The notion of Amish witches casting spells may seem like an odd combination at first glance. The Amish community is known for its deeply religious and traditional way of life, while witches are generally associated with pagan and occult practices. However, in recent years, there have been claims and rumors of Amish individuals engaging in witchcraft. This idea stems from the fact that within any religious or cultural group, there may always be a few individuals who deviate from the norm or practice different forms of spirituality. Some people argue that these alleged witches within the Amish community are not actual Amish members, but rather outsiders who have infiltrated the community and brought their own beliefs and practices. However, there are others who argue that witchcraft within the Amish community is not as uncommon as it may seem.
500 Years of Migration
I have written in several places (here and here) about the role of a hired girl, Tina Metzger, in the Daniel Brubacher family’s departure from the Old Order Mennonite Church around 1910. I learned about the event in Donald Martin’s Old Order Mennonites of Ontario and in my great-aunt Lizzie Rudy’s History of the Daniel Brubacher Church.
It was not until a few weeks ago that I learned there might have been something else going on here, besides the alleged “too-great familiarity” between Tina Metzger and her employer, Rev Daniel’s son Menno, which I wrote about. Mennonite historian Reg Good left the following comment on my post “A Heartbreaking Saga of Shattering Dogma“:
Descendants of Daniel Brubacher told me that Tina Metzger was reputed to be a witch. It was believed that Elizabeth (Brubacher) Brubacher had a nervous breakdown and was bedridden because Tina had cast a spell on her…. The community feared that if Tina was put out of the house, she would cause Elizabeth to die.
There was a stigma associated with witchcraft (black magic) and charming (white magic) among Old Order Mennonites, but such “superstition” has been alive and well on many levels throughout Mennonite history.
I suppose I had heard of hexes and charms among the Mennonites before, but I hadn’t paid too much mind. Perhaps the stigma made me shy away from the topic. But magic this close to home (Menno Brubacher was my grandfather’s uncle) got my attention. And when I thought more about it, I realized there was something a bit odd or off about the way Aunt Lizzie wrote about Tina’s influence in the Menno Brubacher family and the unease and discord she produced in the wider group that worshipped with them.
I wanted to learn more about this sort of belief and practice in Mennonite communities. I talked to a few friends, did Google searches, and took a few books out of the library.
It is clear that belief in good and bad spirits, in black and white magic, in witches and healers was an integral part of traditional Pennsylvania German—including Anabaptist—culture from its earliest days in Europe well into the twentieth century. Indeed, there is at least one Pennsylvania German “powwow” healer who has a website, on which he explains, teaches, and promotes the arts of (white magical) folk medicine or charm doctoring.
This should not be at all surprising. Pennsylvania German culture (whether Mennonite, Amish, Quaker, Lutheran, Reformed, Pietist, or Catholic) has its roots in medieval European folk culture. Most of the immigrants to America were of peasant stock, rural, uneducated, and unsophisticated. Their beliefs included pre-Reformation religious practices such as the veneration of saints and relics and the adaptation of liturgical blessings, sacred objects, and inscriptions for everyday purposes like healing and protection. Many of these beliefs and practices were grounded in the pre-Christian (so-called “pagan”) cultures of Europe.
These are people who believe that God and the Devil are immanent and active in the world, that the vicissitudes of their own lives (the hardships and accidents, as well as the blessings) are directly attributable to God and the Devil (perhaps through their agents, the angels and demons). They also believe that humans can counteract evil and bring about good through rituals and incantations, and that some individuals are particularly adept at such practices. Mixed in with this supernaturalism is a belief in the efficacy of natural substances (particular plants, for example) in healing injuries, diseases, and ailments.
These types of belief are common to most pre-modern, pre-enlightenment cultures and still persist in all sorts of folk cultures within enlightened societies. Belief in God and the Devil and their activity in the world is very common in the Christian world, with many people still believing in faith healing, the “laying on of hands,” and so on. Even prayer for protection or healing is fundamentally a remnant of medieval folk religion. All of this is a pre-scientific means of explaining events in our lives—both good and evil—and of attempting to have some modicum of influence over those events.
But back to Pennsylvania German folk magic. Essentially, these cultures recognized two types of supernatural (magical) practice or power:
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Braucherei or white magic is a set of practices that incorporate “charms” to provide healing or protection against disasters (including hexes or spells). Charms include spoken words (biblical quotations, for example) or written texts, ritual actions, and objects or potions of various types. The power of such charms is believed to come from God, and they are effective only for practicing Christians.
Hex doctors are mostly concerned with breaking spells, though they might also cast spells. Their clients need not be Christians for their work to be effective. Because they are associated with the devil, hex doctors are feared and are generally not accepted as part of the community.
