Witch trials in the region of Šumperk

Witch trials in the region of Šumperk The purpose of my thesis is to outline the period of second half of the 17th century when the witch trials in the region of Sumperk occurred and to draw attention to new results in research for this matter. This work also focuses on the legal aspects of these witch trials. The thesis is composed of eight chapters. Chapter One (subdivided into three parts) is introductory and explains who was considered as a witch and what these people might cause, what black and white magic is, and the differences between men and women witches. Chapter Two is the introduction to witch trials. Part One examines the origin of the trials and their present shape and Part Two explains the problem of witch-hunting. Chapter Three briefly compares in three parts the effects of religion, natural and human factors on the inception of witch trials. Chapter Four presents the most important writings supporting the battle against witches, such as the bulla "Summis desiderantes affectibus" of Pope Innocent VIII., the infamous "Malleus Maleficarum" of Heinrich Kramer or Delrio's "Disquisitionum magicarum libri sex". The law aspects of punishment for witchcraft in German and Czech territories is drawn in Chapter Five. In a few parts there are mentioned important enactments concerning witchcraft..