Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg, Prince-Bishop of Würzburg

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

1. According to the Neue Deutsche Biographie the witch persecution in the Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg, which culminated in 1626 to 1629, is inseparably linked to Philipp Adolf; the expression "wirzburgisch werck" became a byword in the Empire for harsh action against witches. The NDB calls him a "zealot for justice", pious, frugal, tenacious and relentless. Its bibliography lists a study of a list, published in 1745, of the people executed under him for alleged witchcraft.
   Evidence: Hans-Wolfgang Bergerhausen, Neue Deutsche Biographie 20 (2001), S. 387 f., Deutsche Biographie (Online-Version), Biographie

   „Untrennbar mit P. verknüpft ist die Hexenverfolgung im Hochstift Würzburg, die 1626-29 kulminierte. Der Ausdruck „wirzburgisch werck“ wurde im Reich zu einem Synonym für ein scharfes Vorgehen gegen Hexen.“

   Evidence: Hans-Wolfgang Bergerhausen, Neue Deutsche Biographie 20 (2001), S. 387 f., Deutsche Biographie (Online-Version), Biographie

   „Ein „eyfferer der Gerechtigkeit“, fromm, sparsam, zäh und unerbittlich“

   Evidence: Hans-Wolfgang Bergerhausen, Neue Deutsche Biographie 20 (2001), S. 387 f., Deutsche Biographie (Online-Version), Literatur

   „Bemerkungen zu d. 1745 veröff. Liste d. unter Fürstbf. P. A. v. E. wegen angebl. Hexerei hingerichteten Menschen“

2. In August 1629 the Prince-Bishop's chancellor wrote to a friend that the witch persecution had flared up anew: 400 people of every rank and sex, even clerics, were still so strongly accused that they could be arrested at any hour; a third of the city was involved, and the richest and most prominent clergy had already been executed. Among the Prince-Bishop's more than forty students who were soon to be pastors, thirteen or fourteen were said to be witches. He had seen children of seven and students of ten to fifteen put to death.
   Evidence: University of Pennsylvania, History Department; Hanover Historical Texts Project, S. 28 f.

   „In August, 1629, the Chancellor of the Prince-Bishop of Wurzhurg thus wrote in German to a friend“

   Evidence: University of Pennsylvania, History Department; Hanover Historical Texts Project, S. 29

   „there are still four hundred in the city, high and low, of every rank and sex, nay, even clerics, so strongly accused that they may be arrested at any hour“

   Evidence: University of Pennsylvania, History Department; Hanover Historical Texts Project, S. 29

   „The Prince-Bishop has over forty students who are soon to be pastors; among them thirteen or fourteen are said to be witches.“

   Evidence: University of Pennsylvania, History Department; Hanover Historical Texts Project, S. 29

   „In a word, a third part of the city is surely involved. The richest, most attractive, most prominent, of the clergy are already executed.“

   Evidence: University of Pennsylvania, History Department; Hanover Historical Texts Project, S. 29

   „I have seen put to death children of seven, promising students of ten, twelve, fourteen, and fifteen.“

3. According to the Historisches Lexikon Bayerns, in the prince-bishoprics of Bamberg and Würzburg between 900 and 1,200 people each fell victim in the last phase of persecution around 1626 to 1630; in Würzburg a considerable group of Catholic clergy was targeted, and under Ehrenberg there were special trials of clerics. At the same time the lexicon stresses that the ecclesiastical princes decried in popular books as "witch bishops" did not act alone but were surrounded by clerical and secular officials, advisers and specialists.
   Evidence: Andreas Flurschütz da Cruz, Historisches Lexikon Bayerns (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek), Abschnitt Ausmaß und Spezifika

   „der in Bamberg und in Würzburg jeweils im gesamten Territorium zwischen 900 und 1.200 Menschen zum Opfer fielen“

   Evidence: Andreas Flurschütz da Cruz, Historisches Lexikon Bayerns (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek), Abschnitt Verfolgte

   „geriet in der Stadt Würzburg eine zahlenmäßig beachtliche Gruppe an katholischen Geistlichen ins Visier der Kommissare“

   Evidence: Andreas Flurschütz da Cruz, Historisches Lexikon Bayerns (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek), Abschnitt Forschung

   „Intensivere Betrachtung erfuhr die Sonderform der Klerikerprozesse der 1620er Jahre unter Fürstbischof Ehrenberg (reg. 1623-1631).“

   Evidence: Andreas Flurschütz da Cruz, Historisches Lexikon Bayerns (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek), Abschnitt Verfolger und weitere Akteure

   „Die in populären Sachbüchern als ‚Hexenbischöfe‘ verschrienen geistlichen Fürsten agierten indes nicht allein, sondern waren umgeben von geistlichen wie weltlichen Beamten, Beratern und Spezialisten“