Friedrich Spee

Friedrich Spee (also Friedrich Spee von Langenfeld) was a German Jesuit priest, professor, and poet, most noted as an opponent of trials for witchcraft. Spee was the first person in his time to present strong written and spoken arguments against torture, especially with regards to its unreliability in obtaining "truth" from someone undergoing painful questioning. Born: February 25, 1591 in Kaiserswerth near Düsseldorf Died: August 7, 1635 in Trier