The witchcraft trial in Doruchów in 1775 in the light of new sources

Many untrue hypotheses and information appeared around the “alleged” witchcraft trial in Doruchow in the second half of the 18th century, which resulted in the death of sever-al women. The text introduces a new category of sources: vital records registers and consistory records, which proved to be valuable material not only confirming the event itself, but also revealing the initiators of the trial, defendants, and witnesses.

The Baroque author of the medieval past of Slavic Germanic cities (a piece on the social functions of regional history and the need of modification thereof)

Historical writing often borders on non-fiction and novelistic fiction. The sparse source base is sometimes supplemented by the imagination of the historian him/herself. The critical scholar confines him/herself to demonstrating that an impressive mixture of legendary themes, folk tales and popular beliefs make up a „mythologised or falsified picture of the past”. The goal is simply to decide who is writing, for whom and for what purpose?