Beyond Salem: The Witch Trials in Torsåker, Sweden

Though the Salem trials of 1692 are today one of the most famous in the Western world, they were far from the largest or deadliest. Nearly two decades before Salem, the Torsåker parish in Sweden was overtaken by a terrible witchcraft panic. In just one day in 1675, 71 people were beheaded and burned at the stake. By the time these tragic events came to an end, Sweden had experienced the largest witch-hunt in the country’s history. During this virtual presentation we are joined by Maria Nordlund, the foremost expert in the witch trials that took place in the village of Torsåker, Sweden. Maria is an archeologist and researcher with a long career at the Västernorrlands museum. During this virtual event Maria speaks about the tragic history of these witchcraft trials. This was a reciprocal presentation following a lecture given by our Education Department about the Salem witch trial.