A factor that contributed to making people more aware of witchcraft and allowing more people to condemn it and those related to it was the development of the printing press around 1439. The new invention allowed for books that provided ample information on witchcraft and how to confront the situations having to do with it. These books made their way through most of western Europe as interest on the subject began to accumulate throughout the continent and different opinions and views circulated the topic. During this time, fictional works were also being published such as the infamous and controversial play, Doctor Faustus, which only emphasized and added to the original and malicious beliefs of witches and magicians involvement with the …show more content…
Because of the advancement in the printing press in the fifteenth century, witches were put in a even more negative light due to published works portraying them as sinister beings that interacted with the Devil and went against the Church …show more content…
Among the many famous trials of this time, the Trier witch trials was most likely one of the largest and took the most lives compared to all other European witch hunts as it is known that it claimed at least three-hundred and sixty-eight lives in the city, however the exact number of deaths overall is unknown. The event started as Johann von Schöneburg was chosen as Archbishop of the diocese of Trier in Germany. His first order of command was the expulsion of Jews, Protestants, and lastly, witches. Those in charge of distributing punishment to the accused tormented all kinds of people of both genders, varying ages, and different social classes on the hierarchy. The accusation of sorcery lead to people being burned alive and very few of a majority escaped from the harsh punishment and retribution for the blame being put on them. At times, those who showed the slightest sign of opposition towards the persecutions were also tortured. For example, Dietrich Flade, a chief judge of the electoral court, was arrested, tormented, and burned alive after being strangled as well. Although an essential position in the Germanic government, because Flade displayed disapproval for the trials, he himself suffered the consequences. (http://www.witchcraftandwitches.com/trials_trier.html). In addition, an eyewitness of the tragedy, Cornelius Loos,