Heinrich Kramer

Heinrich Kramer (1430?-1505), churchman and inquisitor, was born in Schlettstadt, Alsace.

He joined the Dominican Order at an early age and while still a young man was appointed Prior of the Dominican house of his native town. At some date before 1474 he was appointed Inquisitor for the Tyrol, Salzburg, Bohemia and Moravia. His eloquence in the pulpit and tireless activity received due recognition at Rome and he was the right-hand of the Archbishop of Salzburg. By the time of the Bull Summis desiderantes of Pope Innocent VIII in 1484 he was already associated with James Sprenger to make an inquisition for witches and sorcerers. In 1485 he drew up a treatise on witchcraft, which was incorporated in the Malleus Maleficarum. In 1495 he was summoned to Venice to give public lectures, which were very popular. In 1500 he was empowered to proceed against the Waldensians and Picards. He died in Bohemia in 1505.