ABSTRACT
The conflict about the reality of witchcraft between Peter Binsfeld and Cornelius Loos took place against the backdrop of some of the worst witch-hunting early modern Europe would ever see. Accused as a heretic by an ecclesiastical tribunal, Loos was forced to revoke his work of (anti-)demonology in 1593. In 1580, Peter Binsfeld, was finally confirmed as provost of St Simeon. There can be no doubt that Binsfeld's demonology was part of a wider effort to promote Catholic reform in the Trier archdiocese, in which he joined forces with the Jesuits who had established themselves in Trier around 1560. The suffragan bishop equipped his demonology with additional confessions from newly condemned witches, partly from the jurisdiction of the electorate, but mostly from St Maximin. Whether the Dutch priest had read the first edition during his time as librarian in Mainz, or whether he had already begun work on his own (anti-)demonology before his arrival in Trier, cannot be determined.
