2026 - The Big Decision: The Trial of the Odenwald Wizard

 Wilhelm Lautenschlager 1565 - 1632   

My 10^th Great Grandfather

The Theives' Tower
Michelstadt, Erbach, Hesse, Germany
The Theives' Tower was built around 950 AD. It served as a prison from about 1312 onwards

Michelstadt Tourism - Diebsturm - Stadt Michelstadt

In the rugged, fog-drenched landscape of 17th-century Odenwald, the line between medicine and magic was as thin as a mountain mist. For Wilhelm Lautenschläger, your 9th great-grandfather, this boundary was more than a professional challenge—it became a matter of life and death. Known to history as the “Wise Man of Güttersbach,” Wilhelm occupied a dangerous social space: a healer beloved by the desperate and loathed by the authorities

A Legacy of Healing and Lore

Wilhelm was not a "wizard" in the sense of fairy tales, but a man of profound natural intellect. He inherited his "Big Decision” the choice to dedicate his life to the healing arts—from his mother, a midwife whose skill with herbs was so renowned the nobility consulted her.

Armed with a precious herbal book, knowledge gleaned from Romani travelers, and a deep understanding of the forest, Wilhelm’s practice flourished. On some days, more than 20 people would queue at his door. He was a master of the local flora:

• Bear’s breeches for "dead blood" in children.
• Elderflower (Hollerstock) and "fire stones" for agonizing joint pain.
• Hyssop and walnut leaves for internal ailments.

Bear's breeches                            Elderflower                                     Hyssop

However, Wilhelm’s success was tethered to a risky performance. To satisfy a superstitious public, he didn't just provide tea; he analyzed the souls of the sick by peering through his eyeglasses at their shirts, "speaking" to the garments as if the patient were present.

The Conflict Ignites

As Wilhelm’s fame grew, so did the tension. He was not just a doctor; he was a finder of lost goods and a namer of thieves. This "Big Decision" to involve himself in communal disputes led to a violent fray with a man known as the "Old Egg-Buyer," leaving the man bedridden for months.

For the local priest, this was the final straw. Wilhelm was branded a quack and a servant of the devil. The authorities of the Odenwald—a region generally spared the worst of the era's witch-burnings—could no longer look away. Wilhelm was arrested and hauled to the Michelstadt Tower.

Michelstadt, Erbach, Hesse, Germany

The Trial and the Final Vow

Inside the cold stone walls of the prison, Wilhelm faced three judges. This was his ultimate "Big Decision": Hold his ground as a man of power or humble himself to survive.

During the interrogation, the judges tested his "supernatural" skills by presenting him with clothing from sick strangers. When his diagnoses failed to hit the mark under the pressure of the court, Wilhelm realized the gravity of his situation. In an era where "idolatry" often led to the stake, Wilhelm chose the path of strategic repentance.

The resulting judgment was surprisingly lenient testament to his genuine popularity or the baronial family's lingering respect for his mother’s work. Instead of the gallows, Wilhelm was sentenced to:

1.     Public Church Penance: A special Sunday sermon where he was the subject of the lesson.

2.     A Written Apology: A formal confession where he admitted to being "misled by fraudulent gypsies" and "following the devil."

3.     A Heavy Fine: A financial blow meant to ensure he would never again "tempt" the public with fortune-telling.

The Wise Man’s Choice

Wilhelm Lautenschläger’s story is a fascinating glimpse into a world transitioning from folklore to formal law. His "Big Decision" to sign that confession saved his life and allowed my lineage to continue. He walked out of the Michelstadt Tower not as a wizard, but as a man who had successfully navigated the most dangerous "spell" of all: the legal system of the 1600s.

Michelstadt Castle 

LINEAGE - Nancy Simmons - Paul Simmons - Walter Simmons - Andrew Simmons - Phoebe Rexroad - John Rexroad - George Rexroad - Zacharias Rexroad - Balthasar Rexroth - Balthasar Rexroth - Elisabetha Lautenschläger - Hans Lautenschläger - Wilhelm Lautenschläger

SOURCES:

Genealogy.net, Local Family Register (Odenwald) Family Report, Wilhelm Lautenschlager, KB Erbach/ Güttersbach/AL Klipstein, https://ofb.genealogy.net/famreport.php?ofb=erbach&ID=00011560L&nachname=Lautenschl%C3%A4ger&modus=&lang=de

Michelstadt Tourism - Diebsturm - Stadt Michelstadt

Von Banse, Heidi, Odenwald-Forum, Lützelbach, Germany:Heimatund Geschichtsverein, 2013-2016. Allen County Public Library.