5.2.3 The Roles of Prince-Bishop von Dornheim and Frederick Fornier

Who was Prince-Bishop John George II Fuchs von Dornheim and what was his role in the Bamberg witch-hunt

He was known as the "Hexenbischof" (witch-bishop) and played a central role in expanding and intensifying the witch-hunt, overseeing investigations, authorizing torture, and building the Drudenhaus prison

Why did von Dornheim support the witch-hunts

As a champion of the Counter-Reformation, he saw witch-hunting as a religious duty to root out heresy and disobedience to God, while also benefiting financially through property confiscations

What was the Drudenhaus

A witch-prison built in 1627 by von Dornheim to house and torture 30–40 suspects at a time, with biblical texts on the walls

Who was Frederick Förner and what was his contribution to the Bamberg witch-hunt

Förner was von Dornheim’s vicar general and intellectual architect of the hunt. He provided theological justification for the persecution and linked witchcraft to Protestant heresy

What were the main ideas in Frederick Förner’s sermons and writings

He claimed Calvinists were like magicians, said Protestant areas harbored occult practices, and argued that witchcraft was a demonic response to the success of the Catholic Counter-Reformation

How did Förner and von Dornheim justify the use of torture and violence

They believed that as the Devil became more violent in response to his impending defeat, it was justifiable for Catholics to respond with violence against witches