Heinrich Kramer

(1430 c.e. - 1505 c.e.)

Also known under the Latinized name Henricus Institor, was a German Churchman and Inquisitor. Born in Selestat, Alsace, he joined the Dominican order at an early age, and while still a young man was appointed Prior of the Dominican House of his native town. At some date before 1474 c.e. he was appointed Inquisitor for the Tyrol, Salzburg, Bohemia, and Moravia. His eloquence in the pulpit and tireless activity received recognition at Rome, and he was the right hand man of the Archbishop of Salzburg. By the time of the bull "Summis desiderantes affectibus" of Pope Innocent VIII in 1484 c.e. he was already associated with Jacob Sprenger to make an inquisition for witches and sorcerers. In 1485 c.e. he drew up a treatise on witchcraft which was incorporated in the Malleus Maleficarum (literally "The Hammer of the Witches.") Kramer failed in his attempt to obtain endorsement for this work from the top theologians of the inquisition at the Faculty of Cologne, and they condemned the book as recommending unethical and illegal procedures, as well as being inconsistent with Catholic doctrines of Demonology. In 1495 c.e. he was summoned to Venice to give public lectures, which were very popular. In 1500 c.e. he was empowered to proceed against the Waldensians and Picards. He died in either Brunn or Olmutz, in Moravia in 1505 c.e.