Twice ToldHermann von Weinsberg's diary, 31 October 1589: Stupe Peter
- Language
- German
- Reading
- OCR, checked against the page image
- Translation
- ours
- Retrieved
- 24 September 2026
Hermann von Weinsberg (1518 to 1597) was a Cologne councillor who kept a private record of his life and of the news that reached him, meant for whoever would head the family after him. This entry stands under 31 October 1589 in the third book, the Liber Decrepitudinis. The text below follows Friedrich Lau’s printed edition of 1898, checked against its page images, and matches word for word the University of Bonn’s online edition of the manuscript.
Stupe Peter werwolf zu Bedber gericht. Von der ubeltaten und zaubereien.
A. 1589 den 31. oct. ist Stupe Peter rechtfertiget worden. Disser war ein baur, uff drei meiln von Coln zu E(r)perade wonhaft. Disser wart gefangen und hin uff Bedber gefuirt. Man sagt, er were ein zeuberer, der sich zum werwolf het kunnen machen und vil schadens und schreckens im lande gemacht. Wie das gerucht den sommer durch von im seltzsam gangen hat in villen stucken, die man in und baussen Coln verzalt hat. Von dissem war in truck ausgangen, das er frei bekant het, das neulich lautet, er hette 25 jar mit einer duvelinnen gebolet, auch darzwischn bei siner eigen rechten dochter gelegen. Er hett einen gurtel gehat, wan er den umbgetain, so were er zum werwolf worden, dess art an sich gehat, doch darneben menschen-verstant behalten, wan er den abgetain, widder zu menschlicher gestalt komen. Und hett in wolfsgestalt 13 kinder von 6 oder 7 jaren, auch sin eigen sontgen zerrissen und innen die hirnen aus den kopfen fressen, zwein menner und ein frau umbs leben bracht und vil vehes beschedigt. Nach laut sulcher urgicht were er zu Bedber den 31. oct. zum toit verdamt, eirstlich mit einer gluender isern zangen ins fleischs gepitzst, darnach mit einer axst arm und bein zersclagen, auch der kop abgehauwen, letzstlich sin lichnam mitsamt siner dochter Stupe Beeln und gefatterschn Tringen Trumpen verbrennet und einen hulzen wolf uff ein rat gesatzst, sinen, Peters, kopf druff gestechen und also zum exempel laissen stain. Man sagt daneben, es were ein groisse mennigde von folk uff der richtplatzen gewest, die gehoirt, das er ein gut bekentnis gehat und alles wol wert were, was er litte, wult es auch liden, und gepitten, got wulle ihm barmherzich sin. Nuhe was die bekante und befonden morderei, bloitschande und ander ubeltaiten anla(n)gt, ist pillich, das er nach beschriben rechten zum abscheue andern gestraift worden, derglichen, wa er mit zaub(er)eien umbgangen oder boisses gewirkt oder im sinne gehat zu wirken, drumb gelitten habe. Es ist ein heimlich verborgen wirk mit der zauberien, uff vil ortn und bei viln glaubt man dran, kunnen es aus der hilliger schrift bewern. Was es aber vor ein handel sei, ist boven minem verstande und mir verborgen. Sol ichs gleuben, so wil ichs geleuben. Aber das alles war sei, was man vom zaubern sagt, dreumt und nachswetzst, das kan ich nit all gleuben. Wan sulche boese zeuber in Coln wern, da man auch recht weis, wurde wol justicia druber geschein. Wer weis, ob es versclach, bedroch, inbildung sei? Ich lais heimlich, verborgen dingen gode, dem nitzs verborgen, richten.
Translation
Stupe Peter, werewolf, executed at Bedburg. Of his crimes and sorceries.
On 31 October 1589 Stupe Peter was put to death. He was a farmer who lived at Epprath, three miles from Cologne. He was arrested and taken to Bedburg. People say he was a sorcerer who could turn himself into a werewolf and had done much harm and spread much terror in the country. Strange rumours about him went round all summer, told in many versions inside Cologne and outside it. A print about him had come out saying he had freely confessed, as it recently ran, that for 25 years he had lain with a she-devil, and in that time had also lain with his own daughter. He had a belt: when he put it on he became a werewolf and took on its nature, though he kept a human mind; when he took it off he came back to human shape. In wolf’s shape he had torn apart 13 children of six or seven, his own little son among them, and eaten the brains out of their heads; he had killed two men and a woman and harmed many cattle. On the strength of this confession he was condemned to death at Bedburg on 31 October: first his flesh was pinched with red-hot iron tongs, then his arms and legs were broken with an axe, his head was cut off, and finally his body was burned together with his daughter Stupe Beeln and his gossip Tringen Trumpen. A wooden wolf was set on a wheel, Peter’s head was stuck on it, and it was left standing as an example. People also say that a great crowd at the place of execution heard him make a good confession: he deserved everything he suffered and was willing to suffer it, and he prayed God to have mercy on him. As for the murders, the incest and the other crimes that he confessed and that were found, it is right that he was punished under the written law, to deter others; and likewise, if he dealt in sorcery, or did evil or meant to, that he suffered for it. Sorcery is a secret, hidden business. In many places many people believe in it, and they can prove it from Holy Scripture. But what kind of thing it is lies beyond my understanding and is hidden from me. If I must believe it, I will. But I cannot believe that everything people say, dream and gossip about sorcery is true. If there were such wicked sorcerers in Cologne, where the law is known too, justice would surely be done on them. Who knows whether it is trickery, deceit, imagination? I leave secret and hidden things to God, from whom nothing is hidden, to judge.
Notes
- Lau’s round brackets, as in “E(r)perade” and “zaub(er)eien”, are his additions to the manuscript text. The Bonn edition prints the same.
- “E(r)perade” is Epprath, a village next to Bedburg, as Lena Maria Kaiser (2016) reads it. The London pamphlet of 1590 has “Cperadt and Bedbur”. Our translation uses the modern name.
- “Gefatterschn” goes back to a word for a co-sponsor at baptism, and by then could also mean a friend, neighbour or distant relative (Kaiser 2016, pp. 46 to 47). The London pamphlet’s “gossip” had the same range.
- “Versclach” is uncertain; we render the three nouns as “trickery, deceit, imagination”. “Bedroch” (Betrug) and “inbildung” (Einbildung) are clear.
- Weinsberg did not see the execution. He writes “man sagt” (people say) twice, and he names a printed confession as his source for the crimes. The daughter is not said to have been burned alive, only burned together with his body.