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Groby przestępców na Śląsku w świetle najnowszych badań archeologicznych

100%

Duma P.

Acta Archaeologica Lodziensia

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2014

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vol. 60

225-236

EN

The present text focuses on analysis of execution sites and graves of criminals explored in south-west Poland, mainly in the area of Lower Silesia. The author describes results of his own research during archaeological excavations, where remains of masonry gallows and graves of criminals have been found. The remains of gallows and executions sites have been discovered in Lubomierz, Jelenia Góra, Złoty Stok, Kamienna Góra and Modrzewie. All gallows were built on a circular plan with diameter up to 6 meters. Historical sources confirm numerous executions on the mentioned sites. With time they have been surrounded by extensive cemeteries for criminals split in two parts – gallows internal area (where many human bones in non-anatomical form were found) and the external area (where graves containing anatomical structure of bones dominated). Nevertheless most of human remains found during excavations were lying in atypical positions. In the middle of gallows in Lubomierz, a double burial containing bodies of two men with arms crossed behind their back and laying with face to the ground has been discovered. Inside the gallows in Jelenia Góra, there was a 35-45 cm layer of human bones, while inside the gallows in Złoty Stok, there was a pit that contained bones of at least two men, litter and a complete skeleton of cat. Close to this gallows there were also two others, partially destroyed burials. One of them contained body laying on its side and another on its back (only a part of trunk without head and arms was saved). In Kamienna Góra, a smaller amount of human remains was discovered. They were clearly affected by later processes and mixed up with animal remains. The gallows in Modrzewie deserves more attention. In comparison to the other objects, this gallows was sporadically used. Only three humans bones were found on this site. All described gallows were explored in the last 10 years.

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Szczecińskie miejsca straceń na tle obiektów jurysdykcji karnej w Europie Środkowej. Próba lokalizacji wybranych obiektów z XIII–XIX wieku

84%

Konopka W.

Materiały Zachodniopomorskie

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2012

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vol. 9

297-315

EN

The process of incorporation of cities in Pomerania on the German law started in the 13th century was the beginning of a number of transformations in the already existing legal and economic structures. Changed, among others, was the penal code, which established new forms of penalties and new places of their execution. The number of places of execution depended mainly on features of a given city, i.e. its size, economic and political position etc. For both prestigious and functional reasons Szczecin had more than one place of execution. Remarks on Szczecin Gallows Hill are to be found as early as in the 14th-century city book. The first information dates from 1 March 1311. The place of execution was situated in Górny Wik, to the south of Brama Passawska (Passau Gate). Szczecin’s Gallows Hill ceased to function as a place of execution in the 18th century. Probably the last city gallows was located at the junction of Kreckower Strasse and Falkenwalder Strasse in the 19th century. Because of Szczecin’s importance, it also had a pillory in the market square. There is a document from the period between 1592–1598, which refers to the construction of the pillory. The first drawing of it was made around 1600. At least since the end of the 16th century, Szczecin’s pillory was situated in the Rynek Warzywny (Vegetable Market, Kraut Market). There are, however, some suggestions that this object was supposedly moved there from its previous location, which could have been Rynek Węglowy (Coal Market, Kohl Markt). Concluding the study on Szczecin’s places of execution, a certain place of execution, mentioned only once in the literature, must not be overlooked. We are dealing here with the execution of Sidonia von Borcke. The noblewoman was beheaded and then her body was burned on 19 August 1620 in front of the Brama Młyńska (Mill Gate). Scattered pieces of source information on Szczecin’s places of execution cannot fully contribute to their full description. There is no doubt that in the future action should be undertaken in order to determine their exact location. The goal is to deepen the understanding of the workings of the medieval city and the everyday life of its inhabitants. Places of execution, in addition to regulations or legal documents are one of main sources of information on the jurisdiction question in a given city.

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Criminal activity in Silesia during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). Contribution to the research

43%

Wojtucki D.

