Hexenhügel Winningen, Memorial stele on Heideberg hill in Winningen, Germany
Hexenhügel Winningen is a memorial featuring a stone obelisk in a deciduous forest on Heideberg hill. The monument marks the site where executions occurred during witch persecutions, with inscriptions recording the victims.
More than twenty people from Winningen were executed at this location between 1641 and 1651 during a period of intense witch persecutions. The memorial itself was built in 1925 and ranks among Germany's oldest monuments dedicated to witch trial victims.
The names of those executed are carved into the stone for visitors to see and remember. These inscriptions keep the stories of people alive who might otherwise be forgotten.
The site is located near Winningen airfield and is reached by a forest path that climbs Heideberg hill. Visitors should bring sturdy shoes since the woodland route can be uneven and steep in places.
The memorial was erected in 1925, decades before similar memorials were built elsewhere in Germany, showing early commitment to remembering these victims. This pioneering status makes it a rare example of early historical reckoning in the country.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
