History of Witchcraft

The history of witchcraft. In times long past, the rule was that any woman who loved nature, gathered herbs, or gave an evil eye to her enemies was Satan’s helper and had to be burned at the stake. Thankfully, today everything is different.

Witchcraft and the occult are experiencing a renaissance among younger generations and enjoying unprecedented popularity. But what do we really know about the history of witchcraft? When did people in our region start talking about witches and sorceresses? Was the witch hunt as fierce here as it was in the infamous Salem? Dust off your almanacs and take a look at the forbidden section of our library!

We will explain how love potions and dishes were prepared 💞🥣, and what the difference was between love magic and erotic magic 💘🔥. We will also look into the secrets of old recipes and rituals 🕯️🌿, which were intended to awaken passion, strengthen feelings, or win the heart of a loved one 💌.

You will learn what herbs and symbols were used, what they meant, and how their power was used in different periods of history—from medieval witches 🧙‍♀️ to folk healers 🌕.

The lecture will be interwoven with stories 📜, symbolism, and fascinating historical contexts 🧪✨.

Mgr. Katarína Nádaská, PhD.

is a renowned ethnologist and historian specializing in religious ethnology, ethnomedicine, magic and demonology, Central European contexts of folk culture, and visual anthropology. She studied ethnology and history at the Faculty of Philosophy of Comenius University in Bratislava. She has worked not only at her alma mater, but also at other universities. She has completed several research internships at European universities, worked as a curator and literary historian at the Bratislava City Museum, and as a research fellow at the Theater Institute in Bratislava. She currently works as a researcher in local government, providing historical consulting services in the field of mass media and film, and lectures at several universities in Slovakia and abroad. She is the author of several monographs, scientific studies, and popular articles, as well as the co-author of ethnological documentary films.

Location: Pezinok Cultural Center, Holubyho, Pezinok, Slovakia
Date: Wednesday, 18.02.2026
Start: 6:00 p.m.
Entrance fee: 12 €

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