The Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany is a curious and controversial concept that has garnered attention from individuals around the world. While Germany, like many other countries, does not officially have a ministry specifically dedicated to witchcraft, the idea of such an entity has captivated the imagination of many. The notion of a Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany can be traced back to various historical factors. Germany has a deep-rooted history with witchcraft, with notable periods such as the witch trials during the early modern period. These trials, characterized by hysteria and mass fear, resulted in the persecution and execution of numerous individuals accused of practicing witchcraft. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in witchcraft and pagan practices, not only in Germany but globally.
The Thing was held in 1487 at Beltane on the Blocksberg. Twenty-one covens came to discuss the future of the magical world.
Ultimate responsibility for such problems rests with the publisher, and it is disheartening that the Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu cannot ensure for its readers and its authors a higher standard of comprehensibility in an English-language publication. As a native English speaker, I am reluctant to criticize translated scholarship at a time when my non-native-English-speaking colleagues are pressured for the sake of readership and sales to compose in a language not their own.
In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in witchcraft and pagan practices, not only in Germany but globally. This has led to the formation of various organizations and movements centered around witchcraft, spiritualism, and alternative beliefs. These groups have advocated for the establishment of a Ministry of Witchcraft to protect and promote the rights and interests of individuals who identify as witches or practice witchcraft.
Jesuit Prison Ministry in the Witch Trials of the Holy Roman Empire: Friedrich Spee SJ and His Cautio criminalis (1631), written by Frank Sobiech
Rome: Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu. Pp. xii, 539. Hb, €60.00.
Jesuit Prison Ministry is a very useful book. Of its 539 pages plus front matter, the majority of space is devoted to meticulous archival footnotes, sweeping inventories of archival materials and secondary literature, sixteen figures plus two maps, appendices of trial-related documents in original and translation, and indices of persons and places. Frank Sobiech has tapped manuscript collections in eighty-three institutions in seven countries and reviewed nearly three hundred printed sources over four centuries. The scholarship he appeals to ranges from poetry analysis—the seventeenth-century Jesuit Friedrich Spee is regarded as a great German vernacular poet and hymnographer—to the history of emotions, as it pertains to the social dynamics of the witch trials. The quality of Sobiech’s analysis is fueled by the breadth of this research but simultaneously diminished by an unwieldy structure and an ungainly translation. Taken according to its strengths, the volume will be of service to those working across the broad field of Jesuit studies and on the early modern witch trials.
The topics to which the reader is alerted in the book’s title are especially worthy of modern scholarly scrutiny. What justifies Sobiech’s efforts is that none of them—Spee himself, the Cautio, or Jesuit prison ministry—has achieved the monographic attention it deserves. Jesuit Prison Ministry calls to mind Jan Machielsen’s Martin Delrio: Demonology and Scholarship in the Counter-Reformation (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015), which demonstrates how effectively a biographical approach can deepen our understanding of important early modern writings in context. Delrio’s Disquisitiones magicarum (1599), it will be recalled, was a widely circulated treatise on demonology and witch-hunting. It first appeared about three decades before Spee’s pseudonymously published Cautio (1631). In contrast to the earlier work, the Cautio was sharply critical of the legal treatment of those tried for witchcraft. As Sobiech sets out to prove, Spee’s social background, intellectual training, and temperament, as also his complicated relationships with Jesuit superiors and confreres, offer much to help explain the emergence and content of this striking work. Painstakingly weaving together diverse archival findings, Sobiech demonstrates several important points. In the first two parts, Sobiech thoroughly lays out the complicated relationship between Spee and his superiors. Sobiech traces out the problems through exacting analysis of correspondence from, to, and about Spee. Sobiech may occasionally be over-eager to accumulate evidence for his point, as when, for example, to this line from Spee’s letters—“‘I will take my vows […] before the Lord, although not in the presence of the entire populace’”—Sobiech remarks ominously on “this limited publicity” for Spee’s vows (45). But Sobiech misses that Jesuits did not take their vows in public and Spee was drawing on Psalm 116, “I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people.” Nonetheless, in the main Sobiech’s examination of the communication between the superior general, the provincial superiors, and local superiors regarding Spee is illuminating and contributes to an explanation for the Cautio’s pseudonymous early printings and ambivalent reception within the order.
The largest single section of the book is devoted to the prison ministry in which Spee and other Rhenish Jesuits participated. Prison ministry may not have been at the forefront of early modern Jesuit activities, but it belonged squarely among the ministries of consolation to which the Society was committed. What Sobiech uncovers through examination of the prison ministry specific to those accused of witchcraft is widespread Jesuit indifference to and support of the harsh treatment of the imprisoned. Spee’s frustration at this situation, as charted out by Sobiech, deepens our appreciation of how and why the Cautio—a pathbreaking critique of the jurisprudence that nurtured such savagery—came to be written. What Sobiech has exploited to his study’s particular advantage are the sources in which pastoral orientations and their actual implementation are with patience to be found, the litterae annuae and registrum commune.
