This large mural is by Axel Gundrum (*1953) and is called “Hexenwahn”. It is about the 16th and 17th centuries. At that time, people were persecuted as witches in Osnabrück. And in many other places too. Most of them were women.
You can also see a woman in the centre of this picture. She is tied to the pyre. Below her, someone is holding up a cross. On the right-hand side, people are watching. A man points his finger at the viewers. On the left, a cardinal sits above a group of people. [A cardinal is an office in the Catholic Church. It is a very high office. Only the Pope is above the cardinals].
The people are preparing a “Wasserprobe” [water test]. Back then, it was believed that this test could tell whether someone was a witch.
The city of Osnabrück can be seen in the background. In the foreground, the artist has inserted a picture of Felix Nussbaum.
There was a lot of talk about this picture. Even before it was finished. It was about the question of who was involved in the witch hunts. The Catholic Church? The Protestant church? The town council?
The picture was painted on this spot in 1998. For the 350th anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia. It is intended to remind us how violence can arise at any time through a lack of tolerance. It should inspire us to think and talk.
The mural nearby is called “Die Verspottung” and was also painted by Axel Gundrum.