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Астрономът и вещицата
В "Астрономът и вещицата" Улинка Рублак сглобява разказа за този удивителен епизод от живота на Кеплер, повеждайки ни в сърцето на неговия променящ се свят. Тази история, която е преди всичко емоционална семейна драма, вдъхва живот на реалността на една малка лутеранска общност в центъра на Европа във време на дълбоки религиозни и политически вълнения – век след началото на Реформацията и на прага на Трийсетгодишната война.
Кеплеровата защита на неговата майка предлага един интригуващ поглед към схващанията на великия астроном за света, намиращ се на вододела между Реформацията и научната революция. Макар да застъпва рационални обяснения за феномените, които обвинителите на майка му приписват на вещерство, Кеплер все пак не поставя под въпрос съществуването на магия и вещици. Напротив, той недвусмислено вярва в тях. И с разгръщането на историята изглежда, че дори децата на Катарина се питат дали наистина има нещо, което майка им крие... Това е разказ за дълг и синовна обич, за наука и магия.
Кеплеровата защита на неговата майка предлага един интригуващ поглед към схващанията на великия астроном за света, намиращ се на вододела между Реформацията и научната революция. Макар да застъпва рационални обяснения за феномените, които обвинителите на майка му приписват на вещерство, Кеплер все пак не поставя под въпрос съществуването на магия и вещици. Напротив, той недвусмислено вярва в тях. И с разгръщането на историята изглежда, че дори децата на Катарина се питат дали наистина има нещо, което майка им крие... Това е разказ за дълг и синовна обич, за наука и магия.
352 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2015
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About the author
Ulinka Rublack
26 books6 followersUlinka Rublack is Professor at the University of Cambridge and has published widely on early modern European history as well as approaches to history. She edited the Oxford Concise Companion to History (2011), and, most recently, the Oxford Handbook of the Protestant Reformation (2016). Her monographs include Reformation Europe (2005), The Crimes of Women in Early Modern Germany (1999), and Dressing Up: Cultural Identity in Renaissance Europe (2010), which won the Roland H. Bainton Prize.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 6, 2021
3.5 stars. Having recently read 'Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch,' written as literary fiction, I wanted to learn from a factual account more about the lives and society in the early 1600s in what is now Germany and surrounding areas. This is a thoroughly researched history that describes the turmoil and living conditions of that era with facts taken from archives and actual records relating to the trial of 73-year-old Katharina Kepler, who was accused of witchcraft in 1615.
Johannes Kepler, her son, led in his mother's defence. He was the most renowned astronomer and mathematician of the time and is still regarded as one of the world's leading scientific minds. During the trial, which lasted 6 years, Kepler felt obligated to return home and help free his mother. He had reached the peak of esteem as Imperial Court mathematician. She had spent over a year chained by her leg to a cold cell wall and was financially ruined as her property and assets had been seized. This was written in a dry textbook style, and I did not find it a compelling read, but the description of the unsettled times was interesting.
It was a time when science was becoming separate from superstition, although astronomy and astrology fitted into the same category. Johannes Kepler himself still held a belief in magic and never denied witchcraft might exist. Some of Katharina's adult children suspected the charges might have some truth to them and were concerned about how the trial might affect their livelihoods and reputations. Kepler had long been prepared to argue in defence of his scientific theories and felt capable of using these skills in defending his mother.
Older people were not held in high esteem for their wisdom as in some cultures. An elderly widow like Katharina might be accused through malice or greed of being a witch. A person suffering from illness, death in the family, an accident, sickness of livestock, or other misfortune often believed the cause must be from a nearby witch's spell. Once a spiteful woman accused her, rumours spread like wildfire, and soon others were blaming Katharina for their bad luck, the result of her consulting with the devil and casting evil spells. Rumours and 'false news' were held as facts by adherents.
Between 1500 and 1700, about 40,000 to 50,000 people were executed in Europe for being witches. At least half of these executions took place in Germany after prolonged torture and trial. 75% of those beheaded or burned as witches were women. One critic wrote that fires were burning everywhere.
There were in-depth accounts of the hostility between Catholics and Protestants and also between Lutherans and Calvinists. Religion played a part in Kepler gaining certain positions and also being dismissed from others. Regional wars and military service were described. It was near the beginning of the 30 Years War and a deadly plague was spreading. A woman's subservient role in the home, family life, property rights, inheritance, architecture, farming, meals, folk medicine, and fashion were well described, along with the various trades and politics. Relevant illustrations were included in the book. Religion mixed with superstition played a dominant part in the local mindset.
Katharina was eventually freed, but her reputation and property were lost she died a short time later.
Johannes Kepler, her son, led in his mother's defence. He was the most renowned astronomer and mathematician of the time and is still regarded as one of the world's leading scientific minds. During the trial, which lasted 6 years, Kepler felt obligated to return home and help free his mother. He had reached the peak of esteem as Imperial Court mathematician. She had spent over a year chained by her leg to a cold cell wall and was financially ruined as her property and assets had been seized. This was written in a dry textbook style, and I did not find it a compelling read, but the description of the unsettled times was interesting.
It was a time when science was becoming separate from superstition, although astronomy and astrology fitted into the same category. Johannes Kepler himself still held a belief in magic and never denied witchcraft might exist. Some of Katharina's adult children suspected the charges might have some truth to them and were concerned about how the trial might affect their livelihoods and reputations. Kepler had long been prepared to argue in defence of his scientific theories and felt capable of using these skills in defending his mother.
Older people were not held in high esteem for their wisdom as in some cultures. An elderly widow like Katharina might be accused through malice or greed of being a witch. A person suffering from illness, death in the family, an accident, sickness of livestock, or other misfortune often believed the cause must be from a nearby witch's spell. Once a spiteful woman accused her, rumours spread like wildfire, and soon others were blaming Katharina for their bad luck, the result of her consulting with the devil and casting evil spells. Rumours and 'false news' were held as facts by adherents.
Between 1500 and 1700, about 40,000 to 50,000 people were executed in Europe for being witches. At least half of these executions took place in Germany after prolonged torture and trial. 75% of those beheaded or burned as witches were women. One critic wrote that fires were burning everywhere.
There were in-depth accounts of the hostility between Catholics and Protestants and also between Lutherans and Calvinists. Religion played a part in Kepler gaining certain positions and also being dismissed from others. Regional wars and military service were described. It was near the beginning of the 30 Years War and a deadly plague was spreading. A woman's subservient role in the home, family life, property rights, inheritance, architecture, farming, meals, folk medicine, and fashion were well described, along with the various trades and politics. Relevant illustrations were included in the book. Religion mixed with superstition played a dominant part in the local mindset.
Katharina was eventually freed, but her reputation and property were lost she died a short time later.
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March 12, 2020Ulinka Rublack wrote the essay accompanying Holbein's The Dance of Death, once I finished that, I had a look in the library catalogue to see what else the county had to offer that was written by her. Perhaps I was simply lucky that all the entire county had was this tremendous microhistory, or made I was not so lucky if all her books are good, only further reading can make clear what is written in the stars.
This book is about mighty astronomer Johannes Kepler who from observations and analysis defined the three laws of planetary motion - that all orbits are elliptical, that equal areas are swept in equal time, and the third law which I forget, by which I am such is no less significant even if my memory too weak for it. Well the book is not actually about Kepler, it is about his mother, and not actual about his mother but about the fact that his mother was accused of witchcraft, arrested and held on remand - chained up in fact - she was in her early seventies at the time, and so plainly a dangerous woman and in need of iron restraint.
And that is what the book is about, how she came to be arrested, how the authorities and her family reacted and the legal struggle to prevent her first from being tortured and to protect her from the threat of execution.