Hex doctors, witches, and charm doctors all made use of books of magic (or grimoires) such as the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses (purported to be written by Moses himself but actually from 18th century Germany), Egyptian Secrets (purported to be written by Albertus Magnus, a 13th century German philosopher, theologian, and alchemist), and Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend (written by Johann Georg Hohman in Pennsylvania in the 19th century). The Books of Moses was thought to be evil by most practitioners and so was shunned by those practicing Braucherei. The other two were widely accepted as sources for charms.
Many charms were widely used in the community. Bags containing mercury or asafoetida (a powder made from the roots of several species of the celery family) were commonly nailed over the doorway of a house or barn to protect the inhabitants from disease or other ills. Such bags of “Dievel’s Dreck” might also be hung around one’s neck to keep illness, injury, and bad luck at bay.
Reg Good has written about the Magdeburg Letter, a “letter from heaven” (or Himmelsbrief), that was hung over the barn door as protection against fire by lightning and other natural disasters (Mennonites generally did not use lightning rods in the nineteenth century and some still don’t). Other Himmelsbriefen and other forms of ritual text were hung in the house or secreted within one’s clothes to ward off other forms of bad luck.
In Waterloo County, there have been a number of documented Brauchers, most of them women, but the most famous was Christian Eby (grandson of Bishop Benjamin Eby), who lived in Berlin from 1842 to 1920. He had a small farm on Mill Street near the corner of present-day Ottawa Street, where his family did market gardening in summer and he did custom butchering in winter. His main calling, however, was healing. He treated local people in a shed on his property or in their own homes, but he also treated people from as far away as Saskatchewan and Illinois by mail. Distant clients would send him hair or urine samples, and he would use “sympathetic magic” to transfer the patient’s illness from the sample to a guinea pig, white mouse, or potato.
By the twentieth century, the more progressive Mennonites in Waterloo County had pretty much disavowed belief in charms and hexes and denounced them as “superstition” or, more pejoratively, “the Devil’s work.” Clearly, given the stories about Tina Metzger, some Old Orders and David Martins still believed in magic at least into the 1910s and probably beyond. A friend has told me that his Markham Mennonite father was taken to a charm healer as a boy, probably in the 1930s. My uncle Don tells me that the wife of one of the farmers he worked for in the 1960s was a very busy healer amongst the Old Orders and was referred to as a witch. It is difficult to know, however, whether there are still powwow doctors or belief in hexes and charms within the more conservative groups. Joanna Rickert-Hall writes that she has found that very few Old Order people are willing to talk about it.
(It is interesting to note that the more conservative Mennonites, at least, tend to patronize naturopaths and chiropractors and other alternative practitioners much more than they do licensed physicians. This is, no doubt, a leftover from their older trust in Brauchers and Braucherei. And many Mennonite families of all stripes still have Biblical-text “mottos” hanging on the walls of their homes [as do other Evangelicals], perhaps an echo of the old Himmelsbriefen. The more separated the community is from enlightenment culture, the more likely we are to find remnants of old folk religion and medicine.)
We can’t know, of course, whether Tina Metzger really was a witch (that is, thought of herself as one) or the family and community just suspected her of being a witch, suspected Elizabeth’s illness to be the result of a spell. But there is no doubt that the Brubacher family suffered a variety of disasters.
Sources:
Patrick James Duggan, “The Origin and Practition of Pow-Wow Among the Pennsylvania Germans,” Berks History Center (https://www.berkshistory.org/multimedia/articles/pow-wow/)
Reginald Good, “The Magdeburg Letter: A Printed Paper Amulet Traditionally Used by Pennsylvania-German Mennonites To Provide Protection from Lightning, Fire and Flood,” Waterloo Historical Society Report (volume and date unknown)
Greg Mercer, “‘Charmer’ was Kitchener’s own Mennonite Medicine Man,” Waterloo Region Record, March 21, 2015 (https://www.pressreader.com/canada/waterloo-region-record/20150321/281479274904180), accessed Dec 11, 2020.
Richard L. T. Orth, “Hex Doctors and Witchcraft of the Pennsylvania Dutch Country,” Coffin Bell (https://coffinbell.com/hex-doctors-and-witchcraft-of-the-pennsylvania-dutch-country/)
Joanna Rickert-Hall, Waterloo You Never Knew: Life on the Margins (Toronto: Dundern Press, 2019).
Is Lifetime’s An Amish Sin Based on a True Story? Where Was it Filmed? Who is the Cast?
Co-written and directed by Michael Nankin, Lifetime’s ‘An Amish Sin’ is a drama film that dramatizes the lifestyle of the Amish community from the point of view of Rachel. She is an Amish teen who was abused as a child by her uncle. Now, after all these years, she is being forced to marry the same man. When her refusal falls on her parents’ cold shoulders, she decides to leave it all behind and run away. However, Rachel is caught and made to go to a rehabilitation center for Amish girls who are rebellious and don’t follow rules.
