The Outbreak of Mass Allegations of Satanist Child Abuse in the Parish of Rättvik, Sweden, 1670–71: Two Texts by Gustav J. Elvius
Abstract
During recent decades, interpretation of mass allegations of Satanist child abductions have challenged psychiatrists and mental health professionals in the Western world. It has been argued that a useful perspective on this phenomenon may be gained from a study of historical parallels from countries such as Spain, Germany and Sweden. The texts translated below are an eyewitness account of the witch panic in Rättvik 1670–71 and a letter of 1671, both written by the Reverend Gustav Elvius.