A word must be directed to certain infelicities of style. Some have to do with the overarching structure of the book, which seems patchwork. I offer two quick examples as representative of this problem: the sections on the publication of the Cautio appear confusingly several chapters before sustained comment on its composition, and the summary biography of Spee in chapter nine only makes sense if one imagines it as free-standing. Other infelicities have to do with translation. As a native English speaker, I am reluctant to criticize translated scholarship at a time when my non-native-English-speaking colleagues are pressured for the sake of readership and sales to compose in a language not their own. Nonetheless, weak translations have a diminishing effect on the quality of otherwise sound research, and Jesuit Prison Ministry is a case in point. I found myself repeatedly having to retranslate (when the original was provided) or back-translate (when it was not) curious turns of phrase and diction from both Latin and German. Here I provide a few examples as emblematic of consistent problems: “explain” is likely what is meant instead of “understand” on page 99; the bracketed alternate translation for “religiosi spiritus” (353n65) “of religious [or: congregation] spirit” (353) is both unnecessary and unintelligible; and the “gunstige Herrn” (428) addressed in one transcript were likely “well disposed” gentlemen rather than “inclined” ones (426). While the obscure word “pudency” could be a translation of pudor, the common word “decency” would have worked far better (288); “presumably”—a word giving an important indication of the uncertainty of a particular conclusion, but one with many synonyms in English—is used here so frequently as to become a distraction for the reader; and although destinatio, which in Jesuit parlance means a man’s upcoming work assignment, is commonly rendered in several vernaculars as a form of “destination” (e.g., die Destination among German Jesuits), in English it is not (64). Ultimate responsibility for such problems rests with the publisher, and it is disheartening that the Institutum Historicum Societatis Iesu cannot ensure for its readers (and its authors) a higher standard of comprehensibility in an English-language publication. German is the original language of the work (in the form of a habilitation thesis) and a perfectly respectable international academic language. Sobiech should have left Jesuit Prison Ministry in it.
All of this adds up to a study that is solidly researched and encyclopedically helpful, but also frustratingly hard to read. Scholars will most profitably turn to it as an overview of particular topics and a finder’s guide for source material related to their own research. The best future work on early modern carceral pastoral care, the life of Friedrich Spee, and his Cautio criminalis will undoubtedly be built on foundations Sobiech lays here. Spee deserves a study on a par with Machielsen’s on Delrio; thanks to Sobiech, we are one step closer.
All of this adds up to a study that is solidly researched and encyclopedically helpful, but also frustratingly hard to read. Scholars will most profitably turn to it as an overview of particular topics and a finder’s guide for source material related to their own research. The best future work on early modern carceral pastoral care, the life of Friedrich Spee, and his Cautio criminalis will undoubtedly be built on foundations Sobiech lays here. Spee deserves a study on a par with Machielsen’s on Delrio; thanks to Sobiech, we are one step closer.
Proponents of the Ministry argue that such an institution would provide a platform for witches and pagans to have their voices heard, ensure their rights are protected, and promote a more inclusive and tolerant society. They believe that by recognizing witchcraft as a valid spiritual and religious practice, the government can foster acceptance and understanding among the general population. Critics, however, argue that the concept of a Ministry of Witchcraft is unnecessary and could potentially infringe on the separation of church and state. They question the legitimacy and practicality of establishing an official government institution dedicated to a specific religious or spiritual belief system, especially one associated with historically marginalized and persecuted groups. It is important to note that while discussions and debates surrounding the idea of a Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany continue, the actual establishment of such an institution remains speculative. The concept itself raises complex and nuanced questions about religion, freedom of belief, and the role of the state in recognizing and accommodating diverse spiritual and religious practices. Overall, the idea of a Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany reflects the ongoing dialogue surrounding the acknowledgment and acceptance of witchcraft and pagan practices in modern society. While the concept may seem far-fetched to some, it highlights the importance of recognizing and understanding diverse belief systems, as well as the ongoing struggle for the rights and recognition of marginalized communities..
Reviews for "A Day in the Life of a Witchcraft Inspector: Insights into Germany's Ministry"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really excited to read "Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany" as I'm a fan of fantasy novels, but I was ultimately disappointed. The story felt disjointed and the characters lacked depth. It seemed like the author had an interesting premise but failed to execute it effectively. Additionally, the pacing was inconsistent, making it difficult to stay engaged with the plot. Overall, I found the book underwhelming and wouldn't recommend it to fellow fantasy lovers.
2. Emily - 1/5 - "Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany" was a complete letdown for me. The writing style was dull and uninspiring, lacking any sort of excitement or originality. The world-building felt half-hearted, with minimal effort put into creating a vibrant and immersive setting. The plot was predictable and lacked any real surprises or twists. I struggled to finish the book, as it failed to hold my interest. I was extremely disappointed with this read, and I won't be picking up any other titles from this author in the future.
3. Sarah - 2/5 - I had high hopes for "Ministry of Witchcraft in Germany," but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked development, making it difficult to connect with them on any level. The dialogue felt stiff and forced, often veering into clichéd territory. The plot had potential, but it became convoluted and confusing as the story progressed. Ultimately, the book failed to deliver a compelling narrative, leaving me disappointed and unsatisfied. I would not recommend this novel to others looking for an engaging witchcraft-themed read.