Somehow, Rachel manages to escape the facility and moves to a neighboring city where she attempts to live with people from other communities and find her purpose. The realistic themes and elements depicted in the Lifetime movie are enough to make you wonder if it has anything to do with reality. Furthermore, the transition from the countryside to the city reflects the change in Rachel’s life. So, it is natural for you to be curious to learn all about the actual filming sites of the drama movie. Well, if you are paddling the same boat of curiosity, we have got you covered!
However, there are others who argue that witchcraft within the Amish community is not as uncommon as it may seem. They claim that there is a long history of folk magic and healing practices within the Amish culture, which may be seen by some as witchcraft. These practices often involve the use of herbs, prayers, and rituals to address various physical and spiritual ailments.
Is An Amish Sin a True Story?
Yes, ‘An Amish Sin’ is inspired by true stories. Although the narrative is not exactly based on a specific story or one particular woman, it is said to have been inspired by the real-life stories of abuse that many women have gone through and still go through within the Amish community. The compelling screenplay can be credited to Barabara Nance and Michael Nankin, both of whom put their experience and writing prowess to work to come up with a script that’s dramatic but still rooted in reality.
All the communities outside the Amish world have, once in a while, been curious to know more about the close-knitted communities of the Amish and how they manage to turn away from the enticements of the contemporary world. Well, this Lifetime production opens our eyes and sheds light on some dark and disturbing truths about the said community. Believe it or not but over the years, many cases of physical abuse and forced incest, especially against women, have surfaced from the Amish world, which is dramatized in the film through Rachel’s predicaments.
The character of Rachel acts as the embodiment of all the women who have gone through such torments at the hands of close acquaintances or even family members and their desire to simply up and leave the community behind. One such case is of Mary Byler, who, after enduring years of abuse, ultimately bid adieu to the Amish lifestyle and decided to raise her voice against all the horrific things she had gone through in the community.
Mary is a survivor of sexual abuse on several accounts by different culprits, reportedly from her biological father to 3 of her brothers. However, one of her eight brothers, Johnny, admitted to raping Mary over 200 times. Sadly, her own mother didn’t protect her. Mary spoke about her ordeal in great detail in Peacock’s ‘Sins of the Amish.’ The traumatic experience of many such women draws a few parallels with Rachel’s story from ‘An Amish Sin.’ Thus, even though the film is not entirely based on a particular event, it is inspired by the countless suppressed voices of the women in the Amish community.
It is important to note that the Amish community itself strongly denies any involvement in witchcraft or occult practices. They emphasize their commitment to the teachings of the Bible and their devotion to God. The Amish believe in the power of prayer and community support, rather than resorting to witchcraft or magic. Despite these denials, the topic of Amish witches casting spells continues to be a subject of fascination and speculation. People are drawn to the idea of unconventional practices within a traditionally conservative and religious community. However, it is crucial to approach these claims and rumors with skepticism and respect for the beliefs and values of the Amish community..
Reviews for "Witchcraft and Christianity: Finding Harmony in Amish Witchcraft"
1. Sarah - 1 star
I found "Amish witches cast" to be a complete disappointment. The concept of mixing the Amish community with witches seemed intriguing, but the execution fell flat. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked depth, making it hard for me to connect with any of them. The plot was poorly constructed and felt rushed, with no real development of the magical elements. Overall, the book lacked substance and failed to deliver on its promising premise.
2. John - 2 stars
"Amish witches cast" had potential, but ultimately left me unsatisfied. The blending of Amish culture with witchcraft had the potential for an interesting clash of belief systems, but the author failed to fully explore this conflict. The writing style was mediocre, with awkward dialogue and repetitive descriptions. I found myself constantly anticipating a plot twist or a deeper exploration of the magical elements, only to be let down by a predictable and lackluster ending. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a captivating and well-developed story.
3. Emily - 2 stars
I was excited to dive into "Amish witches cast" as I have always been fascinated by both Amish culture and witchcraft. However, the book failed to deliver on both fronts. The portrayal of Amish life felt superficial and lacking in authenticity. The characters were bland and lacked any real substance, and the plot felt disjointed and poorly paced. The inclusion of witchcraft seemed forced and out of place, without any real depth or exploration of the subject matter. Overall, I was left disappointed and underwhelmed by this book.
4. Mark - 1 star
"Amish witches cast" was a complete waste of time. The writing was amateurish and filled with cliches. The characters were uninteresting and their actions lacked motivation. The plot was predictable and offered no surprises or twists. I kept hoping for the story to improve, but it just dragged on without offering anything of substance. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written novel. Save your time and look elsewhere for a more engaging read.