This is a microhistory that references The Return of Martin Guerre and The Cheese and the Worms, like them it is based on court records - in this case the town scribe was paid for each page he completed so the record is fairly full - and then expands outwards to consider legal procedures, social relations, gender, cultural and historical context and personality - much of this flowing naturally from the documents prepared by Kepler for his mother's defence.
If I came to this book with a hunger to read more by Rublack, I am left with a desire to also read more about Kepler.
In the epilogue Rublack points out the divided opinions over Kepler's mother - amusingly, or not, reflecting or continuing the attitudes current at the time of her accusation. Germany books apparently tend to portray Katerina Kepler as a healer working with herbs for the good of the community, while Rublack darkly hints at a certain unnamed American historian suggesting that she actually was a witch, or at least a cantankerous rotten old crone (who by implication deserved a bit of judicial torture, for the terrible crime -unforgivable in a woman - of growing old) this view stemming from the notorious Arthur Koestler (a man eventually infamous for his use and abuse of various women). Anglo-American writing apparently treating as fact several rumours current at the time such as that an aunt of Katherina's was burnt at the stake for witchcraft (p.298). All of this is very interesting I feel and are all points picked up in Johannes Kepler's written documents for the defence - that the accusations stemmed from suspicions against elderly women and widows in particular, who had to struggle to survive, that social tensions gave rise to accusations and rumours that couldn't be proven, that gathering herbs and offering herbal 'cures' was not evidence of witchcraft but common practise and in any case it was unproven if such preparations had any negative effects.
Kepler himself feared that he may have given rise to the accusation of witchcraft against his own mother because of a short story he had written that circulated in manuscript around the year 1600 called a dream about a witch and her son in Iceland, the son eventually travels to Denmark and studies Astronomy. After his mother's trial Kepler returned to the story and prepared it for publication by adding an immense number's of footnotes detailing which other books he got the ideas from as though to underline that in no way that it could be autobiographical.
Rublack also discusses how Kepler evaluated his relationship with his mother as a result of the trial, and how he dealt with the similarities and differences between them and how this fed into his attitudes towards women generally and specifically his wives . Rublack's general idea is that Kepler drew upon his experience in presenting and analysing data to draw up the documents for the defence of his mother - however, without wishing to spoil the story, I can say that it seems that describing the orbit of Mars and supporting the views of Copernicus was more straight forward than defending his own mother from an accusation of witchcraft.
This book is about mighty astronomer Johannes Kepler who from observations and analysis defined the three laws of planetary motion - that all orbits are elliptical, that equal areas are swept in equal time, and the third law which I forget, by which I am such is no less significant even if my memory too weak for it. Well the book is not actually about Kepler, it is about his mother, and not actual about his mother but about the fact that his mother was accused of witchcraft, arrested and held on remand - chained up in fact - she was in her early seventies at the time, and so plainly a dangerous woman and in need of iron restraint.
And that is what the book is about, how she came to be arrested, how the authorities and her family reacted and the legal struggle to prevent her first from being tortured and to protect her from the threat of execution.
This is a microhistory that references The Return of Martin Guerre and The Cheese and the Worms, like them it is based on court records - in this case the town scribe was paid for each page he completed so the record is fairly full - and then expands outwards to consider legal procedures, social relations, gender, cultural and historical context and personality - much of this flowing naturally from the documents prepared by Kepler for his mother's defence.
If I came to this book with a hunger to read more by Rublack, I am left with a desire to also read more about Kepler.
In the epilogue Rublack points out the divided opinions over Kepler's mother - amusingly, or not, reflecting or continuing the attitudes current at the time of her accusation. Germany books apparently tend to portray Katerina Kepler as a healer working with herbs for the good of the community, while Rublack darkly hints at a certain unnamed American historian suggesting that she actually was a witch, or at least a cantankerous rotten old crone (who by implication deserved a bit of judicial torture, for the terrible crime -unforgivable in a woman - of growing old) this view stemming from the notorious Arthur Koestler (a man eventually infamous for his use and abuse of various women). Anglo-American writing apparently treating as fact several rumours current at the time such as that an aunt of Katherina's was burnt at the stake for witchcraft (p.298). All of this is very interesting I feel and are all points picked up in Johannes Kepler's written documents for the defence - that the accusations stemmed from suspicions against elderly women and widows in particular, who had to struggle to survive, that social tensions gave rise to accusations and rumours that couldn't be proven, that gathering herbs and offering herbal 'cures' was not evidence of witchcraft but common practise and in any case it was unproven if such preparations had any negative effects.
Kepler himself feared that he may have given rise to the accusation of witchcraft against his own mother because of a short story he had written that circulated in manuscript around the year 1600 called a dream about a witch and her son in Iceland, the son eventually travels to Denmark and studies Astronomy. After his mother's trial Kepler returned to the story and prepared it for publication by adding an immense number's of footnotes detailing which other books he got the ideas from as though to underline that in no way that it could be autobiographical.
Rublack also discusses how Kepler evaluated his relationship with his mother as a result of the trial, and how he dealt with the similarities and differences between them and how this fed into his attitudes towards women generally and specifically his wives . Rublack's general idea is that Kepler drew upon his experience in presenting and analysing data to draw up the documents for the defence of his mother - however, without wishing to spoil the story, I can say that it seems that describing the orbit of Mars and supporting the views of Copernicus was more straight forward than defending his own mother from an accusation of witchcraft.
January 3, 2016
One of the best history books I have read in some considerable time. While other authors and novelists have told the tale of Johannes Kepler's fight to save his mother, Katharina, from conviction as a witch, only Cambridge historian Rublack contextualises this episode well. In a tour de force of history from below, Rublack weaves together archival and court records with a rich understanding of contemporary worldviews and social practices. The result is an enlightening and enjoyable read. Rublack has much to teach but is never didactic.
December 26, 2018
Durch die örtliche Nähe der Handlungsorte zu meiner Wahlheimat, inklusive Kepler-Stadtführung und Besuch des Kepler-Museums in Weil der Stadt erweitert das Buch meine Kenntnisse von Johannes Kepler, und geht auf einen Aspekt ein, der sonst von seinen wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen überlagert wird: Der Hexenprozess gegen seine Mutter Katharina.
Die Autorin konzentriert sich aber nicht nur auf den Prozess selbst, sondern schildert auch das Leben der Keplers zu dieser Zeit. Sie schildert Denkweisen von Kepler anhand dessen Werken und Korrespondenzen, die ihm bei der Verteidigung seiner Mutter zu gute kamen, aber auch die Verhältnisse in Leonberg des frühen siebzehnten Jahrhunderts. Dadurch erhält man auch einen lebendigen Einblick in zumindest einen Ausschnitt des Lebens vor Beginn des 30jährigen Krieges, wie ihn Geschichtsstunden nicht vermitteln können.
Dadurch bleibt das Buch auch ambivalent und behauptet nicht, die "richtige" Sichtweise darzustellen, was zweifellos ein Gewinn ist.
Was das Buch nicht ist, ist (reine) Unterhaltungsliteratur, auch wenn es sicherlich keine "trockene" wissenschaftliche Abhandlung ist, auch wenn manches sicher ein wenig kürzer abgehandelt hätte werden können. Es ist also vor allem den Personen zu empfehlen, die ihr Wissen in mindestens einem der behandelten Aspekte (Kepler, Hexenprozessen, Württemberg um 1600, ...) erweitern wollen.
Die Autorin konzentriert sich aber nicht nur auf den Prozess selbst, sondern schildert auch das Leben der Keplers zu dieser Zeit. Sie schildert Denkweisen von Kepler anhand dessen Werken und Korrespondenzen, die ihm bei der Verteidigung seiner Mutter zu gute kamen, aber auch die Verhältnisse in Leonberg des frühen siebzehnten Jahrhunderts. Dadurch erhält man auch einen lebendigen Einblick in zumindest einen Ausschnitt des Lebens vor Beginn des 30jährigen Krieges, wie ihn Geschichtsstunden nicht vermitteln können.
