SønderborgOne of the most unusual and at the same time most interesting museums I visited in Denmark was the Witchcraft museum in Ribe. Ribe is known as the oldest town in Denmark, but besides the picturesque streets and old houses, it also hides a dark past associated with witch hunts.
First impression
When I entered the museum, I immediately felt a special atmosphere. The space was a bit darker, and the lighting sown the horrific stories from the past. We heard stories about women who were accused of witchcraft in the 16th and 17th centuries and sentenced to death for it. Some were persecuted simply because of rumors or greed, which I thought was really unfair. One of the most surprising things in the museum was the human brains and skulls on display. I didn’t expect to see anything like that, so the sight shocked me at first. But when I thought about it more, I realized that these objects represent an important part of history and help us understand the past.
Other suprising things
We also saw tools that were once used to torture witches and learned about methods used to “prove” that someone was in contact with the devil. One of the most unusual tests was testing whether a woman could swim. If she stayed on the surface, she was a “witch”, if she sank, she was innocent (but sadly dead). This crazy way of thinking really surprised me.
Conclusion
Although the museum was creepy, it gave me a lot to think about. It showed me how fear, ignorance and anger could lead to terrible consequences. So Ribe will remain in my memory not only as an ancient city, but also as a place where I learned about a dark chapter in European history.
