Tradition: Swiss Mythology
Alternative Names: Warlock of Oberägeri
Category: Sorcerer
The Myth
The Warlock of Ägeri is a feared sorcerer from the forests near Oberägeri, Switzerland. He lived in an old charcoal burner’s hut beneath St. Jostenberg and was believed to be in league with the Devil. According to legend, he was eventually arrested in Zug and executed for his supposed dealings with evil powers.
Before his death, the warlock confessed to several strange acts. On one occasion, he transformed himself into a felled tree trunk. Two tired woodcutters sat on the trunk to eat their afternoon meal. One began carving the bark with his knife, unknowingly causing the disguised sorcerer terrible pain.
In another tale, the warlock promised a group of hunters an extraordinary hunt, provided they followed his instructions and faced a particular direction. The hunters obeyed and soon encountered an astonishing number of hares and deer. However, whenever they fired their guns, the barrels burst or the weapons failed, leaving them unable to kill any of the animals.
Another notorious sorcerer from the region was Hans Blattmann, who faced accusations of witchcraft in Lucerne in 1597. He possessed an assortment of mysterious objects, including a bowl, a fire mirror, a magic ring, silver symbols, blessed candles, seeds, and a special parchment used in his rituals.
Blattmann also prepared healing ointments for painful legs using animal fats, beef marrow, and blessed wax. People told extraordinary stories about his supposed powers, which mixed healing remedies with suspected sorcery.
Together, these tales portray the sorcerers of Ägeri as mysterious men who could transform their bodies, manipulate hunters’ fortunes, and use strange objects and rituals to influence the world around them.
Sources
“Hexenmeister” (Warlock of Ägeri). SAGEN.at. https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/zug/hexenmeister.html