Dadurch bleibt das Buch auch ambivalent und behauptet nicht, die "richtige" Sichtweise darzustellen, was zweifellos ein Gewinn ist.
Was das Buch nicht ist, ist (reine) Unterhaltungsliteratur, auch wenn es sicherlich keine "trockene" wissenschaftliche Abhandlung ist, auch wenn manches sicher ein wenig kürzer abgehandelt hätte werden können. Es ist also vor allem den Personen zu empfehlen, die ihr Wissen in mindestens einem der behandelten Aspekte (Kepler, Hexenprozessen, Württemberg um 1600, ...) erweitern wollen.
January 2, 2016
Fine historical research presented in a way that humanizes a fascinating period; with insights into the interplay between science and superstition.
August 15, 2020
I often wondered while reading Ulinka Rublack's The Astronomer and the Witch why someone would accuse an old woman of witchcraft.
-Could it be an early form of conspiracy theory thinking. Something odd happens—a man has an odd feeling in his legs after an old woman walks past. Because our minds see patterns in everything and struggle to admit ignorance, the man suspects that he might be a victim of witchcraft, so he bathes in his own urine to protect against sorcery. But if his neighbor's pig dies unexpectedly within a day or two, the conclusion that these are illusions or coincidences become harder to accept.
-Kepler suggests that people find the elderly repulsive.
-And I finally wondered if there were some in this society who simply looked at a widow with property and wondered what she adds to the community.
The trial is not hysterical like Arthur Miller's depiction of the Salem witch trials in The Crucible. Katharina's trial lasts for six years, and she is imprisoned for much of that time. By the trial's end, the question seems to be whether or not to torture a septuagenarian lady to obtain a confession. Outrageous. Rublack depicts Katharina as a pretty sharp woman, though she has lost most of her teeth. But I couldn't help wondering what might be done at that time to a senile widow, especially given how much we today struggle to empathize with the elderly.
Rublack works diligently to show the complexity of both Katharina and her more famous son, but it was also clear to me that their lives and their story are a wedge that allows her to explore the Reformation in early 17th century German, the rule of law, astronomy, patronage, marriage, property rights, inheritance, and more. I often enjoy reading history because it inspires curiosity in me to read more about the past. Although Rublack does show that the past is stranger than we realize, I didn't find The Astronomer and the Witch a page turner.
Notes buried below:
-Could it be an early form of conspiracy theory thinking. Something odd happens—a man has an odd feeling in his legs after an old woman walks past. Because our minds see patterns in everything and struggle to admit ignorance, the man suspects that he might be a victim of witchcraft, so he bathes in his own urine to protect against sorcery. But if his neighbor's pig dies unexpectedly within a day or two, the conclusion that these are illusions or coincidences become harder to accept.
-Kepler suggests that people find the elderly repulsive.
-And I finally wondered if there were some in this society who simply looked at a widow with property and wondered what she adds to the community.
The trial is not hysterical like Arthur Miller's depiction of the Salem witch trials in The Crucible. Katharina's trial lasts for six years, and she is imprisoned for much of that time. By the trial's end, the question seems to be whether or not to torture a septuagenarian lady to obtain a confession. Outrageous. Rublack depicts Katharina as a pretty sharp woman, though she has lost most of her teeth. But I couldn't help wondering what might be done at that time to a senile widow, especially given how much we today struggle to empathize with the elderly.
Rublack works diligently to show the complexity of both Katharina and her more famous son, but it was also clear to me that their lives and their story are a wedge that allows her to explore the Reformation in early 17th century German, the rule of law, astronomy, patronage, marriage, property rights, inheritance, and more. I often enjoy reading history because it inspires curiosity in me to read more about the past. Although Rublack does show that the past is stranger than we realize, I didn't find The Astronomer and the Witch a page turner.
Notes buried below:
June 1, 2017
The author is a scholar who has written other books on early modern Europe and the text is thoroughly footnoted for historical accuracy. However, Ulinka Rublack is also a good storyteller. The subject matter is presented in narrative prose with compelling descriptions of places, people, events, and historical context. Her writing reminds me of one of my favorite authors, William Manchester, and his equally compelling book about early modern Europe, A World Lit Only by Fire.
The Astronomer is Johannes Kepler and the Witch is his mother Katherina. As readers will discover, the academic discipline of astronomy was still indistinguishable from the magical practice of astrology. Kepler was employed at various times to compose astrological forecasts while simultaneously engaged in rigorous scientific endeavors. If readers are interested in Kepler’s scientific discoveries, they will be disappointed because the book focuses on the trial of his mother for witchcraft. It was a very serious and too common charge alleged against elderly women. Death was the punishment if convicted. Equally as fearful was the prospect of the use of torture to extract a confession from the accused. As matter of fact, one of the elements that keeps one turning the pages is to discover if Kepler is successful in his efforts to prevent his mother from being tortured. Although Kepler was not trained as a lawyer, he defended his mother before the magistrates and court. Rublack emphasizes that Kepler’s “scientific training” helped him draft compelling and logical arguments supported by evidence and reason. The juxtaposition of the modern scientific mode of inquiry to defend someone against a charge borne of an age of superstition and fear may seem specific to a particular time and place; however, I found it helpful to understanding our current culturally and politically regressive zeitgeist. This has all happened before. As a matter of fact, it is the familiarity of the legal and political systems that I found most disturbing. For all of our scientific progress, our social, political, and judicial institutions have changed very little. For all of Kepler’s efforts (spoiler alert) the stress of the judicial proceedings was too much for his mother, Katherina, to survive. She died a few months after being released. Another author may have concluded the text with Kepler’s successful defense of his mother because it makes for a “happy ending” and reifies the myth of justice—the triumph of reason over fear, of justice over injustice—but this is not a fiction to make readers feel good, but a chronicle of what happens to real people who are subject to gross injustice. Katherina’s last years were spent confined and terrified of being tortured and/or killed by immolation; Kepler was taken away from his scientific work and forced to engage with lesser minds in a lengthy court battle that was both ridiculous and cruel.
The Astronomer is Johannes Kepler and the Witch is his mother Katherina. As readers will discover, the academic discipline of astronomy was still indistinguishable from the magical practice of astrology. Kepler was employed at various times to compose astrological forecasts while simultaneously engaged in rigorous scientific endeavors. If readers are interested in Kepler’s scientific discoveries, they will be disappointed because the book focuses on the trial of his mother for witchcraft. It was a very serious and too common charge alleged against elderly women. Death was the punishment if convicted. Equally as fearful was the prospect of the use of torture to extract a confession from the accused. As matter of fact, one of the elements that keeps one turning the pages is to discover if Kepler is successful in his efforts to prevent his mother from being tortured. Although Kepler was not trained as a lawyer, he defended his mother before the magistrates and court. Rublack emphasizes that Kepler’s “scientific training” helped him draft compelling and logical arguments supported by evidence and reason. The juxtaposition of the modern scientific mode of inquiry to defend someone against a charge borne of an age of superstition and fear may seem specific to a particular time and place; however, I found it helpful to understanding our current culturally and politically regressive zeitgeist. This has all happened before. As a matter of fact, it is the familiarity of the legal and political systems that I found most disturbing. For all of our scientific progress, our social, political, and judicial institutions have changed very little. For all of Kepler’s efforts (spoiler alert) the stress of the judicial proceedings was too much for his mother, Katherina, to survive. She died a few months after being released. Another author may have concluded the text with Kepler’s successful defense of his mother because it makes for a “happy ending” and reifies the myth of justice—the triumph of reason over fear, of justice over injustice—but this is not a fiction to make readers feel good, but a chronicle of what happens to real people who are subject to gross injustice. Katherina’s last years were spent confined and terrified of being tortured and/or killed by immolation; Kepler was taken away from his scientific work and forced to engage with lesser minds in a lengthy court battle that was both ridiculous and cruel.
