| Author |
Meinhold, Wilhelm, 1797-1851 |
| Translator |
Duff Gordon, Lucie, Lady, 1821-1869 |
| LoC No. |
07018475
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| Uniform Title |
Maria Schweidler die Bernsteinhexe. English
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| Title |
Mary Schweidler, the amber witch
The most interesting trial for witchcraft ever known, printed from an imperfect manuscript by her father, Abraham Schweidler, the pastor of Coserow in the island of Usedom / edited by W. Meinhold ; translated from the German by Lady Duff Gordon.
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| Note |
Original publication date: 1846.
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 70.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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| Credits |
Produced by Distributed Proofreaders
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| Summary |
"The Amber Witch" by Wilhelm Meinhold is a historical novel written during the mid-19th century. The book unfolds around the witch trials of the 17th century, specifically on the Island of Usedom, and is centered on the tragic tale of Mary Schweidler, a young woman caught in the chaos of superstitious fear and brutal trials. The narrative is framed within the account of her father, a pastor, who strives to present a factual recounting of events while grappling with the horrors that befall his family and community. The opening of the novel introduces us to the historical context and the discovery of a manuscript narrating the witch trials. The author recounts his surprise at finding an old folio manuscript filled with deeply disturbing and romantic tales of witchcraft, leading to a profound personal investigation into the phenomena surrounding these trials. The narrative quickly dives into the turbulence of everyday life under siege from moral panic, political upheaval, and personal loss, particularly focusing on a mother who, driven by despair, falsely accuses her own daughter of witchcraft. This poignant setup lays the groundwork for exploring themes of faith, compassion, and the human cost of superstition, creating a compelling and harrowing narrative right from the beginning. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PT: Language and Literatures: Germanic, Scandinavian, and Icelandic literatures
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| Subject |
Witchcraft -- Pomerania (Poland and Germany)
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
8743 |
| Release Date |
Aug 1, 2005 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jun 15, 2013 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
149 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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