The darkest period of the Swedish witch trials has become known as “The Great Noise”. Between 1668 and 1676, 280 people were executed as witches, a staggering amount considering that around 400 people in total were executed in Sweden between 1492-1704.
This dark chapter in Swedish history began with 11-year-old Gertrud Svensdotter in Härjedalen. Her mother had died and her father wanted to remarry, which Gertrud opposed. She was sent to her grandfather’s sister. In the autumn of 1667, she was herding goats with a younger boy, Mats Nilsson.
Some goats escaped to an islet in river. Gertrud waded across to collect them. Mats accused Gertrud of using magic to reach the goats – she had walked on the water. The rumour spread in the village and more people came forwards with accusations. During the mounting pressure, she confessed.
The bailiff and sheriff became involved, and Gertrud made up stories to satisfy their questions. It was her father’s bride-to-be, Märit Jonsdotter, who first brought her to Blåkulla, where the witches met with the Devil, and taught her witchcraft.
Märit denied the charges, but Gertrud insisted that her stepmother had received poison from the Devil to use against her father. When the father was interrogated, he recalled feeling unwell lately.
Next, Märit’s younger siblings were questioned. They claimed that Märit had brought them with her to Blåkulla, where she had sex with the Devil. Märit continued to deny the charges, and nothing the authorities did could make her confess.
Despite this, they considered the evidence against her to be overwhelming and sentenced her to death. Her siblings were also condemned, as well as Gertrud. The latter’s sentence was later revoked.
The events in Härjedalen were the starting point for the witch persecutions, which spread like wildfire in nearby areas.
What distinguishes this period is the children’s role as accusers. They told very similar stories about how they had been taken to Blåkulla and witnessed the black sabbath. There were even children who were said to be able to identify a witch by sight, and could make a sort of career out of it.
Once someone had been accused of being a witch, many more usually joined in the accusations, and it became almost impossible to deny the charges. Add to that the fact that torture was often used, and the suspect in turn accused other people.
The worst day in the Swedish witch trials were on June 1st 1675, when 71 people (65 women, 2 men and 4 boys) were beheaded and then burned in Torsåker in Ångermanland.
What finally slowed down the witch hunt was the trials in Stockholm in 1676, where children had accused several women. One boy, Johan Johansson, was one of those who could identify witches, and other children joined in the accusations.
The most notable case was the one with Malin Matsdotter, who was accused by her own daughters. She denied but was convicted, and what stands out is that she was the only one in Sweden who was burned alive.
Just a few months after her death however, it was discovered that many children had lied. Johan, who had been the leading figure, was himself sentenced to death.
After this, the authorities took a more sober view of the children’s accusations, and the witch hunt slowed down.
Sources:
Harrisson, Dick. Häxprocesserna
Harrison, Dick. Ondskans tid