ABSTRACT
Attitudes to nightmen may have been characterised by a disparaging contempt but they showed at the same time undertones of fear. This was because the work of the nightmen brought them into contact with supernatural forces. Belief in supernatural forces was an integral part of people’s lives. The power of the state combatted such ways of thinking, but the very harshness of the measures brought to bear against them indicated an acknowledgement of the existence of the powers of darkness. The nightmen could draw upon forces from their various jobs that were more powerful and more dangerous than those employed by the “blessing bitches”. If the nightmen were telling the truth, we have to assume that guests at Rasmus Iversen’s alehouse had been drinking beer spiced with Hans Alsing’s finger and that Rasmus had thereby hoped to increase sales.
