The stories of witches, that fascinates the general public again and again. But not only. “The researchers too”, blows Mélinda Fleury, president of the Circle of Historical Studies of the Jurassic Emulation Society. It is therefore no coincidence that, in the wake of its annual assizes, the association had invited three young researchers to come to come to present their research on the issue on Saturday. “For us, it is important to give the word to the next generation, to show that new looks can be brought to certain subjects,” said Mélinda Fleury.
The event echoed the exhibition currently presented at the Museum of Saint-Imier and the recent exit from the Book of the Jurassian Gilliane Barthe on the question of the body in the witchcraft trials in the bishopric of Basel in the 18th centurye century. “Usually, for a subject of regional history, it is already good if there are around fifteen copies in France. There, I already have 65 pre -orders” underlined Alain Cortat, director of Alphil editions.
Witch Factory
Saturday, in addition to Gilliane Barthe, Olivier Silberstein, lecturer at the University of Neuchâtel, exhibited his research on the judicial mechanisms that led to the repression of witchcraft. As for the Geneva Méloé Maillard, a master’s student, she spoke of her work on the witchcraft trials that took place in the Diesse mountains, trials studied through the prism of the genre.
For almost two hours, the three historians thus revealed various facets of the history of these women (and rare men) who were accused of having pact with the devil, denied God, having engaged in secret night rites and other Orgies, with the aim of harming others and Christian society.