The Source:
Samuel Friedrich Lauterbach
"Kleine Fraustädtische Pest-Chronica"
Joh.Fried. Gleditsch und Sohn, Leipzig, 1710
The Case:
In June 1707, in the town of Fraustadt, the first victim of the plague was a woman. Within a couple of days, relatives from the same house died as well: her husband, her three children, and an old grandmother. Stories were going around that the woman had been a witch. People wanted to dig up the corpse and take drastic measures. The corpse was said to have been taken from the grave, examined and found to be in "a certain condition". And, apparently, measures were taken.
Now it's nice to read Lauterbach's report of the case, as he really gets angry about the stupidity of the people. It is clear that he does not approve of such things.
The Date:
The woman, accused of being the cause of the plague, is reported to have died on 8 June, 1707.
The Place:
"Fraustadt" is the old German name of a town in Poland, situated somewhere to the SouthWest of Poznan. It has been renamed to "Wschowa".
Possible Follow-Up:
I can recommend you to read Samuel Friedrich Lauterbach's "Kleine Fraustädtische Pest-Chronica". Apart from the horrors of the plague there is interesting material about shroudeaters in there.
© 2011 by Rob Brautigam - NL - Last changed December 2011
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