17th Century European Witch Craze History Essay. The Causes of the Salem Witch Hunt Essay 925 Words | 4 Pages. Germany was once the witch-burning capital of the world. Characteristics of the Decline of Witch-Hunts in Europe The decline and end of witch-hunts in Europe was a gradual process that occurred over decades, as a result of multiple causes. Before we examine the causes organized into categories in detail, some … These occurred largely in France, Germany, northern Italy, Switzerland, and the Low Countries —Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. The peak years of witch-hunts in southwest Germany were from 1561 to 1670. Witches in Europe during the Reformation. Witch hunts tended to correspond with ecological disasters and crop failures, along with the accompanying problems of famine, inflation, and disease. Here’s why. The witch hunts and executions that took place in Europe from roughly 1400-1800 were undoubtedly a tragedy. India is another place that still practices witch hunts. The causes for the decline of witch hunts are numerous and complex. There are witch hunts in part of Sub-Saharan Africa. Also remember that not all accused witches were women. There are many different theories about the root causes of the European witch hunts. In the 16th century the witch mania spread to England and Scotland. Likewise, scientific studies were becoming *more* common, not less, by the time of the Hunts… In Western Europe the first witch hunts (in which large numbers of people were tried and convicted of witchcraft) were held in France and Germany in the 15th century. In 2010, India had an 150 and 200 women killed during witch hunts. Some historians cite impetuses such as misogyny, government attempts at social control, mental illness, and socio-economic conflict. Ten Theories about the Origins of the Witch Hunts . Like the Holocaust/Shoah/Final Solution (the attempted extermination of Jews and others by the Nazis in the mid-20th Century), the Witch Hunts demand some sort of explanation. Before we examine the causes organized into categories in detail, some general characteristics may be … Yes, but Europe has believed that about women for centuries, so its a gross over-generalization to say that caused it. Characteristics of the Decline of Witch-Hunts in Europe The decline and end of witch-hunts in Europe was a gradual process that occurred over decades, as a result of multiple causes. In the later 18th century, witchcraft had ceased to be considered a criminal offense throughout Europe, but there are a number of cases which were not technically witch trials, but are suspected to have involved belief in witches at least behind the scenes. Was the Church Ultimately Responsible for the Horrors of the European Witch Hunts?