March 9, 2016
A readable work about the mother of the famed astronomer, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), who was accused of witchcraft in Germany. In 1615, his 73 year old mother, Katharina Kepler was accused of bewitching several people in town, and over the next six years a continuing trial and imprisonment was challenged by her son. Later, after a year of imprisonment, she was threatened with torture to confess her crimes. Only Johannes and his siblings kept up a steady opposition to the governor's accusations and attempts to have his mother convicted of the crime.
This is an interesting account of witch trials in Protestant Germany at the start of the 17th century. There is an examination of the evidence, how it was interpreted, and how it was refuted by one of the better mathematical minds living in Europe at that time. Some of the 24 witnesses were deemed to be irrelevant, but enough were thought competent for the charges to be prosecuted. Kepler spent much of his time trying to refute the witnesses and write up a point by point rebuttal to the accusations, and then reply to the attack of his rebuttal by the prosecution. Finally, it was decided to scare her into confession, not by torture, but by pretending to have sentenced her to torture, and showing her the devices to be used to force her to confess, hoping the mere sight of the devices and descriptions of enhanced interrogation by the executioner will frighten her into revealing her crime.
Refusing to be intimidated, she was eventually released after 14 months locked to a chain in a cell, and she died six months later.
This is an interesting study of how a witch trial was conducted, the types of evidence and methods of defense used, and how a counter-suit of defamation was used to protect Katharina Kepler. Afterwards, she was hailed as a local heroine in Eltingen, and even Nazi Germany put up a statue in her honor. While promoted as an example of work and industriousness, her steadfast denial of the charge of witchcraft had helped end the persecution of women as witches in Germany as a whole.
A recommended book for libraries of astronomy, German history, witchcraft trials and women's studies. Also for individuals interested in any or all of these subjects.
This is an interesting account of witch trials in Protestant Germany at the start of the 17th century. There is an examination of the evidence, how it was interpreted, and how it was refuted by one of the better mathematical minds living in Europe at that time. Some of the 24 witnesses were deemed to be irrelevant, but enough were thought competent for the charges to be prosecuted. Kepler spent much of his time trying to refute the witnesses and write up a point by point rebuttal to the accusations, and then reply to the attack of his rebuttal by the prosecution. Finally, it was decided to scare her into confession, not by torture, but by pretending to have sentenced her to torture, and showing her the devices to be used to force her to confess, hoping the mere sight of the devices and descriptions of enhanced interrogation by the executioner will frighten her into revealing her crime.
Refusing to be intimidated, she was eventually released after 14 months locked to a chain in a cell, and she died six months later.
This is an interesting study of how a witch trial was conducted, the types of evidence and methods of defense used, and how a counter-suit of defamation was used to protect Katharina Kepler. Afterwards, she was hailed as a local heroine in Eltingen, and even Nazi Germany put up a statue in her honor. While promoted as an example of work and industriousness, her steadfast denial of the charge of witchcraft had helped end the persecution of women as witches in Germany as a whole.
A recommended book for libraries of astronomy, German history, witchcraft trials and women's studies. Also for individuals interested in any or all of these subjects.
October 8, 2019
Fascinating subject matter and great contextualization, but the climax was disappointing. Rublack spent much of the first half of the book building up Kepler's intellectual prowess and brilliant ability to form a legal defense against his mother's accusers, but when it came to the actual trial, the promised fireworks were sorely lacking in pizzazz. Structurally, the book could have used some chronological tweaks and a more streamlined approach to the evidence, but Rublack did well recreating the ambiance of life in 17th-century Germany.
April 27, 2018
fantastic! this book is full of information about a time and place that influenced much of what we think today. it is so enjoyable to be able to peer in through this peephole. the author has found a wonderful framework to examine a myriad of issues that pertain to changes that were happening all over europe.
August 4, 2024
As a critic and researcher, I find it necessary to challenge the narrative that portrays Johannes Kepler as a hero who valiantly saved his "innocent" mother from execution. In my recent publication, I thoroughly examined the historical context and found a significant lack of evidence supporting Katharina's innocence, as well as insufficient documentation to suggest that Kepler utilized any scientific reasoning during the court proceedings. It is important to note that Katharina did not undergo a complete trial like many other women accused during that period; instead, her acquittal was primarily based on her age. Below is a copy of my article that further elaborates on these points:
Questioning Johannes Kepler's defence and the Fairness of Katharina Kepler's Trial
By Mouloud Benzadi, author, researcher and translator
During the intense period of witch-hunting in Europe, numerous women faced trials and executions. One such woman was Katharina Kepler, the mother of the renowned astronomer Johannes Kepler. In August 1620, she was apprehended from her daughter's residence and detained on 49 charges of witchcraft. She was ultimately acquitted, with Johannes credited for providing a strong defence rooted in scientific understanding. However, uncertainties persist: Was her exoneration truly based on scientific evidence? And did Katharina undergo the same trial process as others accused of similar charges at the time, leading to a fair acquittal?
The Compassionate Defence of Katharina Kepler
When examining Katharina Kepler's biography, it becomes apparent that her son utilized his scientific expertise to assist her during her trial. However, upon closer examination, there is limited direct evidence or documentation explicitly demonstrating how he did so.
In his mother's defence, Kepler appears to present compassionate arguments instead of scientific evidence. In the book "The Astronomer and The Witch," Cambridge Professor Ulinka Rublack wrote, "Right from the beginning of the case, Kepler thought of her physicality as a primary cause of people's fear and rejection, portraying a conflict between the young and the old. He would have been influenced by classical literature that depicted women's physical decline as grotesque, and likely encountered many older women who took care to maintain their appearances." Another passage from the same book states, "Kepler focused on her aging body as repulsive, 'ungestalt', and almost inhuman in his writing on her behalf. The guards even lent the toothless woman a broken pocket-knife to cut meat into small pieces for her to swallow without chewing." These passages highlight a compassionate understanding of the human experience, aiming to provoke empathy and insight. They do not conform to the typical structure of a logical argument based on evidence, reasoning, and factual analysis commonly found in a court of law.
Moreover, Kepler employs speculative arguments based on conjecture rather than direct evidence or legal precedent. This is demonstrated by the following statement from Rublack's book, "In Reinbold's case, there was some evidence indicating that she had consumed strong medicines that could have been harmful. Kepler proposed the idea that she might have mistakenly used the wrong jug when visiting Katharina, who had always consumed her own blend of healing herbs without any adverse effects." This statement relies on supposition, introducing a theory or scenario without direct evidence to substantiate it.
Kepler’s Disingenuous And Manipulative Actions In Court
Kepler's attempt to depict his illiterate mother as a reliable healer, despite uncertainties about the preparation of the drinks she administered to patients, could be viewed as an exaggeration and a deliberate strategy to manipulate perceptions and obscure the truth. Ulinka Rublack astutely pointed out, "His strategy, in essence, was to present his mother in a different light—not as an old, marginalized, illiterate, and superstitious woman, but as a devout citizen who effectively passed on and enhanced medical knowledge, conscientiously utilizing herbs for her own well-being."
In contrast to his argument, his mother confessed in court that the drinks she prepared were often left in their jugs overnight or for several days, compromising their quality. This clearly strengthens the argument that her methods might not have aligned with accepted standards of care or knowledge concerning the preparation and preservation of remedies.
Furthermore, Kepler resorted to derogatory language and personal attacks when rebutting witnesses, as observed by Ulinka Rublack. She notes, "Losing his composure in civil discourse, Kepler referred to one of them as 'a fable-woman,' and Beittelspacher as 'a fable-man,' 'idiot,' and 'little girl's schoolmaster,' implying a lack of intellectual depth."
