‘What If’ They Called Your Mother a Witch (True Story)

‘What If’ is often used for theorizing or hypothesizing about an event or scenario that has not happened. But this “What If” did happen, and this is what the son did.

Across cultures, insulting someone’s mother is universally provocative. Unkind words about a mother are not jokes; they are fighting words. This truth frames the tragic story of Katharina Kepler, mother of famed astronomer Johannes Kepler.

In 1608, Johannes Kepler wrote Somnium (“The Dream”), later regarded as the world’s first work of science fiction. Intended as fiction, it was misunderstood by superstitious villagers who treated it as an autobiography. A local barber accused Kepler’s elderly, illiterate mother of witchcraft, and authorities arrested her.

Imagine learning—by letter—that your mother has been jailed and tortured because of something you wrote. Katharina Kepler, nearly 70 years old, endured imprisonment and torture but never confessed. Though eventually released, she was driven from her village and died six months later, a victim of Europe’s witch-hunt hysteria.

Johannes fought relentlessly for her, aided by lawyer Christoph Besold. Their efforts helped expose abuses in witch trials, leading to reforms—but too late to save Katharina. Kepler spent the rest of his life explaining his book, trying to undo the damage.

This centuries-old story still resonates wherever injustice survives.

• In memory of Katharina Kepler (1546–1621) and Johannes Kepler (1571–1630).

Read the complete article on Medium.com.

• Popova, Maria. “How Kepler Invented Science Fiction and Defended His Mother in a Witchcraft Trial While Revolutionizing Our Understanding of the Universe.” The Marginalian, 27 Dec. 2019, https://www.themarginalian.org/2019/12/26/katharina-kepler-witchcraft-dream/.

• MessageToEagle. “Astronomer Johannes Kepler Saved His Mother From Being Burned As A Witch.” MessageToEagle.Com, 29 Jan. 2017, https://www.messagetoeagle.com/astronomer-johannes-kepler-saved-his-mother-from-being-burned-as-a-witch.

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