The
probable number of people executed during the Burning Times was between
200,000 and 500,000. In the late1940's and early 1950's, several
British Witches and occultists started talking about 9,000,000 "witches"
killed. This number appears to have derived not from any research,
but rather from an attempt to "one-up" the number of Jews exterminated
by the Nazis in WW II. In order to support this contention,
the definition of the Burning Times was changed. First, the period of the
major witch hunts was extended from its peak, 1550 - 1675, backwards
to the founding of the Inquisition (early 13th century). Second, the figures
for judicial executions of heretics, notably the Cathari and the Waldensians,
were included in the total. Finally, all judicial executions which
took place during the Catholic "civil war" (the Avignon Papacy)
were included. In effect, the definition of "witch" was changed to
include "heretic".
This
definitional change is most interesting, since it parallels the definitional
change that took place in the Catholic churches construction of demonic
witchcraft (see, for example, Ginzburg's "Ecstacies"). The "facts" of the
situation where "changed" when the definition of the term "witch"
was changed. "Witch" was defined as "not-orthodox" and, as such,
included all heretics and non-Christians. To me, the
interesting point is that this definition was created not by the Catholic
church, but by Gerald Gardner in an attempt to prove that "witches" had
suffered more than Jews.
Although
the list below contains dates even earlier than the 13th century, all victims
were tried, convicted, and sentenced to death from Witchcraft persecution,
most from the Catholic church. I compiled this list for research
and memorial purposes, and the hatchet is buried, BUT, Witchcraft
persecution carries on to this very day. With that said:
NEVER FORGET!
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