Scharfrichterhaus, Historical executioner residence in Weimar, Germany
The Scharfrichterhaus at Wagnergasse 36 is a baroque residential building with two stories, a mansard roof, and a courtyard accessed through a decorated portal. The structure displays typical features from the 17th century and served as the home for executioners and their families across generations.
The building was constructed during the baroque period and served for over 300 years as home to executioner Christian Daniel Wittich's family and his successors. Its history is closely tied to changes in judicial practices and shifting social views toward this profession.
The building reveals the contradictory status executioners held in early modern society: they were both despised craftspeople and official city employees. Many supplemented their primary role with additional trades, allowing them to become part of the community despite social prejudice.
The building is currently used as a medical office and can be viewed from the exterior, though it is not open for interior tours. Those interested in the history can visit the execution sword from 1623 displayed at Weimar's city museum.
The exterior walls display a striking combination of plastered surfaces, exposed bricks, and lime stones, particularly visible in the courtyard. This mix of materials and construction techniques reveals the building's long use and multiple repairs across centuries.
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