Warlock

Sorcerers are, according to the early modern witches teaching male witches. Some of them are even as a magician, sorcerer Drudner, Trudner, warlock or simply as " miscreants " ( evildoers ) titled. The term warlock is mostly used in the sense of sorcerers, but may also denote a witch finder.

Synonymous terms

The many words for ' male witch ' stem from the fact that a warlock (see Goethe's Sorcerer's Apprentice ) is a male witch or wizard as a master of his craft, while a sorcerer is a normal person, the witches powers or abilities used. A Drudner or Trudner ( 1600 used ), however, is regarded as a herbalist, but a malefactor. Over time, mingled both terms and are now equally familiar and apparently the same. Even in the witch trials of the early modern period, they were equally as " evildoers ", Latinized called miscreants.

In ancient confessions, this difference also comes to bear, so fabled Augustin Loß from Andernach 1629 in his confession, " the wealthy witches and warlocks had dined in a palace, he was not allowed to take place at this table ."

Male and female witches

The share of warlocks among the victims of the witch hunts varies in the different regions of Europe and also in terms of time. At the beginning of the great witch-hunt, that is, about 1400, very many men were initially victims of witch hunts. This was mainly in mind that the Hexereiprozess had developed from the heretics process and was first performed by the church's Inquisition. In heresy trials mostly men were charged, rarely women. At the beginning of the modern era witchcraft was regarded as an ordinary criminal offense and increasingly persecuted by the secular courts; now the proportion of men among the victims took off rapidly. Only at the height of the witch hunts, in Germany in the 1620s, increasingly men were again persecuted. In total there were in the territory of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation about a quarter of all men accused of witchcraft. In France, the proportion was significantly higher.

Warlock, the English word for sorcerer, can also refer to a male member of the Wiccan witches religion.

In Bamberg the Drudenhaus ( Malefizhaus, witches jail) was built in 1627 for the detention of witches.

Known and warlocks

• Arndt Bottermann
• Urbain Grandier
• Matthias ( Metheus ) Perger, called the Lauter -eater

The warlock as a computer game character

• In the online role-playing game World of Warcraft Warlock is a playable class that can be played on the Undead, Tauren, Blood elves, humans, gnomes, dwarves, trolls, goblins and worgen. Among other things, the warlock summon demons and hurls lightning shadow on his opponents. It differs from the magician also in many ways, because it has a lot of " damage over time " spells ( curses ) and brings corruption over his opponents.
• In the online role-playing game Dark Age of Camelot Warlock is a playable class fraction of Midgard. His specialty lies in the interweaving of different spells to use the effects of both so interwoven spells.
• In based on D & D role-playing game Neverwinter Nights witcher is a powerful wizard who can summon demons, among others. In the same game, there are also the warlock and the mage, but differ from the sorcerer in some points.
• In role-playing game The Witcher is the protagonist of the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia, a mutant who in addition to his masterful ability in handling the sword also can work magic signs and a skilled alchemist.

Other uses of the term

In sports such as ice hockey and handball, the term stands for a goalkeeper is distinguished by special reflexes.