Der letzte Ketzer

“Der letzte Ketzer” (Engl. The Last Heretic) is a co-production with the Center “Faith & Society” and tells the tragic story of Jakob Schmidlin in the last heretic trial in Switzerland.

This film was supported by: Kanton Luzern Kulturförderung Swisslos, Ernst Göhner Stiftung, Römisch-katholische Landeskirche des Kantons Luzern, Reformierte Kirchen Bern-Jura-Solothurn, Eduard Kloter Stiftung, Josef Müller Stiftung, Vereinigung für Schweizerische Kirchengeschichte, Universität Fribourg, Bistum Basel, Ref. Synodalrat Luzern, Kath. Kirchgemeinde Ruswil, Ref. Kirchgemeinde Wolhusen, Kath. Kirchgemeinde Wolhusen.

Anna Göldin was not only the last “witch” in Europe to be executed in Switzerland. At a time when steam engines were being invented in England and Diderot and D’Alembert were preparing the ground for revolution in France with their Encyclopédie, the farmer Jakob Schmidli was convicted of “heresy and seduction”, strangled and burned at the stake in Lucerne. This film tells the story of Jakob Schmidli and the circumstances that led to his execution in 1747. His death was exploited: Some used him to argue against the Catholic Church, others saw him as a victim of a backward state. The history of Switzerland over the last 300 years is reflected in the ‘last heretic’ (Der letzte Ketzer).