The use of such language and pejorative terms by Kepler is unbecoming of someone in his position and could potentially tarnish his reputation as well as raise questions about his professional conduct in handling the case.
Fairness Doubts in Katharina’s Trial
One crucial question arises regarding the fairness of Katharina’s trial and subsequent acquittal. In the context of witch trials during that period, the use of torture was a commonly employed method to extract confessions from the accused. The absence of such a rigorous test, in the form of actual torture, for Katharina, could be seen as a deviation from the standard procedures of the time. Furthermore, the mention that many accused witches only confessed after being subjected to torture underscores the significance of this omission in Katharina’s trial.
The disparity in treatment in the trial in favour of Katharina was also highlighted in "The Astronomer and the Witch," where it says, "It is more than likely, though, that Kepler knew from his Tübingen friends that what would now follow was a pretence, and that he would have let Katharina know. He could prepare his mother for encountering a third-rate occasional executioner—the psychological pressure would therefore be low. In Nuremberg, prisoners during the same period would be tightly bound on the rack or a chair to see the legendary executioner Franz Schmidt describe his instruments of torture in the most terrifying manner, boasting of how he had used them to extract the truth from the most obstinate villains. Yet Katharina probably knew that she would not suffer any further pain if only she kept on denying her guilt." This statement suggests that Katharina would likely have been informed that her trial was a pretence, relieving psychological pressure. This insinuates an unfairness in the treatment of Katharina, as she would not be subjected to the same psychological and physical pressures experienced by prisoners facing similar charges in Nuremberg.
The Suspicious Portrait of Katharina Kepler
Despite her acquittal of witchcraft in 1621, some historians describe Katharina Kepler in a highly negative manner. In Arthur Koestler’s renowned history of astronomy, “The Sleepwalkers,” Katharina is referred to as a “hideous little woman” with an evil tongue and a “suspect background.” Furthermore, John Banville’s award-winning historical novel, “Kepler,” paints a vivid picture of Katharina as a crude old woman who engages in dangerous practices such as boiling potions in a black pot and meeting with hags in a cat-infested kitchen. This portrayal depicts her as a scary, disgusting figure and even suggests she may be a witch. Additionally, Katharina herself aroused suspicion and raised questions through her strange behaviours. Although illiterate, she chose to make and administer herbal remedies to patients, which made them sick. As mentioned in The Astronomer And The Witch “Katharina explained that some of the drinks she prepared had remained in their jugs overnight or for some days, so that their surface might have developed some skin which might have implied that their properties had changed.” She also added to her mysterious and unsettling reputation by asking a gravedigger to dig out her father’s skull to use it as a drinking cup, one of the charges raised against her during the trial. She even admitted to telling a man that she would make bad weather. These strange actions undoubtedly give rise to suspicions and justify questions regarding her intentions and involvement.
Katharina’s Fate beyond Kepler’s Defence
While Johannes Kepler's presence and attempts to defend his mother in court undoubtedly played a role in the proceedings, it is worth noting that his scientific renown and status in the 17th Century Scientific Revolution may have led to an overemphasis on his contributions to the case. Despite his efforts, Kepler’s submissions were ultimately rejected by the judges, as described in "The Astronomer And The Witch": “Katharina and Johannes Kepler appeared together in court, and Kepler demanded at once to be able to skim through the final accusation. This came as a shock. Tightly argued and referencing Latin legal as well as theological commentators, Gabelkhover left no doubt that Katharina had to be tortured. She was held responsible for several acts of harm against people and animals, as well as for attempting to bribe the Leonberg governor in order to avoid any hearings before she escaped the country. Kepler’s defence was refuted for diluting clear evidence, for instance, that she had promised Einhorn the silver cup. She had been a suspect person present at places where harm had happened. Moreover, she had practiced soothsaying, had a bad reputation, and a son who said that she had driven his father away. Her testimony was inconsistent.”
Further investigation is necessary to substantiate claims that Katharina was released thanks to her son's scientific evidence. Uncertainties persist regarding the fairness of the trial as Katharina was not subjected to torture, which was widely practiced to force others to confess. There remain questions about her unusual actions, such as her request to unearth her deceased father's skull and her involvement in crafting and administering medications to patients, causing them to become sick. Additionally, the trial raises questions about Johannes Kepler's part in securing his mother’s release: What scientific evidence did he present to the court? What evidence supports the claim that “Kepler’s scientific evidence” was behind Katharina’s acquittal when reliable records relating to the case state that Katharina’s testimony was found to be inconsistent, and Kepler’s arguments and submissions before the court were not persuasive enough to counter the accusations brought against her by several individuals. Katharina was subsequently released due to a lack of evidence and for compassionate reasons, particularly considering her age, as mentioned by Ulinka Rublack in her book, “Much of the evidence was not sufficiently supported and, given her old age, did not justify proper torture.”
Questioning Johannes Kepler's defence and the Fairness of Katharina Kepler's Trial
By Mouloud Benzadi, author, researcher and translator
During the intense period of witch-hunting in Europe, numerous women faced trials and executions. One such woman was Katharina Kepler, the mother of the renowned astronomer Johannes Kepler. In August 1620, she was apprehended from her daughter's residence and detained on 49 charges of witchcraft. She was ultimately acquitted, with Johannes credited for providing a strong defence rooted in scientific understanding. However, uncertainties persist: Was her exoneration truly based on scientific evidence? And did Katharina undergo the same trial process as others accused of similar charges at the time, leading to a fair acquittal?
The Compassionate Defence of Katharina Kepler
When examining Katharina Kepler's biography, it becomes apparent that her son utilized his scientific expertise to assist her during her trial. However, upon closer examination, there is limited direct evidence or documentation explicitly demonstrating how he did so.
In his mother's defence, Kepler appears to present compassionate arguments instead of scientific evidence. In the book "The Astronomer and The Witch," Cambridge Professor Ulinka Rublack wrote, "Right from the beginning of the case, Kepler thought of her physicality as a primary cause of people's fear and rejection, portraying a conflict between the young and the old. He would have been influenced by classical literature that depicted women's physical decline as grotesque, and likely encountered many older women who took care to maintain their appearances." Another passage from the same book states, "Kepler focused on her aging body as repulsive, 'ungestalt', and almost inhuman in his writing on her behalf. The guards even lent the toothless woman a broken pocket-knife to cut meat into small pieces for her to swallow without chewing." These passages highlight a compassionate understanding of the human experience, aiming to provoke empathy and insight. They do not conform to the typical structure of a logical argument based on evidence, reasoning, and factual analysis commonly found in a court of law.
Moreover, Kepler employs speculative arguments based on conjecture rather than direct evidence or legal precedent. This is demonstrated by the following statement from Rublack's book, "In Reinbold's case, there was some evidence indicating that she had consumed strong medicines that could have been harmful. Kepler proposed the idea that she might have mistakenly used the wrong jug when visiting Katharina, who had always consumed her own blend of healing herbs without any adverse effects." This statement relies on supposition, introducing a theory or scenario without direct evidence to substantiate it.
Kepler’s Disingenuous And Manipulative Actions In Court
Kepler's attempt to depict his illiterate mother as a reliable healer, despite uncertainties about the preparation of the drinks she administered to patients, could be viewed as an exaggeration and a deliberate strategy to manipulate perceptions and obscure the truth. Ulinka Rublack astutely pointed out, "His strategy, in essence, was to present his mother in a different light—not as an old, marginalized, illiterate, and superstitious woman, but as a devout citizen who effectively passed on and enhanced medical knowledge, conscientiously utilizing herbs for her own well-being."
In contrast to his argument, his mother confessed in court that the drinks she prepared were often left in their jugs overnight or for several days, compromising their quality. This clearly strengthens the argument that her methods might not have aligned with accepted standards of care or knowledge concerning the preparation and preservation of remedies.
