Geseke, a town famous for Witch Trials

The remains of the Witches Tower on the East wall

Ruins of the Hexenturm in Geseke where witches were imprisoned

The town of Geseke is famous for its witch trials in the 17th century. The nickname of the town is Hexen-Geseke. The two photos above show what is left of the Hexenturm or Witches Tower, where women accused of witchcraft were imprisoned. The tower was part of the town wall on the east side, which was torn down in 1830.

The photos below were taken in May 2008 in a Geseke tavern. Decorations such as this are found in Geseke hotels and other public buildings.

Dungeon in the West tower of Wewelsburg castle

At the nearby Wewelsburg Castle, witches were put into a dungeon, which is shown in the photo above. Wewelsburg is around 7 miles south of Geseke. The easiest way to get there is to take a taxi, but one can also go by train from Geseke to Büren. Wewelsburg is a section of the town of Büren and the Castle is right in the town. The Paderborn airport is around 6 or 7 miles from the Castle.

The photo below shows the steep stairs down to the small room in the sub-basement of the West tower at Wewelsburg where the witches were tortured to force them to confess. In the top right hand corner is the judge's loge where the judges observed the trial by torture.

Room in the sub-basement of Wewelsburg castle where witches were tortured

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This page was created on July 21, 2008