Franz Schmidt Executioner Country: Germany

1. Biography of Franz Schmidt
2. Executioner's Duties
3. Diary of Punishments
4. Unique Historical Document

Biography of Franz Schmidt

Franz Schmidt, also known as Meister Franz, was born around 1550. He worked as an executioner in the city of Bamberg from 1573 to 1578, and then served as the executioner of Nuremberg from April 1578 until 1617. In 1617, Franz left his position, which removed the label of 'unehrlich' (dishonest) that was associated with executioners. During that time, this epithet was applied to executioners, prostitutes, and beggars, and later even extended to millers, shepherds, and actors. Being labeled 'unehrlich' made it impossible for members of their families to join guilds or have appropriate, honorable burials.

Executioner's Duties

Master Franz carried out various types of sentences in different ways. He used ropes, swords, breaking wheels, burnings, and drownings to execute individuals. The breaking wheel was reserved for the most heinous criminals, while burnings were used for counterfeiters and homosexuals (although Schmidt only performed this execution twice in his career). According to the Carolina, the Criminal and Penal Code of the Holy Roman Empire, established in 1532, drowning was the punishment for women convicted of infanticide. However, the last drowning was replaced with a beheading after Schmidt himself and some members of the clergy intervened.

Diary of Punishments

Schmidt kept a diary of punishments and executions throughout his career as an executioner. This diary, which he personally created, has survived to this day and contains records of 361 executions and 345 punishments. The punishments included floggings, ear or finger amputations, and many others. Some entries provide details such as the date, place, method of execution, the name, and origin of the condemned individual, as well as other relevant information. The early entries have limited information, while the later ones are more detailed. As Schmidt grew older, he became more verbose and described even the details of the crimes that led to the sentencing of each condemned individual.

Unique Historical Document

Schmidt's diary is unique from a social history and legal history perspective. Unfortunately, the original diary has not survived, but four handwritten copies made between the 17th and 19th centuries are preserved in the libraries of Nuremberg and Bamberg. The first printed edition of the diary was published in 1801.