Vera Nijveld
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History

the not so ordinary weigh house of oudewater

3/19/2017

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Picture
This may just seem to be an ordinary 15th century Dutch house. It is - except for the fact that it were witches that were weighed here.

Established in 1482, this weigh house in Oudewater (near Utrecht) was originally meant for weighing (trading) goods. As witch trials became common in the 16th century, weigh house scales were also used for witch processes. Witches were believed to be light enough to float on water, so if a person was a witch or not could be easily proven by putting them on the scale. Unfortunately, most weigh house scales were manipulated, and many a person was condemned based on a rigged test.

In 1545, Emperor Charles V proclaimed Oudewater’s weigh house as the only fair weighing site in Europe – consequently, not a single witch was ever convicted here. 
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  • Home
    • About me
  • History
  • Book reviews
  • Authors
  • Blog
  • Geschichten / Verhalen / Stories
    • Deutsch >
      • Eine schicksalhafte Begegnung
      • Ein Opfer für die Liebe
      • Wir rannten und lachten
      • Geisterbahnhof >
        • De oneindige val
      • Dokument Nr. 1, Az. 12345-V-3A
      • Von einer Katze
      • Der nächtliche Besuch
      • Nach dem Fall
      • Genesis oder die geschriebene Wahrheit
      • Dr. Reinhardt oder der Wunsch, ein Gott zu sein
      • Gespräch zwischen Jung und Alt
      • Der allesentscheidende Entschluss des Herrn Neumann
    • Nederlands >
      • Een bar, een ontmoeting
      • Een offer voor de liefde
      • We renden en lachten
      • Spookstation
      • Genesis of de geschreven waarheid
      • Emma: een fragment
      • Dr. Reinhardt of de wens een god te zijn
      • Het allesbepalende besluit van de heer Neumann
    • English >
      • Ghost station
      • A cat's thoughts
      • The Nocturnal Visit
      • After Falling
      • Genesis
      • The Man With The Many Masks