A Hajdú-Bihar Megyei Levéltár évkönyve 23. 1996 (Debrecen, 1996)
Tanulmányok - M. Antalóczy Ildikó: A blaszfémia és más vallásellenes bűncselekmények Debrecenben a XVIII. század közepén
88 M. Antalóczy Ildikó: A blaszfémia és más bűncselekmények... Blasphemy and other antireligious crimes in Debrecen at the middle of the XVIII. century Ildikó M. Antalóczy Examination of criminal cases in the age of feudalism at Debrecen provides valuable data not only for legal case history but also for other sciences, among these history. From investigation documents, bulky case files and minutes on hearings originating from the middle of the XVIII. century, not only the operational order of the royal city's criminal court, having power of life or death, is revealed, but countless conclusions can be drawn in connection with the circumstances of the criminal act and with the person committing the offence. Moreover these conclusions can be compared with knowledge obtained up to now relating to the big city life of the period, the economic, communal and demographical characteristics, the religious and moral conceptions of the inhabitants and communal deviants. The Author, elaborating 390 antireligious criminal cases heard by the Debrecen Criminal Court between 1740-50, shows the frequency of these crimes: the yearly average of prosecutions for antireligious crimes was 52 (e.g. in 1744 on average every 5th case dealt with charges of antireligious crimes) and within this group, refers to the outstanding role of blasphemy and swearing: of the total of 577 offences against religion for the period, 481 (83%) were for blasphemy, The writer of the paper follows completely the laws and decrees brought to repress the blasphemy and swearing, and those events in Debrecen at the middle of the XVIII. century, which could have an effect on the frequency of, or judgement and penalties for committing these offences. After the peculiarities of the oral and written proceedings on cases of offences against religion, the author expounds the data offered by the cases using statistical methods: each kind of offence from blasphemy, swearing, apostasy, profanation, breach of fast, non attendance at church, offences against the church and burial services, abuse against religion, sacrilegious burglary and stealing of religious objects, and legally enforceable judgements meted out by the court, from the most serious, the augmentation with tearing out of the tongue to the most lenient, the reprimand (part 1.). Part 2. to be issued in 1997. will moreover contain conclusions arising from the comparison of an examination according to the person, sex, age, social position, occupation and address of the offender, with the place and circumstances of the committed offence.
