“I’m a modern witch, I stand by that,” says Barbara from Cologne. In the early modern era, she would probably have been burned at the stake for such a statement.
Barbara is not the only one who still believes in witchcraft today.
According to a global study published in November 2022 and titled “Witchcraft Beliefs around the World: An Exploratory Analysis” by economist Boris Gershman of American University in Washington, D.C., a remarkable 40% of the population of 95 countries worldwide are convinced that witches exist.
Whereby that figure fluctuates: In Tunisia it is around 90%, in Germany just 13%. Among other things, the authors of the study define those who believe in the evil eye and in curses as “believers in witches.”
Barbara, however, doesn’t want to curse anyone, she emphatically told DW. “This classic image of a witch sneaking out at night, flying on a broom and conjuring up something evil for people, that’s of course total nonsense.”
Scapegoats for calamity
But it is precisely this notion that many people, especially women, fell victim to over numerous centuries, and particularly between the years from about 1450 to 1750. Diseases, dead livestock, failed harvests, business failure: a scapegoat was needed for these misfortunes, both in the past — and in some countries still today.
“Similar ideas of witchcraft as in the early modern period actually exist today in other parts of the world as an explanation for calamity,” ethnologist Iris Gareis told DW. “Unfortunately, people believed to be sorcerers or witches have been killed in a cruel way in many parts of the world for decades.”
But while in countries like Tanzania or Ghana women accused of witchcraft have to seek refuge in witch camps to escape death, people in the northern hemisphere can openly profess to witchcraft.
Justin (name changed) is one such person: “As a child, you learn about the witch in the Hansel and Gretel story, as the evil one who eats up the good. And at some point, you address that notion and learn to see the witch as a wise woman.” Justin is a self-professed Wiccan — part of the neo-pagan religious movement whose name comes from the Old English word “wicca” for witch.
The German word for witch is “Hexe” and is derived from the Old High German “hagazussa,” which means fence-rider. As such, witches can see into other worlds, says Justin, and can bring magic into their own life or that of other people. Spirit-beings and magical rituals help in the process, he says. Christianity lacked that sense of magic for him, Justin admits, who adds that he never really felt at home in that religion.
Ghana’s witchcraft victims
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In a parallel universe
Barbara likewise did not feel at home in the Christian Church. As a witch, she is a follower of natural religions, she says. She talks to trees, and drums to make contact with spirits as she goes on trance journeys. It’s something she learned from a shaman, she says. “The witchcraft universe is rich and colorful. You live a little bit here and a little bit in a parallel world.”
While many modern witches lay tarot cards, Barbara prefers to use runes as an oracle reading system for the future. “Why should I wait for the powers of fate to give me something?” she asks. “If I ask a question, the answer is sure to come.” She also always has incense and plant extracts at home — to combat illness. “It all sounds like herbalism. But it’s supposed to sound like it, too, because that’s what witchcraft used to be all about, knowing herbs and healing people.”
From a historical perspective, the image of the witch as a wise woman with special knowledge as a healer and midwife is nothing more than a cliche, says ethnologist Iris Gareis. “The women who were persecuted as witches were not always some great herbalists, but mostly quite normal people. And they didn’t always have red hair, as is often claimed. That’s total nonsense and doesn’t appear in any historical document.” However, the image has become so entrenched in people’s minds that it often cannot be countered even with scientific evidence, she points out.
Witches as figureheads for feminists
The phenomenon of the modern witches is closely linked to the women’s movement of the 1970s, which rebelled against the dominance of the male world. “In the witch, they had a figurehead, so to speak,” says Gareis. “Of course, these feminists were not witch researchers. They were just normal, even intellectual women who just appropriated this image of the oppressed woman.”
In the 1980s, the spiritual aspect was added to this image. It was especially urban women who were attracted to nature-based religions, the ethnologist says. “What I can imagine is that in times of uncertainty, people seek their salvation in nature.”
While many modern witches in urban metropolises do not belong to any group, Wiccans are organized in fixed circles.
The Wiccan cult originated in Great Britain in the first half of the 20th century and was introduced to the larger public in the 1950s. It is also practiced as a religion in the United States. Justin completed his own initiation ritual years ago.
Different kinds of magic
“Some say you have to put a pointy black hat on a witch to recognize her as such,” Justin said. “I personally like to surprise people by not draping myself with charms and talismans. And then — boom — something unexpected and magical comes from me.” With a twinkle in his eye, he adds, “That’s my little wicked witch community.”
In no way, however, does he want to harm anyone, he says. That there are witches with dark intentions, however, he is convinced of — just like Barbara: “There are magicians who cast curses and conspiracies with which they can definitely achieve something.”
Parallels between belief in witches and conspiracy theories?
The belief in witchcraft is less widespread among well-educated and economically sound people, says the Gershman study on witchcraft mentioned earlier. Iris Gareis is not so sure: “In view of modern conspiracy theories, which became apparent especially during the COVID pandemic in the US or also here in Germany, one can doubt that.”
The fact that, for example, even educated people might believe that reptiloids, i.e. lizard people, are among us to control events in politics and the economy is incomprehensible to her.
Witchcraft is no game
Justin warns against getting involved with witchcraft if you don’t have your feet on the ground: “People who are mentally unstable should stay away from magic and sorcery. If they can’t get their lives under control, they won’t find a way to balance themselves through witchcraft or Wicca. If I am not grounded, then I cannot reach out and explore the heavens.”
Or to quote Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
This article was originally written in German.
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/why-do-many-people-still-believe-in-witches/a-64066804?maca=en-rss-en-ger-1023-xml-atom