The "witch burner" Fox of Dornheim

Johann George II, Fox of Dornheim
Born: April 23 rd, 1586 in Wiesentheid (Unterfranken).

He died on March 19 th,1633 during his forced political exil in Spital am Pyhrn (Austria).

His mother Magdalena was a sister of Prince Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn of Würzburg.

Therefore he easyly stepped into a clerical carrere. After his studies of theology at the University of Würzburg (founded by his uncle) he went for three years to the University of Bolgna to study law.

In 1619 he was elected as Decan of the Bamberg “Dom-Chapterl”.

February 13th of 1623: Johannes Georg II is the new elected Prince Bishop of Bamberg.



The first victim under his regency was Margaret Hoffmännin, who confessed under the torture - she had killed two people and forsook god - and was burned at the stake on July 17th of 1595 in Bamberg.

There are another 199 historic files under his regency - until the MALEFIZ HOUSE was finished to serve as torture prison in Dezember of 1627.

Before the swedish troops conquered the city in February of 1632, the witch burner, fled the city: with 12 cases full of gold and jewels, furs, the treasure of the dome and lots of important documents. He died by a stroke and there is only one aspekt where he shares the destiny of hundreds of his innocent victims: there is no grave for this witch bishop, because his corps was put into another already existing grave in the Church of Spital am Pyrnh.