Crazy about science - Bonfire and fire v. Maria Østerby Elleby

The bonfire is lit. It crackles and flames. A human being is tied to a ladder. And when the fire burns very hot, the ladder is thrown into the fire. The condemned is burned alive.

This is how judgment could sound on those who were called witches and had to suffer one of the most gruesome fates: to be burned alive at the stake in front of a judgmental crowd. Throughout Europe, the witch hunt raged in the 17th century. In Denmark alone, over a thousand people, most of them women, were convicted and executed for practicing the art of sorcery. But what was it really that was feared? And how were ordinary people made into witches?

You can hear Maria Østerby Elleby tell more about this, and hear about the cases that have formed the basis of her latest book.

About the lecturer:Maria Østerby Elleby is a PhD in history, lecturer and dissemination inspector at Rudersdal Museums. She researches witchcraft processes, and has written books for young people about the history of magic, research books on the end of witch hunts and, most recently, a popular science book: Bonfire and Fire: Witch Hunt in Denmark.


About Vild med science:The event is part of Copenhagen Libraries' “wild with science” festival that takes place in October and November. You can experience the dissemination of science to adults in many different formats at all Copenhagen Libraries.

NB. Tickets are non-refundable unless the conditions of the event change.