European Werewolf Trials: Fear, Torture, and Superstition

Some 200 years before the infamous witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts, courts in Europe were busy convicting men—and women—of turning into werewolves and mutilating and eating children.

Why were people so convinced this was real? Because between the 16th and 18th centuries, Europe faced a whole different kind of terror. One centered around an age-old superstition.

While witch trials were raging across the continent (with accusations of spells and pacts with the Devil), another sinister phenomenon was spreading too: werewolf trials.

These trials were every bit as brutal—maybe even worse. Nobody was safe. The slightest suspicion could mean someone was accused of transforming into a wolf and terrorizing their community.

What Were Werewolf Trials?

Werewolf trials were judicial proceedings that targeted people accused of turning into wolves and committing brutal acts. These acts were often believed to be influenced by demonic forces and were seen as a direct threat to the Christian order of the time.

The werewolf trials happened primarily between the 16th and 18th centuries across Europe (with the vast majority occurring in France, the Holy Roman Empire, and Switzerland). They mirrored the infamous witch trials. However, instead of witches riding broomsticks, the culprits in these cases were accused of lycanthropy.

Counter-Reformation and the Rise of the Inquisition

So, what exactly caused these werewolf trials? Well, there were a bunch of reasons. However, the main “culprits” were fear and paranoia during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation.

The Reformation was a religious movement that began in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his “95 Theses” to the church door in Wittenberg, protesting against practices like the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church. His movement spread rapidly. Soon, Protestant churches appeared all over Europe, challenging the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church.

In response, the Catholic Church launched the Counter-Reformation to counteract the growing influence of Protestantism. This effort included the famous Council of Trent (1545-1563). Here, the Church reasserted fundamental Catholic doctrines to eliminate corruption within its ranks.

On top of that, new religious orders (like the Jesuits founded by Ignatius of Loyola in 1540) were founded to reinforce Catholic teachings and spread the faith.

The feared Inquisition—initially established in the 12th century to root out heresy—was expanded and empowered to combat what was seen as growing heretical threats. That included Protestantism and other perceived enemies of the Church.

The problem with this Counter-Reformation was that it further reinforced the already restrictive church doctrines. And that the Inquisition’s power grew immensely.

Pope Innocent VIII’s papal bull “Summis desiderantes affectibus” (1484) had already authorized the persecution of witches. That soon became the precedent for pursuing werewolves, too. Because why not? Both were manifestations of demonic influence, right?

A dark ages depiction of a man receiving a wolfskin belt from a demon, symbolizing a pact with the Devil.

Lycanthropy and Pacts with the Devil

Interestingly, the belief in lycanthropy was not new in Europe. As a matter of fact, people genuinely believed in werewolves since Ancient Greece. Just specific details were different.

For instance, the ancient Greeks taught that lycanthropy was a form of punishment from the Gods. The story of King Lycaon, who was transformed into a wolf by Zeus as punishment for his impiety, is a great example.

However, during the Dark Ages, this belief evolved. People began to associate lycanthropy with dark magic, witchcraft, and pacts with the Devil. It was no longer seen as divine punishment. It rather was a gift from the Devil. And the undeniable proof that the individual had made a pact with dark forces.

This made werewolves enemies of the Church and Christian doctrine. A direct threat to the established religious order.

However, since you couldn’t really tell who was a werewolf and who wasn’t, most werewolf trials typically started with accusations of bizarre behavior or mysterious events. This included missing livestock, strange howling at night, or unexplained attacks on villagers.

Those suspected of hiding enchanted objects like wolf belts, magical ointments, or potions were also common targets of suspicion.

The result? Mass trials where individuals—sometimes entire families like it happened in Franche-Comté, France—were accused of practicing dark magic to transform into monsters.

Grainy close-up of a man being tortured during the European werewolf trials.

Torture and Brutal Executions

The judicial process was brutal. It typically started with accusations (or oftentimes just rumors) from neighbors or local authorities. Next, it was the gruesome torture used to extract confessions that fit the narrative of demonic transformation. In most cases, the accused had no choice but to admit to the alleged acts.

What was an “accepted confession?” Any details of meeting the Devil, receiving enchanted items, or transforming into a wolf to commit heinous crimes (like attacking children or livestock). The Inquisition sanctioned these methods, as they believed these confessions were necessary to prove the presence of evil in the community.

