Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Witches): A Modern Translation

The most infamous witch-hunting manual in history—now in a clear, unflinching modern translation.First printed in 1487, the Malleus Maleficarum (“The Hammer of Witches”) became the authoritative guide for identifying, prosecuting, and executing those accused of witchcraft. Written by Heinrich Kramer and Jacob Sprenger, it fused theology, superstition, and legal procedure into a single work that would help fuel centuries of fear, persecution, and mass killings across Europe.In this new, complete translation, Dr. Erik Gray strips away the archaic language to reveal the text’s disturbing clarity. What emerges is not only a handbook of demonology and witchcraft law, but a calculated tool for enforcing conformity and suppressing dissent—cloaked in the language of faith.More than a historical curiosity, the Malleus is a window into how ideas about evil can be weaponized, turning suspicion into policy and fear into lethal action. Paired with Dr. Gray’s The Devil – A History, this volume offers both the raw primary source and a sweeping cultural context for understanding one of the most destructive books ever written. Read more