Christmas Benazzi.
In the noir “The Night of the Twelve”, by Dominik Moll, the investigators investigating a girl doused in petrol and set on fire wonder why men continue to burn women as in the Middle Ages. Natale Benazzi, historian, theologian, essayist and editorial consultant, in “Streghe” published by Il Pellegrino, he addresses the topic by delving with clarity into a practice that caused from 70 thousand to 300 thousand victims, horribly torn apart. Today it would be enough to consider the young Indian girls sacrificed in the flames because they were guilty of not having a dowry. Witch hunts, “malacarne” or feminicide: the substance is the same and has causes that come from afar, such as patriarchy. A beautiful essay for women to read, for men to meditate on. «Heresy and the persecution of women have always been topics that interested me and that sooner or later I would have liked to deal with», explains Benazzi. «The idea of connecting these phenomena to today’s reality, such as feminicides, came to me while looking at what happens today. Over time, the book has taken on an increasingly concrete and current character, paradoxically.”
What were the origins of the witch hunt phenomenon? Was it a consequence of the Inquisition?
«Witchcraft was already condemned since biblical times, where wizards and sorcerers were considered idolaters. In the early centuries of Christianity, however, the primary enemy was the heretic, not the “magician.” Only in the Middle Ages did the figure of the witch and that of the heretic begin to overlap: the Church could persecute heretics, but it was the State, the Empire, that could condemn them to death. This collaboration between political and religious power contributed to the witch hunt.”
Can you give us an example of how political and religious power came together to condemn someone?
«Joan of Arc is a perfect example: her trial was political, but they found a religious justification to condemn her, otherwise she would have just been a prisoner of war. Giovanna represented too great a threat to simply be imprisoned.”
Why were witches burned?
«Burning them was a symbolic act of total purification, an extreme form of destruction. The fire symbolized the total consumption of their “impure” soul. Drowning was also used, a sort of “anti-baptism”.
Is it true that there were different ways of burning them, such as leaving the wood wet to prolong the suffering?
«Yes, some testimonies speak of wet wood to prolong the suffering with slower combustion. But there are no official documents confirming the use of these practices. We wanted to make a spectacle, to make the punishment an example for the entire population.”
How was the figure of the “witch” constructed in the collective imagination?
«In the popular imagination, the witch was seen as a woman in relationship with the devil. Most of these “witches” were victims of denunciations and slander. A simple accusation was enough and the person was condemned, without the possibility of defending himself.”
Can it be said that the phenomenon of denunciations was the basis of the witch hunt?
“Absolutely. In Salem, for example, the witch hunt was triggered by a group of girls who, for fun, accused other women. In the end, many innocent people were dragged into a spiral of accusations with no way out.”
How many victims of these persecutions were there?
«The most reliable estimates speak of around 70,000 victims, although some sources exaggerate with figures of up to 300,000. Often they were single women, doctors or healers, accused of witchcraft for the simple fact of gathering herbs in the fields.”
Were there cases of politically motivated executions like that of Joan of Arc?
«Yes, even if Giovanna is an emblematic case. There are some cases in which women were accused of witchcraft for political or personal purposes. For example, in some cases parish priests accused their lovers of witchcraft to get rid of them.”
Has the phenomenon of witches been limited to Europe or are similar examples also found in other cultures?
«The phenomenon of witch hunts is mainly European, but in other cultures, such as in the Islamic world, we find similar practices of violence against women, such as stoning in the case of adultery. Even there, women are seen as a subject to be controlled and, if necessary, eliminated.”
When did this phenomenon end in Europe?
«Although the burnings decreased with the Enlightenment, witch hunts lasted until the 18th century, especially in Catholic countries such as France and Spain. Paradoxically, the Papal State was among the least active in the persecution.”
Was there a specific religious movement responsible for the witch hunts?
«Initially the Dominicans played a role, but over time the Franciscans and other orders also engaged in the “defense of the faith” through witch hunts. It was a phenomenon that involved many religious orders, particularly in Milan, under the influence of Carlo Borromeo.”
What is the main lesson that your book wants to leave readers?
«The book wants to underline the importance of freedom of conscience. When political and religious power claim the right to judge individual conscience, a tragedy is created. Conscience is frank territory and must be respected. If we allow it to be judged, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past.”
