The Astronomer and the Witch: Johannes Kepler’s Fight for his Mother

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) was one of the most admired astronomers who ever lived and a key figure in the scientific revolution. Perhaps less well known is that in 1615, when Kepler was at the height of his career, his widowed mother Katharina was accused of witchcraft. The proceedings led to a criminal trial that lasted six years, with Kepler conducting his mother’s defence. The Astronomer and the Witch pieces together the tale of this extraordinary episode in Kepler’s life. First and foremost an intense family drama, the story brings to life the world of a small Lutheran community in the heart of Europe at a time of deep religious and political turmoil. It also offers us a fascinating glimpse into the great astronomer’s world view. While advancing rational explanations for the phenomena which his mother’s accusers attributed to witchcraft, Kepler nevertheless did not call into question the existence of magic and witches. On the contrary, he clearly believed in them. And, as the story unfolds, it appears that there were moments when even Katharina’s children wondered whether their mother really did have nothing to hide…