Holger Rune: From Danish Prodigy to Double Vohunce Master

Holger Rune is a Danish professional tennis player who has been making waves in the tennis world. He is known for his powerful double-handed backhand and his aggressive playing style. Holger Rune's rise to success has been nothing short of impressive. At the young age of 18, Holger Rune has already achieved several significant milestones in his career. In 2021, he won the French Open Boys' Singles title, establishing himself as one of the most promising young talents in tennis. This victory made him the first Danish player to win a Grand Slam title in singles.

Rowlands, Alison, ‘Not “the Usual Suspects”? Male Witches, Witchcraft, and Masculinities in Early Modern Europe,’ in Alison Rowlands (ed.), Witchcraft and Masculinities in Early Modern Europe, Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, pp. 1-31.

Much of the book offered hints to judges and prosecutors, such as the authors suggestion to strip each suspect completely and inspect the body to see whether a mole was present that might be a telltale sign of consort with demons, and to have the defendants brought into court backwards to minimize their opportunities to cast dangerous spells on officials. Due to the Reformation and Counter Reformation, even convents had grown smaller in number and the nuns who lived there experienced increasing restrictions on their mobility and contact to the outside world.

This victory made him the first Danish player to win a Grand Slam title in singles. His success at such a young age speaks volumes about his potential and talent. Holger Rune's playing style is characterized by his incredible speed and agility on the court.

Persecutions of alleged witches in Germany

Leviticus 20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit , or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them. (KJV)

Exodus and Leviticus, two Old Testament books that make up part of the "Law of Moses" and the primary history of the Jewish people, were written in the sixth century B. C by a Jewish writer —whose name we do not know. The books, which include the passages quoted above that assume the existence of witches and urge that they be killed, were most likely written in what is present-day Iraq during the reign of Evil Merodach, a dark time of Jewish exile, around 560 B.C. The author was most likely a priest, and might have been assisted in his work by other priests and scribes.

The word "witch" in Exodus is a translation of the Hebrew word " kashaph ," which comes from the root meaning "to whisper." The word as used in Exodus probably thus meant "one who whispers a spell." In context, the Exodus passage probably was intended to urge Jews to adhere to their own religious practices and not those of surrounding tribes.

Saint Augustine of Hippo, an influential theologian in the early Christian Church, argued in the early 400s that God alone could suspend the normal laws of the universe. In his view, neither Satan nor witches had supernatural powers or were capable of effectively invoking magic of any sort. It was the "error of the pagans" to believe in "some other divine power than the one God." Of course, if witches are indeed powerless, the Church need not overly concern itself with their spells or other attempts at mischief.

1208
3. Satan becomes sinister following
Pope Innocent III's attack on Cathar heretics.

In 1208, Pope Innocent III opened an attack on Cathar heretics who believed in a world in which God and Satan, both having supernatural powers, were at war. The Church attempted to discredit the Cathar belief by spreading stories that the heretics actually worshiped their evil deity in person. Propagandists for the Church depicted Cathars kissing the anus of Satan in a ceremonial show of loyalty to him. As a result of the Church's sustained attacks, the public's understanding of Satan moved from that of a mischievous spoiler to a deeply sinister force.

1273
4. Thomas Aquinas argues that demons exist that try to lead people into temptation.

Many adherents of Catharism, fleeing a papal inquisition launched against their alleged heresies, had migrated into Germany and the Savoy. Torture inflicted on heretics suspected of magical pacts or demon-driven sexual misconduct led to alarming confessions. Defendants admitted to flying on poles and animals to attend assemblies presided over by Satan appearing in the form of a goat or other animal. Some defendants told investigators that they repeatedly kissed Satan's anus as a display of their loyalty. Others admitted to casting spells on neighbors, having sex with animals, or causing storms. The distinctive crime of witchcraft began to take shape.

Pope Innocent announced that satanists in Germany were meeting with demons, casting spells that destroyed crops, and aborting infants. The pope asked two friars, Heinrich Kramer (a papal inquisitor of sorcerers from Innsbruck) and Jacob Sprenger, to publish a full report on the suspected witchcraft. Two years later, the friars published Malleus maleficarum ("Hammer of Witches") which put to rest the old orthodoxy that witches were powerless in the face of God to a new orthodoxy that held Christians had an obligation to hunt down and kill them. The Malleus told frightening tales of women who would have sex with any convenient demon, kill babies, and even steal penises. (The friars asked, "What is to be thought of those witches who collect. as many as twenty or thirty members together, and put them in a bird's nest or shut them up in a box, where they move themselves like living members and eat oats and corn?") Over the next forty years, the Malleus would be reprinted thirteen times and come to help define the crime of witchcraft. Much of the book offered hints to judges and prosecutors, such as the authors' suggestion to strip each suspect completely and inspect the body to see whether a mole was present that might be a telltale sign of consort with demons, and to have the defendants brought into court backwards to minimize their opportunities to cast dangerous spells on officials.

