Ukrainian Witchcraft Trials: Volhynia, Podolia and Ruthenia, 17-18th Centuries

264 Pages·2020·2.701 MB·English

by  Kateryna Dysa

Ukrainian
Witchcraft Trials
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
Ukrainian
Witchcraft Trials
Volhynia, Podolia, and Ruthenia
17th–18th Centuries

K ater y n a D y sa
Central European University Press
Budapest–New York
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Copyright © by Kateryna Dysa 2020

Published in 2020 by
Central European University Press
Nádor utca 11, H-1051 Budapest, Hungary
Tel: [phone] or 327-3000
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ceupress.com
224 West 57th Street, New York NY 10019, USA
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
without the permission of the Publisher.
ISBN 978-615-5053-11-5 (hardback)
ISBN 978-615-5053-12-2 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020940851
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
To Alisa
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T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s
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Acknowledgements ix
Introduction 1
Chapter 1
Constructing the Ukrainian Witchcraft Trial 17
Legal Foundations 18
The Queen of Evidence: The Use of Torture
and the Figure of the Executioner 26
In the Realm of Gossip: The Role of Everyday
Communication in the Legal Process 36
Actors of the Witchcraft Trials 44
Chapter 2
Ukrainian Orthodox Demonology: The Learned
Elite and Perceptions of the Devil and Witches 51
Iconography of the Devil, Demons, and Witches 53
The Demonic in Ukrainian Orthodox Writings 60
Specificities of Demonic Possession and Exorcism 75
The Pact with the Devil 82
Demonization of Neighbors, Opponents, and Enemies 88
Chapter 3
Beyond the Trials, or the Anatomy of Witchcraft
Accusations 95
“Peaceful” Coexistence 96
Family and Witchcraft 113
Inheritance of Witchcraft within the Family 114
vii
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Accusations within the Family 122
Family Support 127
Rivalry and Bewitchment 133
Dangerous Proximity: Master-Servant Relationships 141
Bewitching a Master: Trials about the Bewitchment
of Social Superiors 142
Demonstration of Loyalty to a Master in Witchcraft Cases 151
Subtle Love Matters 155
Witchcraft and Medicine: Power to Take Away
and Restore Health 164
Bewitching Animals, Spoiling Harvests 180
Magic Practitioners and Actual Magic Practices 187
Local Magic Practitioners 188
Amateur Magic Practices 200
Chapter 4
A Case of Witchcraft and Infanticide
in Szczurowczyky 207
Infanticide in Szczurowczyky: Iewka Stanorycha 208
A Witchcraft practitioner: Orzyszka Liczmanicha 214
Night Flights and Coven 217
Verdicts 221
Further Romanticization, Forgetting,
and Resurrection of Ukrainian Witches:
An Afterword 227
Bibliography 233
Index 249
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A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s
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This book appeared as a result of many years of research, think-
ing, writing, and re-writing. It would have never come out if not
for all those wonderful, thoughtful and caring people whom I would
like to thank here.
First of all, I am extremely grateful to my professors Katalin Péter,
Natalia Yakovenko, and Robin Briggs, for long hours of conversation,
feedback, and attentive listening to my thoughts and ideas. You were
the best teachers one can only wish for!
I deeply appreciate those who at the early stage of my research rec-
ommended me some valuable sources. Thank you to Wanda Wypo-
rska, Natalia Starchenko, and Natalia Bilous. The initial encourage-
ment to start this book project came from Nancy Kollman and I am
very grateful to her for this nudge.
I am most indebted to my colleague and friend Valerie Kivelson
for her invaluable help with this manuscript, for her insightful com-
ments and suggestions. She was so kind to offer her help in the mo-
ment when I was almost desperate and ready to give up. Without her I
would have never finished this book.
I would like to thank my colleagues from the project The “Center”
and the “Periphery” in the Religious History of Early Modern Eastern
Europe Aleksandr Lavrov and Elena Smilianskaya for their feedback
and some interesting ideas.
ix
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Allow me to thank Russel Zguta and Michael Ostling for their
helpful feedback and critical suggestions at the stage of final revision.
It was a pleasure and privilege to be edited by Tertia Davis from
CEU Press. And thank you to József Litkei who for several years was
leading this project on behalf of the press.
At National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy I have the plea-
sure and honor to teach the course about witchcraft trials. I have al-
ways been lucky to have wonderful, thoughtful, and imaginative stu-
dents in this group who induced me to look at this subject from fresh
perspective. Thank you for this opportunity to learn together with
you and be inspired by you. Special thanks to Tetiana Onofriichuk
and Maryna Pilkiw.
I want to acknowledge my extraordinary colleagues and dear
friends Olena Betlii and Christine Worobec for their unfailing sup-
port. Thanks to my mom, Natalia Stebikhova who is always there to
help. Finally, thank you to my daughter Alisa for her wisdom, opti-
mism, and encouragement. This book owes all of you. Yet, any failures
are my responsibility only.
x
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