The punishments were also as gruesome as the alleged crimes.

For instance, in 1521, in Poligny, France, two friends, Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun, were accused of making a pact with the Devil and transforming into beasts to kill children. Under brutal torture, they confessed to these terrible acts and were subsequently executed by burning.

Their trial was among the earliest recorded werewolf trials. It set a dangerous precedent for many similar cases throughout Europe.

Another infamous case happened in the Holy Roman Empire (modern-day Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Northern Italian states, and parts of Poland) in 1589. Executioners strapped accused werewolf Peter Stumpp to a cartwheel, tore away his skin with hot pincers, and chopped off his head. His body was then burned at the stake.

A medieval-style drawing of a man transforming into a werewolf, in the style of dark ages religious texts.

Werewolf Trials Across Europe

The werewolf trials were not isolated to a single region or country. Different countries meant different patterns of werewolf persecution, often influenced by local culture, religion, and political turmoil.

France

France, especially in and around Franche-Comté and St. Claude, was infamous for its werewolf trials (loups-garous). Judge Henri Boguet—also known as the “Werewolf Judge”—led many of these cases. He ended up indicting dozens (if not hundreds) of innocents.

One thing specific to France’s werewolf trials was how involved church officials were in these cases.

For example, during the reign of King Henry IV (1589–1610), tensions between Catholics and Huguenots were at an all-time high. So, authorities used the werewolf trials as a way to get rid of dissenters. And also to push people into obeying the strict religious rules.

Holy Roman Empire

In the Holy Roman Empire (Bavaria), werewolves were called Werwölfe, meaning “man-wolves.”

However, unlike in France, the judges here followed the Halsgericht (high justice) system. A bizarre and unforgiving system that allowed these big, public punishments to make an example out of people.

Yet, not everyone was in favor of these practices. For instance, Friedrich von Spee (a Jesuit priest) eventually spoke out against witch and werewolf trials. His writings, particularly “Cautio Criminalis” (1631), pointed out the injustices of these trials—although his influence came after the peak of hysteria.

Black and white image of medieval torture instruments used during European werewolf trials.

Spanish Netherlands and Belgium

Werewolf hysteria hit hard in the Spanish Netherlands, too—cities like Ghent, Mechelen, and Asper-Zingem saw plenty of trials. Here, werewolf (weerwolf) accusations were often mixed up with witchcraft. These trials usually followed inquisitorial practices, with church leaders (like the Bishop of Mechelen) playing a pivotal role.

Under the rule of the Habsburgs, the Spanish Netherlands saw the Catholic Church trying hard to keep things in line. Archdukes Albert VII and Isabella (who ruled in the late 16th and early 17th centuries) were huge supporters of the Counter-Reformation.

So, they encouraged the Inquisition to stamp out any heresy. Including supposed werewolves. The blamed were often questioned about their alleged nighttime gatherings (Sabbaths) and how they used potions to transform.

Livonia (Modern-Day Latvia)

The Livonian werewolf trials were typically less brutal. And, instead of being executed, the accused were sometimes punished in other ways (such as flogging, imprisonment, fines, forced labor, public shaming, or banishment).

As of the late 17th century, under Swedish rule, the country began leaning more towards Enlightenment thinking, which challenged old superstitions.

Styria and Carinthia (Modern-Day Austria)

Styria and Carinthia were the sites of some of Europe’s last known werewolf trials.

However, unlike France (where anyone could have been accused), in these regions, mostly beggars, shepherds, and others on the fringes of society were charged and executed for being a Bärwolf (bear-wolf).

Medieval-style drawing of a demon bestowing lycanthropy powers onto a man in a desolate landscape.

Werewolf Trials Timeline

While the infamous witch hunts claimed tens of thousands of lives—estimated to be between 40,000 and 60,000—werewolf trials were less common but still significant. According to remaining records, hundreds (possibly over a thousand individuals) were executed as suspected werewolves during this period.

Here is the complete werewolf trials timeline:

1428-1447: The Valais witch trials in Switzerland saw many people accused of both witchcraft and lycanthropy. Though primarily focused on witchcraft, the fear of shape-shifting and night roaming also included accusations of turning into wolves.

