramatic sections that related directly to Anna.  Far from being hysterical, the government did its best to proceed carefully and thoughtfully in order to provide both Annas – the victim and the accused – with fair and level-headed justice. 

Burning a German Witch by Albert Keller

Although a work of non-fiction, The Last Witch of Langenburg kept me guessing how things would turn out for Anna Schmieg, her family, and her villiage.  As Robisheaux detailed the elements that would impact Anna Schmieg’s circumstances the evidence used during her trial, I kept a mental tally of that which worked in Anna’s favor and that which did not.  Even still, I was unsure of what the ultimate outcome would be either with a conviction or without one.  The government procedures and the thought processes of the local officials were as important and influential to what happened in Langenburg as Anna Schmieg’s relationships with her daughter, her husband, and her neighbors.  This remained with me after I finished the book.  To an extent, all of the players in this drama were a product of their culture and the history of their region.  Even if they were aware of this, they could not separated from it.  How true is that of us today?  Is it possible to have a complete understanding of modern events while being an active participant in modern life?

The Last Witch of Langenburg, like the best historical fiction, left me wanting more.  While the author provided generous amounts of detail surrounding the events of Anna Schmieg’s trial, I was intrigued by so much more.  The sections that discussed the role of the villiage executioner, the way in which religion, philosophy, and the 30 Year’s War impacted the thought processes of the local officials, and the impact that a family’s livelihood had on the family’s treatment within the villiage stood out for me.  As much as society has changed since the 1670s, much is still the same.  Relationships between husband and wife and mother and daughter are universal.  If you fast forward 340 years and change the crime, the tale of the Schmieg family could just as easily be the plot of a modern book or movie.  The subject matter, the construction of the information, and the writing style held my interest from the beginning.  I learned a great deal about life in 17th century Germany while enjoying every moment I spent with the book.  If you are interested in German history, witch trials, or life in 17th century Europe, I highly recommend The Last Witch of Langenburg. You don’t have to be a historian to find this book fascinating.

++++++++

For more information about Thomas Robisheaux and The Last Witch of Langenburg, be sure to check out my interview with the author.

**********

To buy this book, click here.