The Tragic Story of Tempel Anneke: A Woman Sentenced to Death For Witchcraft

This is the story of a woman. She was literate, witty, outspoken— and perhaps too brazen for her peers. Yet, despite questionable morals, she knew her mind and stood by her words. This is the true story of Anna Roleffes, more commonly known as Tempel Anneke, a woman condemned by her neighbors, accused of witchcraft, tortured to confess, and sentenced to death by fire.

As a pretext to our story, the Thirty Years War ripped through Europe in 1754, but Brunswick, Germany, experienced the brunt of the destruction. Disease, crop damage, and religious tension tore through villages, resulting in death and famine. Armies marched through towns demanding tax money for the war, often killing people in the process. It was a dark period for Germany.

Social disorder drove the citizens of Brunswick into temporary chaos, as villagers wanted a tangible scapegoat for their suffering. And instead of placing blame on the government, locals pointed their figures at women — accusing them of witchcraft.

It is also important to note that Germany was part of the Holy Roman Empire at the time. Regions in the country used a penal code called the Constitutio Criminalis Carolina, (commonly referred to as the Carolina) to determine the guilt or innocence of its convicted citizens. This code…