1500-1520: Werewolf beliefs became tied to witchcraft across Europe. Documented legal action against supposed werewolves was minimal during this time. Still, there were significant folklore stories, especially in Germany and France, about individuals transforming into wolves through demonic means. The Church began to associate werewolves with the Devil.

1521: Pierre Burgot and Michel Verdun in Poligny, France, were accused of making a pact with the Devil and transforming into wolves. They confessed under torture and were burned at the stake.

1573: Gilles Garnier (“Werewolf of Dole“) was accused of killing and eating children in St. Claude, France. He was found guilty and executed by burning. Garnier’s case coincided with a period of famine, contributing to the community’s fears and need for a scapegoat.

1580-1585: Franche-Comté, France, experienced multiple werewolf accusations, often fueled by political tensions and religious conflict. During this time, Judge Henri Boguet was a prominent prosecutor of werewolf cases, heavily influenced by the Catholic Church’s stance on heresy.

1589: Peter Stumpp (the “Werewolf of Bedburg“) was accused of killing two pregnant women, thirteen children, and cattle in Bedburg, Germany. He confessed to making a pact with the Devil and was allegedly given a magical belt that enabled his transformations. Stumpp underwent a gruesome execution on October 31, 1589, where he was tortured, beheaded, and burned.

1590-1591: The werewolf trials in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, led to the execution of several individuals. These accusations followed reports of livestock mutilations and mysterious deaths of villagers.

1598: Jan van Calster in the Spanish Netherlands was accused of biting children while in wolf form. He was later acquitted, marking one of the rare cases of someone escaping execution after being charged with lycanthropy.

1598-1600: Henri Boguet (presiding judge in Franche-Comté) was well-known for prosecuting suspected werewolves. During this time, he claimed to have executed or prosecuted as many as 30 people, with a mix of witchcraft and werewolf accusations. Boguet wrote “Discours des Sorciers” in 1602, documenting his beliefs and cases involving witches and werewolves.

1603: The case of Jean Grenier in Aquitaine, France, is significant because Grenier was a young teenager who claimed to have turned into a wolf to attack children. However, he was deemed mentally ill and sentenced to life imprisonment in a monastery instead of execution.

1605: Henry Gardinn was accused and executed in the Spanish Netherlands for both witchcraft and lycanthropy.

1623: The case of Claude Roulet in France marked another significant werewolf accusation. Roulet was accused of attacking children and confessed under torture to being a werewolf. He was sentenced to life imprisonment instead of execution, similar to Jean Grenier.

1640-1649: Werewolf trials spread in the Spanish Netherlands, with many individuals accused, including Thomas Baetens (1642) and Augustijn de Moor (1649). These accusations were often connected to witchcraft trials. In some rare cases, the accused was acquitted.

Black and white depiction of a public execution of a suspected werewolf during the European werewolf trials.

1652: Jan “Ooike” Vindevogel was accused of being a werewolf and sorcerer in Ghent, Belgium, and was burned alive. His neighbor, Joos Verpraet, was also incriminated and executed.

1657: Matthys Stoop was executed in Asper-Zingem for lycanthropy and sorcery after allegedly receiving a wolfskin from the Devil that enabled his transformations.

1661: A cluster of trials in the Spanish Netherlands led to multiple executions for sorcery and lycanthropy.

1692: The trial of Thiess of Kaltenbrun in Livonia (modern-day Latvia) stood out for its unique twist. Theiss confessed to being a “Hound of God” who fought witches and demons in hell to ensure good harvests. Despite his dramatic claims, he was only flogged and banished, not executed.

1701: Paul Perwolf of Wolfsburg, Styria, was executed after being accused of werewolfism.

1705-1706: Six beggars in Wolfsberg, Carinthia, were executed after being accused of transforming into wolves.

1707-1708: Three shepherds in Leoben and Freyenstein, Styria, were tried, with at least one probable execution.

1725: Paul Schäffer, a beggar from St. Leonhard in Lavanttal, Carinthia, faced corporal punishment instead of execution for accusations linked to lycanthropy. This marked the fading out of werewolf hysteria as authorities became more skeptical of such claims and moved away from extreme punishments.