Furthermore, Kepler resorted to derogatory language and personal attacks when rebutting witnesses, as observed by Ulinka Rublack. She notes, "Losing his composure in civil discourse, Kepler referred to one of them as 'a fable-woman,' and Beittelspacher as 'a fable-man,' 'idiot,' and 'little girl's schoolmaster,' implying a lack of intellectual depth."
The use of such language and pejorative terms by Kepler is unbecoming of someone in his position and could potentially tarnish his reputation as well as raise questions about his professional conduct in handling the case.
Fairness Doubts in Katharina’s Trial
One crucial question arises regarding the fairness of Katharina’s trial and subsequent acquittal. In the context of witch trials during that period, the use of torture was a commonly employed method to extract confessions from the accused. The absence of such a rigorous test, in the form of actual torture, for Katharina, could be seen as a deviation from the standard procedures of the time. Furthermore, the mention that many accused witches only confessed after being subjected to torture underscores the significance of this omission in Katharina’s trial.
The disparity in treatment in the trial in favour of Katharina was also highlighted in "The Astronomer and the Witch," where it says, "It is more than likely, though, that Kepler knew from his Tübingen friends that what would now follow was a pretence, and that he would have let Katharina know. He could prepare his mother for encountering a third-rate occasional executioner—the psychological pressure would therefore be low. In Nuremberg, prisoners during the same period would be tightly bound on the rack or a chair to see the legendary executioner Franz Schmidt describe his instruments of torture in the most terrifying manner, boasting of how he had used them to extract the truth from the most obstinate villains. Yet Katharina probably knew that she would not suffer any further pain if only she kept on denying her guilt." This statement suggests that Katharina would likely have been informed that her trial was a pretence, relieving psychological pressure. This insinuates an unfairness in the treatment of Katharina, as she would not be subjected to the same psychological and physical pressures experienced by prisoners facing similar charges in Nuremberg.
The Suspicious Portrait of Katharina Kepler
Despite her acquittal of witchcraft in 1621, some historians describe Katharina Kepler in a highly negative manner. In Arthur Koestler’s renowned history of astronomy, “The Sleepwalkers,” Katharina is referred to as a “hideous little woman” with an evil tongue and a “suspect background.” Furthermore, John Banville’s award-winning historical novel, “Kepler,” paints a vivid picture of Katharina as a crude old woman who engages in dangerous practices such as boiling potions in a black pot and meeting with hags in a cat-infested kitchen. This portrayal depicts her as a scary, disgusting figure and even suggests she may be a witch. Additionally, Katharina herself aroused suspicion and raised questions through her strange behaviours. Although illiterate, she chose to make and administer herbal remedies to patients, which made them sick. As mentioned in The Astronomer And The Witch “Katharina explained that some of the drinks she prepared had remained in their jugs overnight or for some days, so that their surface might have developed some skin which might have implied that their properties had changed.” She also added to her mysterious and unsettling reputation by asking a gravedigger to dig out her father’s skull to use it as a drinking cup, one of the charges raised against her during the trial. She even admitted to telling a man that she would make bad weather. These strange actions undoubtedly give rise to suspicions and justify questions regarding her intentions and involvement.
Katharina’s Fate beyond Kepler’s Defence
While Johannes Kepler's presence and attempts to defend his mother in court undoubtedly played a role in the proceedings, it is worth noting that his scientific renown and status in the 17th Century Scientific Revolution may have led to an overemphasis on his contributions to the case. Despite his efforts, Kepler’s submissions were ultimately rejected by the judges, as described in "The Astronomer And The Witch": “Katharina and Johannes Kepler appeared together in court, and Kepler demanded at once to be able to skim through the final accusation. This came as a shock. Tightly argued and referencing Latin legal as well as theological commentators, Gabelkhover left no doubt that Katharina had to be tortured. She was held responsible for several acts of harm against people and animals, as well as for attempting to bribe the Leonberg governor in order to avoid any hearings before she escaped the country. Kepler’s defence was refuted for diluting clear evidence, for instance, that she had promised Einhorn the silver cup. She had been a suspect person present at places where harm had happened. Moreover, she had practiced soothsaying, had a bad reputation, and a son who said that she had driven his father away. Her testimony was inconsistent.”
Further investigation is necessary to substantiate claims that Katharina was released thanks to her son's scientific evidence. Uncertainties persist regarding the fairness of the trial as Katharina was not subjected to torture, which was widely practiced to force others to confess. There remain questions about her unusual actions, such as her request to unearth her deceased father's skull and her involvement in crafting and administering medications to patients, causing them to become sick. Additionally, the trial raises questions about Johannes Kepler's part in securing his mother’s release: What scientific evidence did he present to the court? What evidence supports the claim that “Kepler’s scientific evidence” was behind Katharina’s acquittal when reliable records relating to the case state that Katharina’s testimony was found to be inconsistent, and Kepler’s arguments and submissions before the court were not persuasive enough to counter the accusations brought against her by several individuals. Katharina was subsequently released due to a lack of evidence and for compassionate reasons, particularly considering her age, as mentioned by Ulinka Rublack in her book, “Much of the evidence was not sufficiently supported and, given her old age, did not justify proper torture.”
March 2, 2024
I wanted to read this book, because I read Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch last year, which is about the same story but from Katharina's kind of view. So I was pretty stoked to find this book in my local library and I devoured it. It's pretty wild how back then it felt like everything goes and you can just accuse anyone of mingling with the devil, the second they did something slightly different than the rest. And obviously it was fueled by misogyny and hatred towards women once again. Not only that, but ageism as well, since it was mostly older women who were accused of being witches. It fucking breaks my heart to read about the tortures these women had to go through and that burning them at the stake and thus "releasing them from the devil's grasp" was considered a mercy. It's really fucking disgusting how much humans (and especially men) hate ageing women.
While I'm glad women aren't literally burned at the stake anymore for merely existing (at least in most countries), metaphorically they still have to pay for being differnt from the norm. Especially ageing women. Why society seems to hate ageing women, while it simultaneously praises the ageing process of men is beyond me. (Just think about how women have to do everything in their power to keep from ageing and have to face criticism for every single wrinkle they have, while men apparently "age like fine wine" and are praised for their grey hair. It's disgusting.)
It's also pretty crazy how that Ursula Reinbold was called unreliable and pretty much worthless, just because she had had multiple sexual partners. While it's pretty disgusting that she accused Katharina Kepler of being a witch, it's also gross that her sexual behavior was condemned the way it was and that not being celibate made her less of a reliable narrator.
In the words of Marina: Burned me at the stake, you thought I was a witch. Centuries are gone, now you just call me a bitch.
While I'm glad women aren't literally burned at the stake anymore for merely existing (at least in most countries), metaphorically they still have to pay for being differnt from the norm. Especially ageing women. Why society seems to hate ageing women, while it simultaneously praises the ageing process of men is beyond me. (Just think about how women have to do everything in their power to keep from ageing and have to face criticism for every single wrinkle they have, while men apparently "age like fine wine" and are praised for their grey hair. It's disgusting.)
It's also pretty crazy how that Ursula Reinbold was called unreliable and pretty much worthless, just because she had had multiple sexual partners. While it's pretty disgusting that she accused Katharina Kepler of being a witch, it's also gross that her sexual behavior was condemned the way it was and that not being celibate made her less of a reliable narrator.
In the words of Marina: Burned me at the stake, you thought I was a witch. Centuries are gone, now you just call me a bitch.
November 29, 2020
Ez a könyv egyszerűen pompázatos. Olvasmányos, tartalmas, az utolsó oldalig fenntartja a figyelmet, mindamellett pedig tanít is.
