Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg

Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg ( born September 23, 1583 Hein home; † July 16, 1631 in Würzburg) was Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, counter- reformer and witch hunters.

Life and work

Philipp Adolf came from the family of the lords of Ehrenberg, whose headquarters Ehrenberg Castle Hein at home on the Neckar was. On the tomb of his late father in 1584 Johann Heinrich von Ehrenberg he is shown next to the parents and to the Savior as one of eight children.

The brother of Philipp Adolf's mother was Julius Real Mespelbrunn, who was from 1573 to 1617 Prince-Bishop of Würzburg and had significant influence on the development of the young Adolf Philipp. After his older brother Peter Ehrenberg had renounced his ecclesiastical benefices, Philipp Adolf entered the clerical state. He was elected on February 6, 1623 to the Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, the election was confirmed on 19 March 1624 by Pope Urban VIII.

Prince-Bishop Philipp Adolf von Ehrenberg ran a hard Rekatholisierungspolitik. At the same time his name is connected with the persecution of witches in Wurzburg territory, which reached its climax 1626-1630. In Pen burned more than 900 witches, alone in the city of Würzburg in the 200 Witch-hunting captured people of all classes: nobles, councilors and mayors were burned in addition to simple people. 20% of Wuerzburg burned were priests and religious. Use for accused witches led to the own process.

In Wurzburg Gerolzhofen incinerators were installed to burn around 200 people a year " deadline " can.

Only by the Imperial Court of Justice and the death of the Prince-Bishop Philipp Adolf on July 16, 1631 were the numerous witch hunts in the high pin Würzburg a break and ended in 1749 with the death of the nun Maria Renata Singer of Mossau.

At the end of his life he was a Catholic hymn book with the title Old and Newe clergy Catholische except read Gesäng.