Maria Holl

Maria Holl (1549–1634) was an inn-keeper in Nördlingen who was accused of witchcraft. After undergoing severe torture, she was acquitted of all charges against her. She was one of the few who survived the trials. She is one of those accredited to putting a stop to the witch hunt in her generation. Several books have been written tracing her life and trial.

Early life Maria was born 1549 in Altenstadt, near Geislingen an der Steige. She was the daughter of the bailiff Jerg Löhlin from Altenstadt. Maria married Michael Holl on 20 May 1586, in Ulm Minster. She moved with her husband to Nördlingen, where she became a resident on 30 May 1587.

Career and trial In 1586 Maria and Michael opened the zur Golden Krone (The Golden Crown) in the Nördlingen's wine market at the cost of 2306 florin. A few years ago, Rebecca Lemp too had undergone the same ordeal and broke under torture to give a false confession. Lemp was then burnt at the stake with her family in the crowd as witnesses. She was cleared of all accusations on 11 October 1594.

She was among the last people to be tried for witchcraft, in Nördlingen, and amongst the few who survived the trial. Seventeen other women survived their torture to prove their innocence during this period.

Death Holl outlived all her tormentors and was married three times. On 22 September 1634, she was buried after the devastating Battle of Nördlingen. She probably died from the plague.

The main character in Juli Zeh's Corpus Delicti: Ein Prozess (2009) is named Mia Holl after Maria Holl. The English translation was published as The Method in 2012 by W. F. Howes. Linda Teasedale-Rose wrote a fictional reimagining of the life of Holl, Hexe: The Ordeals of Maria Holl (2013). Drawing from historical records of the trail, and published by Rosedale House, it covers the early life, trial, imprisonment, and torture.