We started with the Kriminalmuseum (Medieval Crime Museum), four stories of torture devices employed centuries ago (or in the 2000s.) Owen, who tortured us with his wining the last hour, perked up with interest as we looked through the displays.
"What's this mommy?"
The people of Rothenburg, like in most towns during the Middle Ages, believed in a justice system requiring people to admit their crimes. To extract a confession, the interrogators employed these metal devices to squeeze heads, fingers, arms etc until the guilty (or innocent) confessed.
People wore these masks of shame in the city center when found guilty of gossiping and exhibiting bad manners.
Women engaged in promiscuous behaviors (unlike their male partners who could do as they pleased), spent time in the Iron Maiden, according to the museum.
Drunkards wore this barrel while the townspeople ridiculed them. Can you imagine if they instituted this law at any US university?
A person could not actually touch a witch without becoming contaminated. This "witch catcher" allowed law enforcement to handle a witch.
The exhibit displaying school punishments captivated both kids' attention.
Dave wanted to experience a pillory where people would taunt, tease, and yell at the offender. Oh wait, isn't that what the kids do everyday?
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