When were witch trials most common in the Balkans?

The mid-18th century, especially in northern Croatia.

Did Balkan witch trials focus on Satanism?

Mostly no—harm, poison, and misfortune were central concerns.

Balkan witchcraft didn’t erupt suddenly.
It slowly hardened out of everyday folk life.

Here’s what actually happened.

Folk magic was part of daily life:

These practices were not criminal.
They were necessary.

There was no clear category called “witch.”

Church and legal authorities began importing:

But in the Balkans, accusations still focused on:

Between 1740–1752, northern Croatia saw intensified prosecutions:

Cases focused on harm caused, not cosmic evil.

The most famous accused: → Magda Logomer, tortured and tried as a witch before imperial intervention halted the trial.

Formal witch trials declined.
Folk belief did not.

Accusations shifted into:

In rural Yugoslavia, fear resurfaced through criminal courts, not inquisitions.

The most infamous case: → Baba Anujka, tried in the 1920s for poisoning using folk knowledge.

Magic was no longer supernatural.
It was dangerously practical.

Balkan witchcraft wasn’t erased.
It was reframed.

That’s why folk magic survived longer here than in much of Europe.

For deeper analysis, read:

Why did trials last so long here?
Because folk magic never fully separated from daily life.

Was everyone afraid of witches?
No. Fear coexisted with dependence.