Heinrich Kramer

Heinrich Kramer was a 15th-century German churchman and inquisitor, best known for his role in the persecution of witchcraft. Born in 1430, he became a member of the Dominican Order and later served as an inquisitor for the Catholic Church. Kramer's most infamous work, "Malleus Maleficarum" (The Hammer of Witches), co-authored with Jacob Sprenger in 1487, became a seminal text in the witch hunts of early modern Europe. Despite facing controversy and opposition from within the Church, his writings significantly influenced the witch trials that persisted into the 17th century. Kramer died in 1505, leaving a controversial legacy.