| Accounts of an Atrocity |
| From Schiller 's 'History of the Thirty Years' War': Account of the sack of Magdeburg |
Scarcely had the fury of the flames abated, when the Imperialists returned to renew the pillage
amid the ruins and ashes of the town. Many were suffocated by the smoke; many found rich booty
in the cellars, where the citizens had concealed their more valuable effects. On the 24th of May,
Tilly himself appeared in the town, after the streets had been cleared of ashes and dead bodies.
Horrible and revolting to humanity was the scene that presented itself. The living crawling from
under the dead, children wandering about with heart-rending cries, calling for their parents; and
infants still sucking the breasts of their lifeless mothers. More than 6,000 bodies were thrown into
the Elbe to clear the streets; a much greater number had been consumed by the flames. The whole
number of the slain was reckoned at not less than 30,000. (end)
amid the ruins and ashes of the town. Many were suffocated by the smoke; many found rich booty
in the cellars, where the citizens had concealed their more valuable effects. On the 24th of May,
Tilly himself appeared in the town, after the streets had been cleared of ashes and dead bodies.
Horrible and revolting to humanity was the scene that presented itself. The living crawling from
under the dead, children wandering about with heart-rending cries, calling for their parents; and
infants still sucking the breasts of their lifeless mothers. More than 6,000 bodies were thrown into
the Elbe to clear the streets; a much greater number had been consumed by the flames. The whole
number of the slain was reckoned at not less than 30,000. (end)
...Even a more humane general would in vain have recommended mercy to such soldiers; but Tilly
never made the attempt. Left by their general's silence masters of the lives of all the citizens, the
soldiery broke into the houses to satiate their most brutal appetites. The prayers of innocence
excited some compassion in the hearts of the Germans, but none in the rude breasts of
Pappenheim's Walloons. Scarcely had the savage cruelty commenced, when the other gates were
thrown open, and the cavalry, with the fearful hordes of the Croats, poured in upon the devoted
inhabitants.
never made the attempt. Left by their general's silence masters of the lives of all the citizens, the
soldiery broke into the houses to satiate their most brutal appetites. The prayers of innocence
excited some compassion in the hearts of the Germans, but none in the rude breasts of
Pappenheim's Walloons. Scarcely had the savage cruelty commenced, when the other gates were
thrown open, and the cavalry, with the fearful hordes of the Croats, poured in upon the devoted
inhabitants.
Here commenced a scene of horrors for which history has no language – poetry no pencil. Neither
innocent childhood, nor helpless old age; neither youth, sex, rank, nor beauty, could disarm the
fury of the conquerors. Wives were abused in the arms of their husbands, daughters at the feet of
their parents; and the defenseless sex exposed to the double sacrifice of virtue and life.
innocent childhood, nor helpless old age; neither youth, sex, rank, nor beauty, could disarm the
fury of the conquerors. Wives were abused in the arms of their husbands, daughters at the feet of
their parents; and the defenseless sex exposed to the double sacrifice of virtue and life.
No situation, however obscure, or however sacred, escaped
the rapacity of the enemy. In one church fifty-three women
were found beheaded. The Croats amused themselves with
throwing children into the flames; Pappenheim's Walloons
with stabbing infants at the mother's breast.
the rapacity of the enemy. In one church fifty-three women
were found beheaded. The Croats amused themselves with
throwing children into the flames; Pappenheim's Walloons
with stabbing infants at the mother's breast.
Some officers of the League, horror-struck at this dreadful scene, ventured to remind Tilly that he
had it in his power to stop the carnage. "Return in an hour," was his answer; "I will see what I can
do; the soldier must have some reward for his danger and toils." The horrors lasted with unabated
fury till at last the smoke and flames proved a check to the plunderers.
had it in his power to stop the carnage. "Return in an hour," was his answer; "I will see what I can
do; the soldier must have some reward for his danger and toils." The horrors lasted with unabated
fury till at last the smoke and flames proved a check to the plunderers.
To augment the confusion and to divert the resistance of the inhabitants, the Imperialists had, in
the commencement of the assault, fired the town in several places. The wind rising rapidly, spread
the flames, till the blaze became universal. Fearful, indeed, was the tumult amid clouds of smoke,
heaps of dead bodies, the clash of swords, the crash of falling ruins, and streams of blood. The
atmosphere glowed; and the intolerable heat forced at last even the murderers to take refuge in
their camp. In less than twelve hours, this strong, populous, and flourishing city, one of the finest
in Germany, was reduced to ashes, with the exception of two churches and a few houses. The
governor of Magdeburg, Christian Wilhelm, after receiving several wounds, was taken prisoner,
with three of the burgomasters; most of the officers and magistrates had already met an enviable
death. The avarice of the officers had saved 400 of the richest citizens, in the hope of extorting
from them an exorbitant ransom. But this humanity was confined to the officers of the League,
whom the ruthless barbarity of the Imperialists caused to be regarded as guardian angels.
the commencement of the assault, fired the town in several places. The wind rising rapidly, spread
the flames, till the blaze became universal. Fearful, indeed, was the tumult amid clouds of smoke,
heaps of dead bodies, the clash of swords, the crash of falling ruins, and streams of blood. The
atmosphere glowed; and the intolerable heat forced at last even the murderers to take refuge in
their camp. In less than twelve hours, this strong, populous, and flourishing city, one of the finest
in Germany, was reduced to ashes, with the exception of two churches and a few houses. The
governor of Magdeburg, Christian Wilhelm, after receiving several wounds, was taken prisoner,
with three of the burgomasters; most of the officers and magistrates had already met an enviable
death. The avarice of the officers had saved 400 of the richest citizens, in the hope of extorting
from them an exorbitant ransom. But this humanity was confined to the officers of the League,
whom the ruthless barbarity of the Imperialists caused to be regarded as guardian angels.
