Advocates of the witch monument settle in Eppenhuizen

So says Manja Bedner. She is a director of the National Witch Monument Foundation, which was set up earlier this year and is committed to the arrival of such a memorial.

32 people convicted of witchcraft

But Bedner also draws attention in another way, and for much longer, to the fate of the people, mainly women, who were once put to death for witchcraft. She is touring with the play The Witch of Almen through the country and will soon visit Eppenhuizen, in Het Hogeland. “A fitting place because 32 people were once put to death for witchcraft in the north of Groningen. At least we know that number.”

Bedner lives in Almen in Gelderland, where the first witch trial known in the Netherlands took place in 1472 and a woman, Aleida, was convicted. Bedner and her daughter Julia first staged the play about her adventures three years ago in Almen itself.

Notorious Geselberg

Then they played it all over the country. Places where witch trials were once conducted. They also ended up in Groningen, for example in Onstwedde, which is close to the infamous Geselberg. Dozens of people were also put to death there in the 16th century.

In the meantime, mother and daughter have played the piece more than eighty times, in three consecutive summers. “We also keep getting tips from people about locations where we should actually go. Several times we were pointed to the north of Groningen because that area also has a whole history of witch trials. And so we are now playing in Eppenhuizen, we are performing the play three times.”

Strive for rehabilitation

Bedner wants to show what happened at the time with the piece, but also strives for reparation for the ‘witches’. To that end, she and Susan Smit and Bregje Hofstede form the board of the National Witch Monument Foundation. He took the initiative some time ago for commemorations in various places in the country and therefore wants that monument.

With those 13 grand and the money still coming in, that seems in sight. ,,But when the monument will be there and where, I can’t say yet. Several municipalities have indicated that they would like to have it. By the way, we don’t just want a monument, we also want to try to increase knowledge about the witch trials. That children are taught about it at school and that adults also learn more about it.”

Wikster of the Wad

The memorial in the north of Groningen may come from Pia van Dellen. She lives near Bierum and calls herself the Wikster van het Wad where Wikster stands for witch. She has been trying for years to make Witchcraft more known. By this she understands in particular a great love for nature, life in the rhythm of the seasons. “That includes the full moon celebrations. It’s back next week. Of course I fully support the work of the National Heksenmonument Foundation..”