A történelem mindig is közel állt a szívemhez, szóval szívesen olvasok bármilyen tudományos értekezést bármely érából. A boszorkányság pedig mindig is egy olyan 'jelenség' volt, ami sose hagyta nyugodni az elmémet.
Azért is imádom az ilyesfajta sztorikat, mert a leghétköznapibb ember története általában a legérdekesebb. Igaz ez Katharina Keplerre is, akinek igaz, hogy nem hétköznapi volt az egyik fia, ő maga azonban nem is lehetett volna – még az adott kor körülményeit is figyelembe véve – „egyszerűbb”.
Az írónő azonban pillanatok alatt elvarázsol minket a történelem olyan pontjára, ahol dúskálhatunk az ilyen egyénekben. Ezt pedig teszi úgy, hogy végig fenntartja a figyelmet, és már-már úgy érzi az olvasó, hogy ő maga is a helyszínre csöppent.
Számomra ilyen egy igazán kidolgozott történelmi kutatómunka. Bravó!
A történelem mindig is közel állt a szívemhez, szóval szívesen olvasok bármilyen tudományos értekezést bármely érából. A boszorkányság pedig mindig is egy olyan 'jelenség' volt, ami sose hagyta nyugodni az elmémet.
Azért is imádom az ilyesfajta sztorikat, mert a leghétköznapibb ember története általában a legérdekesebb. Igaz ez Katharina Keplerre is, akinek igaz, hogy nem hétköznapi volt az egyik fia, ő maga azonban nem is lehetett volna – még az adott kor körülményeit is figyelembe véve – „egyszerűbb”.
Az írónő azonban pillanatok alatt elvarázsol minket a történelem olyan pontjára, ahol dúskálhatunk az ilyen egyénekben. Ezt pedig teszi úgy, hogy végig fenntartja a figyelmet, és már-már úgy érzi az olvasó, hogy ő maga is a helyszínre csöppent.
Számomra ilyen egy igazán kidolgozott történelmi kutatómunka. Bravó!
May 30, 2021
Ulinka Rublack looks back at the life of Johannes Kepler and the year he spent defending his mother against charges of witchcraft in their hometown of Leonberg, Germany in the early 17th century in her engrossing book, The Astronomer and the Witch.
The author does an excellent job of portraying Kepler as a multi-faceted individual and admits that he had a large collection of horoscopes and did chart interpretations and forecasts for his various patrons. But she unfortunately does not appear to have researched astrology, which could only have strengthened her work. Despite my quibbles, this is an excellent book for anyone interested in the history of ideas, and particularly for astrologers who wish to learn more about one of their most successful forebears. Read the full review on my blog: https://karenchristino.com/?s=astrono...
The author does an excellent job of portraying Kepler as a multi-faceted individual and admits that he had a large collection of horoscopes and did chart interpretations and forecasts for his various patrons. But she unfortunately does not appear to have researched astrology, which could only have strengthened her work. Despite my quibbles, this is an excellent book for anyone interested in the history of ideas, and particularly for astrologers who wish to learn more about one of their most successful forebears. Read the full review on my blog: https://karenchristino.com/?s=astrono...
February 13, 2021
католици, калвинисти, лутеранци, всички
с претенции за "единственост", праведност и правилност. уж, човечеството поема към познание и се измъква от суеверията, а всъщност затъва във войни и ужасяващи преследвания на вещици. жени, чийто грях, май е, че не са успели да умрат "навреме" по възможност при или след някое от многобройните раждания, а са имали наглостта да остареят и да загрозяват пейзажа с старческия си вид.
никоя възрастна жена не е в безопасност , дори майката на почитаемия учен йоханес кеплер, която преживява един такъв процес и е оправдана, не без положените усилия и защита на прочутия си син.
с претенции за "единственост", праведност и правилност. уж, човечеството поема към познание и се измъква от суеверията, а всъщност затъва във войни и ужасяващи преследвания на вещици. жени, чийто грях, май е, че не са успели да умрат "навреме" по възможност при или след някое от многобройните раждания, а са имали наглостта да остареят и да загрозяват пейзажа с старческия си вид.
никоя възрастна жена не е в безопасност , дори майката на почитаемия учен йоханес кеплер, която преживява един такъв процес и е оправдана, не без положените усилия и защита на прочутия си син.
September 25, 2024
I have always been fascinated by Johannes Kepler, a scientist and renaissance man who changed our understanding of the shape of the Universe, and way more important that that blowhard Galileo.
This book treats a little-known moment in his life (actually about four years) when his aged mother was accused of being a witch. Using all his political connections (which were dwindling as the Thirty Years' War started) and all his ability to analyse details, he demonstrated that the many accusations against his mother were essentially made up.
If you are interested in early modern beliefs about witchcraft, and the legal ramifications of those, this is a fascinating book.
This book treats a little-known moment in his life (actually about four years) when his aged mother was accused of being a witch. Using all his political connections (which were dwindling as the Thirty Years' War started) and all his ability to analyse details, he demonstrated that the many accusations against his mother were essentially made up.
If you are interested in early modern beliefs about witchcraft, and the legal ramifications of those, this is a fascinating book.
December 12, 2021
This book was at time captivating, at times disjointed, but overall an informative and worthwhile read. Though the writing was clear and easy to follow, the narrative pull felt uneven. Some of the facts were clearly presented in their relevant context, others seemed offered without purpose. Still, the details of J. Kepler's life, and the insights into women's lives at that time & place made for an interesting read. The final twist of the story was a surprise but again I felt it didn't expand fully enough to deliver its pay-off.
August 27, 2022
изключително историческо изследване не само на делото срещу майката на астронома Йоханес Кеплер Катарина, че е вещица, но и на цялата епоха - 17-ти век в Южна Германия по време на постоянни войни между католици и протестанти. не просто исторически факти, а цялостна жива история на периода, местата, социалната среда, науката, съществуваща едновременно с вярата и суеверията, мястото на жените в обществото - и особено на възрастните жени. и не на последно място - книгата с най-приятните за пипане меки страници, която някога съм докосвала.
August 11, 2017
Does not read tripingly through your mind
Interesting look at German life in early 1600's. broad view of religion juxtaposed to scientific study. Also a good look a the life of women in that time period in that particular culture.We had a good discussion with our book group but everybody groaned when they started reading it, but were glad they did.More text book than literature.
Interesting look at German life in early 1600's. broad view of religion juxtaposed to scientific study. Also a good look a the life of women in that time period in that particular culture.We had a good discussion with our book group but everybody groaned when they started reading it, but were glad they did.More text book than literature.
April 22, 2018
A fascinating biography of the life of Johannes Kepler that is exceptionally well written and documented through the extensive use of endnotes. Included are numerous illustrations that are relevant to the story. Coverage of the Kepler family dynamic and the local community's interaction with the Kepler's after Katharina Kepler was accused of being a witch by a vengeful neighbor is especially interesting.
December 30, 2020
Interessante descrizione d'ambiente della Germania Post-riforma alla vigilia della guerra dei 30 anni; una parte della vita di Keplero, uno dei massimi astronomi cvopernicani, proto scienziato e proto illuminista, abituato a discernere i fatti con l'uso della ragione, ma ancora con un piede nel mondo magico degli oroscopi, come si sarebbe relazionato conm l'accusa di stregoneria della vecchia madre.
Dramma damiliare e sociale, nonche di genere si intersecano, anche se lo stile non rende stimolante la lettura, che procede un pò a fatica.
Dramma damiliare e sociale, nonche di genere si intersecano, anche se lo stile non rende stimolante la lettura, che procede un pò a fatica.
March 10, 2024
Beautifully researched and well-penned, Ulinka Rublack gives a holistic portrait of a Lutheran community contending with questions of scientific advancement and fear of malevolent forces. I appreciated how historical context was interwoven into the narrative of the trial, and the inclusion of 41 figures (portraits, engravings, pictures and excerpts of original manuscripts) that further illustrate the time and contextualize events and the people who lived them.
