500 Years of Witch Trials in Castle Presule

The number of victims is horrifying: A total of about 30 persons (including two men) were sentenced to death between 1506 and 1510 by the provincial court of Fiè – because they had been convicted of heresy. What actually happened 500 years ago, and what can we learn from it for today? "Der Schlernbote" spoke with the "witch researcher" Elmar Perkmann of Fiè.

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Mother Nature's Memory

Sasso Lungo Sasso Piatto
For explorers looking for more than just esthetic pleasure, the work of Edgar Moroder is a treasure trove of information and also a useful manual for discovering, understanding, and appreciating the many facets of the Alpe di Siusi.
 
Moroder's work on the Seiser Alm / Alpe di Siusi consists of a map which catalogs 530 toponyms (the names of geographic locations, including hamlets, historical sites, etc.), a parcel map listing 415 meadow names and 75 high-altitude meadow names, and an accompanying handbook with a rich selection of illustrations. Readers will find not only explanatory legends, but also a lot of information on the place-names appearing in the maps, their history, their etymology, and their significance. Chapters on specific topics relating to the place-names contribute to the readers' understanding. Thus, there are short sections on geographic considerations, meadow agriculture, geology, and botanical aspects. There is also a brief overview of prehistoric sites, numerous old standard reference works are mentioned, the rights and duties of meadow farmers and the authorities responsible for monitoring their observance are explained, and finally, there is also a section on the legend-haunted places and areas – of which the Alpe di Siusi has no lack.
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