Else Knutsdatter, accused of witchcraft, was burned to death in Vardø after a deadly storm, one of many executions during a notorious period in Norwegian history.
Four hundred years ago, a violent storm claimed the life of a woman who had never even witnessed it. This storm, which struck the Norwegian fishing village of Vardø in December 1617, led to one of the largest witch trials in Scandinavian history. The storm sank several boats, resulting in the tragic drowning of 40 men. In the wake of the disaster, growing beliefs in witchcraft and storms fueled accusations that witches had caused the tempest.
Else Knutsdatter, a local woman, was arrested after being seen with black cats and dogs, which were believed to be manifestations of devils. Under intense torture, she confessed to having joined a coven responsible for the storm, claiming that they had used a fishing rope, tying and untying it while spitting on it to summon the winds. This was a traditional magical practice, possibly known to Knutsdatter or suggested by her tormentors.
The trials led to other confessions, including one from Kirsti Sørensdatter, a foreigner married to a wealthy merchant, who was accused of being the head of the coven. Sørensdatter, like Knutsdatter, was burned to death on April 27, 1621. In total, 91 people, mostly women, were executed during this period of witch-hunts.
In 2011, a memorial was opened in Vardø to honor the victims of the trials. The memorial includes artworks by Louise Bourgeois and architect Peter Zumthor, serving as a reminder of the brutal legacy of witch persecution in Norway.