Another account of the siege by Otto von Guericke, Burgomeister of Magdeburg as he recorded
the destruction of the city by imperial troops in May of 1631:
the destruction of the city by imperial troops in May of 1631:
So then General Pappenheim collected a number of his people on the ramparts by the New Town,
and brought them from there into the streets of the city. Von Falckenberg was shot, and fires were
kindled in different quarters; then indeed it was all over with the city, and further resistance was
useless. Nevertheless some of the soldiers and citizens did try to make a stand here and there, but
the imperial troops kept bringing on more and more forces to help them, and finally they got the
Krockenthor open and let in the whole imperial army and the forces of the Catholic League,
Hungarians, Croats, Poles, Walloons, Italians, Spaniards, French, North and South Germans. Thus
it came about that the city and all its inhabitants fell into the hands of the enemy, whose violence
and cruelty were due in part to their common hatred of the adherents of the Augsburg Confession,
and in part to their being imbittered by the chain shot which had been fired at them and by the
derision and insults that the Magdeburgers had heaped upon them from the ramparts.
and brought them from there into the streets of the city. Von Falckenberg was shot, and fires were
kindled in different quarters; then indeed it was all over with the city, and further resistance was
useless. Nevertheless some of the soldiers and citizens did try to make a stand here and there, but
the imperial troops kept bringing on more and more forces to help them, and finally they got the
Krockenthor open and let in the whole imperial army and the forces of the Catholic League,
Hungarians, Croats, Poles, Walloons, Italians, Spaniards, French, North and South Germans. Thus
it came about that the city and all its inhabitants fell into the hands of the enemy, whose violence
and cruelty were due in part to their common hatred of the adherents of the Augsburg Confession,
and in part to their being imbittered by the chain shot which had been fired at them and by the
derision and insults that the Magdeburgers had heaped upon them from the ramparts.
Then was there naught but beating and burning, plundering, torture, and murder. Most especially
was every one of the enemy bent on securing much booty. When a marauding party entered a
house, if its master had anything to give he might thereby purchase respite and protection for
himself and his family till the next man, who also wanted something, should come along. It was
only when everything had been brought forth and there was nothing left to give that the real trouble
commenced. Then, what with blows and threats of shooting, stabbing, and hanging, the poor
people were so terrified that if they had had anything left they would have brought it forth if it had
been buried in the earth or hidden away in a thousand castles. In this frenzied rage, the great and
splendid city that had stood like a fair princess in the land was now, in its hour of direst need and
unutterable distress and woe, given over to the flames, and thousands of innocent men, women,
and children, in the midst of a horrible din of heartrending shrieks and cries, were tortured and put
to death in so cruel and shameful a manner that no words would suffice to describe.
was every one of the enemy bent on securing much booty. When a marauding party entered a
house, if its master had anything to give he might thereby purchase respite and protection for
himself and his family till the next man, who also wanted something, should come along. It was
only when everything had been brought forth and there was nothing left to give that the real trouble
commenced. Then, what with blows and threats of shooting, stabbing, and hanging, the poor
people were so terrified that if they had had anything left they would have brought it forth if it had
been buried in the earth or hidden away in a thousand castles. In this frenzied rage, the great and
splendid city that had stood like a fair princess in the land was now, in its hour of direst need and
unutterable distress and woe, given over to the flames, and thousands of innocent men, women,
and children, in the midst of a horrible din of heartrending shrieks and cries, were tortured and put
to death in so cruel and shameful a manner that no words would suffice to describe.
Thus in a single day this noble and famous city, the pride of the whole country, went up in fire and
smoke; and the remnant of its citizens, with their wives and children, were taken prisoners and
driven away by the enemy with a noise of weeping and wailing that could be heard from afar,
while the cinders and ashes from the town were carried by the wind to Wanzleben, Egeln, and still
more distant places. . . .In addition to all this, quantities of sumptuous and irreplaceable house
furnishings and movable property of all kinds, such as books, manuscripts, paintings, memorials of
all sorts, which money could not buy, were either burned or carried away by the soldiers as
booty. The most magnificent garments, hangings, silk stuffs, gold and silver lace, linen of all sorts,
and other household goods were bought by the army sutlers for a mere song and peddled about by
the cart load all through the archbishopric of Magdeburg and in Anhalt and Brunswick. Gold
chains and rings, jewels, and every kind of gold and silver utensils were to be bought from the
common soldiers for a tenth of their real value. . . . (end)
smoke; and the remnant of its citizens, with their wives and children, were taken prisoners and
driven away by the enemy with a noise of weeping and wailing that could be heard from afar,
while the cinders and ashes from the town were carried by the wind to Wanzleben, Egeln, and still
more distant places. . . .In addition to all this, quantities of sumptuous and irreplaceable house
furnishings and movable property of all kinds, such as books, manuscripts, paintings, memorials of
all sorts, which money could not buy, were either burned or carried away by the soldiers as
booty. The most magnificent garments, hangings, silk stuffs, gold and silver lace, linen of all sorts,
and other household goods were bought by the army sutlers for a mere song and peddled about by
the cart load all through the archbishopric of Magdeburg and in Anhalt and Brunswick. Gold
chains and rings, jewels, and every kind of gold and silver utensils were to be bought from the
common soldiers for a tenth of their real value. . . . (end)
J.H. Robinson, ed. Readings in European History 2 vols. Boston: Ginn, 1906