Over the 160 years from 1500 to 1660, Europe saw between 50,000 and 80,000 suspected witches executed. About 80% of those killed were women. Execution rates varied greatly by country, from a high of about 26,000 in Germany to about 10,000 in France, 1,000 in England, and only four in Ireland. The lower death tolls in England and Ireland owe in part to better procedural safeguards in those countries for defendants.

Scotland's witch-hunting had its origins in the marriage of King James to Princess Anne of Denmark. Anne's voyage to Scotland for the wedding met with a bad storm, and she ended up taking refuge in Norway. James traveled to Scandinavia and the wedding took place in at Kronborg Castle in Denmark. After a long honeymoon in Denmark, the royal newlyweds encountered terrible seas on the return voyage, which the ship's captain blamed on witches. When six Danish women confessed to having caused the storms that bedeviled King James, he began to take witchcraft seriously. Back in Scotland, the paranoid James authorized torture of suspected witches. Dozens of condemned witches in the North Berwick area were burned at the stake in what would be the largest witch-hunt in British history. By 1597, James began to address some of the worst prosecutorial abuses, and witch-hunting abated somewhat.

1606
9. Shakespeare's Macbeth performed

Banquo and Macbeth are greeted by the three witches.

A dark Cave. In the middle, a Cauldron boiling. Thunder. Enter the three witches.
1 W ITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
2 W ITCH. Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
3 W ITCH. Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!
1 W ITCH. Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.—
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
A LL. Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

1640s
10. Witch-hunting, after a major outbreak in France, begins to decrease.

In 1643-1645, the largest witch-hunt in French history occurred. During those two years there were at least 650 arrests in Languedoc alone. The same time was one of intense witch-hunting in England, as the English civil war created an atmosphere of unrest that fueled the hunting, especially under Matthew Hopkins. The Thirty Years War, a conflict that raged in several European states from 1618-1648 following an attempted rebellion by Protestants in Bohemia from the Roman Catholic Hapsburg rulers, produced slaughter and suffering that sparked additional witch hunts.

The number of trials began to drop sharply, however, in the late 1640s. Holland, for example, was by 1648 a tolerant society that had done away with punishments for witchcraft.

1682
11. England executes its last witch

Dass sie mit Ampt eyn Mort begon. (Ibid 123)

He has a strong and consistent serve, which he often uses to dominate his opponents. His double-handed backhand is also a weapon that allows him to hit powerful and accurate shots. These skills, combined with his versatility and tactical intelligence, make him a formidable opponent on any surface. In addition to his technical skills, Holger Rune also possesses a strong mental game. He has shown great mental fortitude and mental resilience in his matches, often coming back from deficits to secure victories. This mental strength is a crucial factor in his success and sets him apart from many other young players. Despite his young age, Holger Rune has already competed against some of the top-ranked players in the world. He has gone head-to-head with experienced and highly skilled opponents, often giving them a run for their money. This fearlessness and willingness to challenge himself against the best players in the game indicate his ambition and hunger for success. Looking ahead, Holger Rune's future in tennis seems bright. With his talent, determination, and work ethic, he has the potential to become a top-ranked player and a Grand Slam champion. The tennis world eagerly anticipates his continued growth and development, as he establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with. In conclusion, Holger Rune is an exciting young talent in the world of tennis. His powerful double-handed backhand and aggressive playing style make him a formidable opponent on the court. With his mental fortitude and ambition, he has the potential for a successful and illustrious career. Tennis fans around the world eagerly await his future achievements and the impact he will undoubtedly have on the sport..

Reviews for "The Art of the Double Vohunce: Lessons from Holger Rune"

1. John - 2 stars - I was really disappointed with "Holger Rune Double Vohunce". The storytelling lacked a clear direction, and the characters were poorly developed. The plot felt rushed and confusing, leaving me feeling unsatisfied at the end. Overall, it just didn't live up to the expectations I had for it.

2. Sarah - 3 stars - While "Holger Rune Double Vohunce" had some redeeming qualities, it fell short in many aspects. The pacing was inconsistent, making it difficult to stay engaged throughout the book. The dialogue also felt forced and unnatural, making it challenging to connect with the characters. Although there were a few intriguing moments, it wasn't enough to overlook the flaws in this novel.

3. Alex - 2.5 stars - "Holger Rune Double Vohunce" had an intriguing premise, but the execution didn't deliver. The writing style was disjointed and hard to follow, making it difficult to stay immersed in the story. The characters lacked depth and dimension, leaving me feeling indifferent towards their fates. Overall, this book failed to capture my interest and left me underwhelmed.

The Science Behind Holger Rune's Double Vohunce Strategy