Justice and punishment

The collection offers an overview of crime, criminal prosecution, court proceedings and punishments in the period from 1500 to 1850. The objects include a wide range of torture devices from thumbscrews and barrels of shame to execution swords for punishing particularly serious crimes. The objects convey an idea of the historical legal system, which seems cruel in comparison to today. This, however, should not obscure the fact that civil and criminal law was already regulated in a generally binding manner from the 15th century onwards.