Christina Morhaubt (née Merkhlein; died 4 August 1627,

Zeil am Main Zeil am Main is a town in the Haßberge district in Lower Franconia, an area in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Main, 7 km east of Haßfurt, 24 km northwest of Bamberg, and 25 km ea ...

) was a victim of the

Bamberg witch trials The Bamberg witch trials of 1627–1632, which took place in the self governing Catholic Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg in the Holy Roman Empire in present-day Germany, is one of the biggest mass trials and mass executions ever seen in Europe, and ...

. She was married to the city Councillor and mayor of Bamberg, Johann Morhaubt and had two sons. After a bad harvest, which was rumored to be caused by magic, a witch panic erupted in Bamberg in 1626. Christina Morhaubt was arrested 9 April 1627. Her arrest developed into the arrest of people belonging to the city's upper classes, which brought in a considerable fortune in confiscated goods for the city government. She confessed under torture to have been converted to a witch by her mother, Dorl Greifin, eleven years earlier. Her confession resulted in the arrest of her maids, Kunigunth Weberin, who named Christina's son Hans, and Ellin Helena von Kronach, who named the wives of mayor Georg Neudecker, mayor

Johannes Junius Johannes Junius (1573 – 6 August 1628) was the mayor (German: ''Bürgermeister'') of Bamberg, and a victim of the Bamberg witch trials, who wrote a letter to his daughter from jail while he awaited execution for witchcraft. Arrest Junius had f ...

and mayor Dietmeyer, and Katherina Haan (wife of Councillor

Georg Haan Georg Haan (died 24 January 1628) was a prominent victim of the Bamberg witch trials. Georg Haan was a doctor and member of the city council of Bamberg. He was married to Katharina Haan and had two daughters, Katharina and Ursula, and four sons n ...

). When her son, 14 year old Hans Morhaubt, was interrogated in June, he pointed out his younger brother Martin and several members of the Haan family as members of the witch coven. He was considered such an important witness that he was kept alive until January 1628, used to point out more people to be arrested and to give testimony against Georg Haan and his daughter. Christina Morhaubt was judged guilty as charged and burned alive in August 1627 in

. Hans Morhaubt was likely executed in April 1628.

References

* Britta Gehm, Die Hexenverfolgung im Hochstift Bamberg und das Eingreifen des Reichshofrates (RHR) zu ihrer Beendigung, Olms-Verlag, Hildesheim, 2000, S. 136–138; 2. Auflage 2011, {{DEFAULTSORT:Morhaubt, Christina 1627 deaths Year of birth unknown Place of birth unknown Executed German women German people executed for witchcraft People executed in the Holy Roman Empire by burning 17th-century executions in the Holy Roman Empire Bamberg witch trials 17th-century German women