Przegląd Zachodniopomorski

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2019

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issue 4

125-152

EN

It must be assumed that every war created people of the criminal margins and demobilization made the people, used to fighting and robbing, left with no prospects. They were inclined to continue the activities they had been engaged in so far, but at the time, outside the ranks of the military units. During the wars, masses of various marauders and mercenaries followed the armies and sometimes they were absorbed into the ranks of the army they were shadowing. Only on the example of large cities in Silesia at that time, i.e. Legnica or partially Wrocław and Świdnica, can we learn about the scale of the phenomenon of common crime at that time, both that committed by soldiers and civilians. The unrest during the period of armed conflict in the years 1618–1648 also brought about protests of the population against the then authorities. However, theft was the most common crime in modern penal systems, for which criminal sanctions were imposed on the most serious ones – the death penalty, corporal punishment, or discharge. The thieves’ plunders were all that had any material value and were left without proper supervision. Particularly negatively perceived in the eyes of the law was the theft by an employed service or journeyman to their employers or a church robbery. During or just after the Thirty Years’ War, we also observe an increase in persecution of people who were accused of harmful magic, i.e. witches and sorcerers. Apart from the living, accusations of sinister, posthumous activity were also made against the dead (posthumous magic). In Silesia, epidemics also broke out, which were often brought with them by soldiers of the army, for whom the area became a place of accommodation or march. Witches or gravediggers from Silesian towns were accused of calling some of them. The Thirty Years’ War “created” various kinds of criminals. Undoubtedly, the “product” of t he 1618–1648 c onflict was a wellknown, serial killer Melchior Hedloff, who being tortured, confessed to 251 murders. He was executed in Oleśnica in January 1654. Many new penitentiary facilities appeared both in Silesia and also in the whole Reich as a result of the outbreak of the Thirty Years’ War. They were mostly exhibited by municipal authorities (not military) and built on the markets or directly in front of city gates. Among them, new wooden gallows were built, less often pillories.

PL

Należy przyjąć, iż każda wojna tworzyła ludzi marginesu, a demobilizacja sprawiała, że pozostali po niej ludzie byli przywykli do walki i rozboju. Skłonni do kontynuowania dotychczasowych zajęć, którymi się trudnili, ale już poza szeregami oddziałów wojskowych. W trakcie wojen za armiami ciągnęły masy przeróżnych maruderów i hultajów, którzy czasem zostawali wchłonięci do szeregów armii, za którymi podążali. Jedynie na przykładzie dużych miast ówczesnego Śląska, tj. Legnicy czy częściowo Wrocławia i Świdnicy możemy poznać skalę zjawiska ówczesnej przestępczości pospolitej, zarówno tej popełnianej przez żołnierzy, ale też cywilów. Niepokoje w okresie konfliktu zbrojnego w latach 1618-1648 przyniosły też wystąpienia ludności przeciwko ówczesnym władzom. Jednak to kradzieże stanowiły w nowożytnych systemach karnych najpowszechniejszy delikt, za który orzekano sankcje karne od tych najpoważniejszych – kary śmierci, cielesnych, czy relegacji. Łupem złodziei padało wszystko, co miało jakąkolwiek wartość materialną i pozostawione zostało bez stosownego nadzoru. Do szczególnie negatywnie postrzeganych w świetle prawa była kradzież dokonana przez zatrudnioną służbę lub czeladź względem swoich pracodawców oraz rabunek kościoła. W okresie wojny trzydziestoletniej lub tuż po niej obserwujemy również wzrost prześladowań osób, które oskarżano o magię szkodliwą, a więc czarownice i czarowników. Oprócz żywych, oskarżenia o złowrogą, pośmiertną aktywność wysuwano również wobec zmarłych (magia posthuma). Na Śląsku wybuchły również epidemie, które nierzadko przywlekli ze sobą żołnierze armii, dla których tereny te stały się miejscem kwaterunku lub przemarszu. O wywołanie części z nich oskarżono czarownice lub grabarzy ze śląskich miast. Wojna trzydziestoletnia „stworzyła” też różnej maści przestępców. Niewątpliwie „produktem” konfliktu 1618-1648 był znany w jej końcowej fazie i tuż po niej były żołnierz, seryjny morderca Melchior Hedloff, który przyznał się na torturach do 251 morderstw. Stracono go w Oleśnicy w styczniu 1654 r. Na Śląsku, ale też w całej Rzeszy wraz z wybuchem wojny trzydziestoletniej pojawiło się wiele nowych urządzeń penitencjarnych. Na ich wystawienie decydowały się przeważnie władze miejskie (nie wojskowe), a obiekty wznoszono na rynkach lub bezpośrednio przed bramami miejskimi. Wśród nich powstały nowe drewniane szubienice, rzadziej pręgierze.

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1 Acta Archaeologica Lodziensia

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1 Konopka W.

1 Wojtucki D.

Groby przestępców na Śląsku w świetle najnowszych badań archeologicznych

Szczecińskie miejsca straceń na tle obiektów jurysdykcji karnej w Europie Środkowej. Próba lokalizacji wybranych obiektów z XIII–XIX wieku

Criminal activity in Silesia during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). Contribution to the research