December 17, 2024
3.5
I really liked the story and it’s very unique. I just felt like it was all over the place with the story, I wish we got more witch than astronomer. I also think it’s funny how men will go through hoops to TRY to defend witchcraft being like, yeah women are weird? They act weird! Like she’s not a witch pssshttt she’s just old and ugly!
Like boy bye, that is your mother. But that’s just 1600 men for you
I really liked the story and it’s very unique. I just felt like it was all over the place with the story, I wish we got more witch than astronomer. I also think it’s funny how men will go through hoops to TRY to defend witchcraft being like, yeah women are weird? They act weird! Like she’s not a witch pssshttt she’s just old and ugly!
Like boy bye, that is your mother. But that’s just 1600 men for you
August 1, 2024
very well-researched and well-written. an incredibly interesting book that places Kepler and his discoveries very firmly in an Early Modern religio-cultural framework, rather than presenting him as a Great Intellect ahead of his time. moreover, an important look at how familial politics, and the person of his mother, intersect with his own position as a professional scholar.
June 2, 2019
Impressive research and enlightening perspective on 17th century German history and lifestyles. Excellent biographical insights on Johannes Kepler and his relationships, the defense of his poor mother and the horrid treatment of women during this period.
February 20, 2021
Sehr intensiv recherchierte Abhandlung über das Leben von Johannes Kepler und seiner Mutter. Spannend, das Leben zu der Zeit so nah zu erleben. Viele überraschende Details, viele verschiedene Sichtweisen.
February 11, 2021
A very well-written book about witchcraft that even a casual reader like myself can pick up and thoroughly enjoy.
December 15, 2022
i had to read this book for class and it was actually very interesting. i had no idea Kepler’s mother was accused of witchcraft.
April 6, 2025
Interesting read about the time when Keppler lived in the late 16th and early 17th century.
Describing how people lived and what was important to them.
Describing how people lived and what was important to them.
January 18, 2016
Definitely my favourite non-fiction book of 2015 and, in my opinion, along with Aviva Rothman's phD thesis Far from Every Strife, the best recent biographical work on Kepler. Like Rothman, Rublack understands Kepler as a humanist public intellectual and politician/courtier rather than -- as in the standard treatment -- a pre-scientific scientist. Rublack uses the relatively unexplored records from the witch trial of Katherina Kepler to explore changing understandings of family, gender, community, and politics at the turn of the 17th century and to put Kepler and his family in historical context.
Two elements in particular fascinated me. First: the way that ideal femininity in Lutheran popular culture centered on motherhood as opposed to virginity (as in the Cult of Mary associated with Catholicism). Kepler defends his mother by arguing that she was an upstanding Lutheran wife and mother who educated her sons and protected the virtue of her daughter (Kepler's sister) so that she could herself marry well (which she did). And although Kepler himself was no feminist, even by the very low standards of the time, he grew up in a culture where women, for the first time, had to be literate in order to read the Bible and consequently were educated at public expense in the larger towns. This meant that Kepler maintained correspondences with most of his female relatives and even with potential female patrons, both groups of which were probably mainly responsible for organizing his own second marriage. Women were essential, active participants, in his social world if not his intellectual one.
The second really fascinating part of the book is Rublack's description of the changing notions of politics and the responsibilities of the state at the time of the Kepler witch trial. Kepler read his mother's troubles largely as due to bad governance: the local Duke, distracted with military duties, let his local governors run amok and the courts to become partial and corrupted by local intrigues. Kepler took the opportunity of a friend's graduation from Tubingen to write a Latin diatribe on the subject. Ironically, too, one of the first great quasi-modern political theorists, Jean Bodin, was also Kepler's intellectual nemesis during the trial, as Bodin was publicly terrified of the menace posed by witches and advocated hunting and burning them on a grand scale, leading the prosecution in the Kepler witch trial to quote him copiously.
If I have a criticism of the book, it is that the sourcing is sometimes sketchy, probably necessary so it could be marketed as a popular book. I was under the impression that no direct letters between Kepler and his siblings survive so what is known about his communications and relationships with them is through third-party and indirect accounts. (Almost certainly a huge amount of personal correspondence is lost since it would not have occurred to Kepler that his personal life, as opposed to his intellectual life, would be of interest to future historians.) Since the book contains many claims about Kepler's domestic and family life and relationships, it would be nice to know exactly where the information comes from and how Rublack is interpreting the evidence. I also doubt her interpretation of some of Kepler's writing on the proper roles of the sexes that he was insecure about his wives getting a share in his glory if he let them "assist" him in "stargazing". I don't believe this possibility would have crossed his mind since there really weren't really any models of famous "scientific" women (excepting maybe Hypatia if she was known in the early 17th century); more likely he was insecure about being seen as somebody who couldn't provide a proper home and would lead his family into impropriety by engaging women with ideas their sex could not handle, something he was accused of doing to his first wife by sharing his ideas about predestination and the Eucharist. (He denied vigorously it of course, and in a letter to an unknown Prague woman.)
These are minor quibbles though. This is a fantastic book and I hope it is read widely.
Two elements in particular fascinated me. First: the way that ideal femininity in Lutheran popular culture centered on motherhood as opposed to virginity (as in the Cult of Mary associated with Catholicism). Kepler defends his mother by arguing that she was an upstanding Lutheran wife and mother who educated her sons and protected the virtue of her daughter (Kepler's sister) so that she could herself marry well (which she did). And although Kepler himself was no feminist, even by the very low standards of the time, he grew up in a culture where women, for the first time, had to be literate in order to read the Bible and consequently were educated at public expense in the larger towns. This meant that Kepler maintained correspondences with most of his female relatives and even with potential female patrons, both groups of which were probably mainly responsible for organizing his own second marriage. Women were essential, active participants, in his social world if not his intellectual one.
The second really fascinating part of the book is Rublack's description of the changing notions of politics and the responsibilities of the state at the time of the Kepler witch trial. Kepler read his mother's troubles largely as due to bad governance: the local Duke, distracted with military duties, let his local governors run amok and the courts to become partial and corrupted by local intrigues. Kepler took the opportunity of a friend's graduation from Tubingen to write a Latin diatribe on the subject. Ironically, too, one of the first great quasi-modern political theorists, Jean Bodin, was also Kepler's intellectual nemesis during the trial, as Bodin was publicly terrified of the menace posed by witches and advocated hunting and burning them on a grand scale, leading the prosecution in the Kepler witch trial to quote him copiously.
If I have a criticism of the book, it is that the sourcing is sometimes sketchy, probably necessary so it could be marketed as a popular book. I was under the impression that no direct letters between Kepler and his siblings survive so what is known about his communications and relationships with them is through third-party and indirect accounts. (Almost certainly a huge amount of personal correspondence is lost since it would not have occurred to Kepler that his personal life, as opposed to his intellectual life, would be of interest to future historians.) Since the book contains many claims about Kepler's domestic and family life and relationships, it would be nice to know exactly where the information comes from and how Rublack is interpreting the evidence. I also doubt her interpretation of some of Kepler's writing on the proper roles of the sexes that he was insecure about his wives getting a share in his glory if he let them "assist" him in "stargazing". I don't believe this possibility would have crossed his mind since there really weren't really any models of famous "scientific" women (excepting maybe Hypatia if she was known in the early 17th century); more likely he was insecure about being seen as somebody who couldn't provide a proper home and would lead his family into impropriety by engaging women with ideas their sex could not handle, something he was accused of doing to his first wife by sharing his ideas about predestination and the Eucharist. (He denied vigorously it of course, and in a letter to an unknown Prague woman.)
These are minor quibbles though. This is a fantastic book and I hope it is read widely.
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