Johann Georg Gödelmann

Johann Georg Gödelmann (1559 to 1611) was a German jurist and diplomat, born in Tuttlingen in Württemberg and educated at Tübingen, Wittenberg, Rostock and Basel, where he took his doctorate in both laws in 1580. He taught Roman, feudal and criminal law as a professor at Rostock, and in 1592 entered the service of the Elector of Saxony at Dresden, where he sat as a councillor and was sent repeatedly as envoy to the imperial court. He is best known for his treatise on magicians, poisoners and witches, first printed in 1584 and in a fuller form in 1591, which urged care in the trial of witches and criticised torture and hasty executions. He also defended the dignity of Roman law and wrote on how law should be studied. He died in Dresden in 1611.