Katharina Henot

Katharina Henot (also known as Catherina or Henoth ) (1570 – 19 May 1627) was a German postmaster and alleged witch, burned at the stake for sorcery in Cologne. She is one of the best-known German victims of the witch hunt, and the best known case in Cologne. She was probably also the first female postmaster in Germany.

Biography Katharina Henot was born around the year 1570 to Adelheid Henotte and imperial postmaster Jakob Henot.

She married postal manager Heinrich Neuden, with whom she had a daughter,

Upon hearing the nuns' accusations, Henot protested her innocence in writing to the Electorate of Cologne in August 1626.

Following Henot's execution, Hartger continued his bid to clear his sister's name until 1629, when he, too, was accused of witchcraft by a local woman named Christina Plum. The case against Hartger led to his arrest in 1631, but he was ultimately spared from a trial.

Legacy After her death, Hartger used Henot's assets to create a scholarship fund in 1628 that lasted until the 20th century.

Exoneration In the 21st century, Hartmut Hegeler, a Protestant pastor and activist for exonerating victims of witchcraft trials, lodged a request with the City Council of Cologne to exonerate Henot. A distant relative of Henot's, Martina Hirtz, also supported the efforts.

The council subsequently issued a resolution on 28 June 2012, exonerating Henot and other victims of the persecution of supposed witches in Cologne. Hegeler spoke to the media after Henot's exoneration: "I’m thrilled because they tried to silence her forever but that didn’t succeed... To this day they talk about her fate in this city.”