different realities and reactions Those planning to commit murder in order to be executed were to be deterred through not seeing any clergy comforting the delinquent and knowing that this would be the experience waiting for them. The story from Potsdam, in line with the legislation of 1765, went further. Preparation was not only invisible for those watching the execution – it did not exist. The swiftness and the prolonged suffering also reflect common ideas of how to deter. All put together to stop a specific kind of murders. The Prussian legislation of 1769 gave Catholic delinquents a special right to see their priest which might be interpreted in at least two ways. Either the Catholics were in greater need of their priest or this was seen as a necessary concession to the Catholic church to prevent confrontation and protest. A case might be made for both causes and probably this regulation was a result of them both. However, the freer position of the Catholic church, however weak, in relation to the state probably was an important reason to make a special rule primarily for the Catholics.457 Not much has been written about the ordinance of 1765 but several elements to the background of the ordinance of 1769 have been suggested. The government had written to law courts around the state for suggestions for how to make executions more terrifying without depriving the condemned of consolation. At least from Königsberg an answer arrived that would be used in the further preparation of the ordinance.458 way: ”Die Tragödie ist folgende. Kaltofen’s Hinrichtung was für das Volk in Dresden ein Fest gewesen, wie es nicht sein soll. Statt abzuschrecken, hatte sie sinnlichen Zauber geübt. Der junge, hübsche Mensch war auf so vornehme Weise, wie ein großer Herr, mit allem möglichen Gepränge, von einem Geistlichen begleitet, vom Leben zum Tode gebracht worden. Alle Welt hatte sich um ihn bekümmert, seiner Eitelkeit war geschmeichelt worden, ein Geistlicher hatte ihn begleitet, also – er war fromm gestorben, was man so nannte – war vom Schaffot – durch eine leichte, rasche Todesart direct in den Himmel gekommen. Unter die Thränen, die dabei vergossen wurden, stahl sich mancher Seufzer, auch so rasch, unter solchem Beistande, solchen Festlichkeiten, an der Hand eines ehrwürdigen Predigers, öffentlich zu sterben; es erschien als ein Glück, ein Vorzug, der dem Verbrecher vor dem Unschuldigen ward, der vielleicht langsam, qualvoll, in dunkler Hütte, auf faulem Strohlager, von keinem Theilnehmenden besucht, der Erlösung entgegenschmachtete. Auf die Phantasie eines unglückseligen, sittlich verderbten Weibes hatte die Hinrichtung einen unverlöschligen, bezaubernden Eindruck gemacht. Sie wollen auch so ’gottselig’ sterben.” 457 Also, in the more clearly reformed Zürich Catholics had the right to visits by a Catholic priest. They would, however, be followed to the execution by a reformed pastor, Wirz 1794 p376. 134
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