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The Old Fox's Library · Episode 11
The Dancing Plague of 1518
In the summer of 1518, people in Strasbourg began dancing in the streets and couldn't stop, and the city's leaders hired musicians to help. The Old Fox separates what the records say from the later legends, and looks at why fear and hunger may have set feet moving.
- In July 1518 a woman in Strasbourg, named in most accounts as Frau Troffea, began dancing in the street and continued for days; within weeks dozens more had joined, with estimates of between about 50 and 400 people (The Public Domain Review; John Waller, The Lancet, 2009).
- The city authorities opened guild halls, set up platforms in the market and hired musicians and dancers, believing the dancers had to dance the affliction out; when this made things worse, public dancing and music were banned (The Public Domain Review).
- Many of the afflicted were taken to the shrine of St Vitus near Saverne, where they were given small crosses and red shoes (The Public Domain Review).
- Later accounts claim people died from dancing, but Strasbourg's own records from the time do not mention deaths.
- Historian John Waller argues that ergot poisoning is unlikely, and that famine, disease and fear of St Vitus's curse led to a mass psychogenic illness (John Waller, 'A forgotten plague: making sense of dancing mania', The Lancet, 2009; National Geographic).
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What the fox said
Pull up a chair. Tonight's page: the dancing plague of 1518.
Strasbourg. July, 1518. A woman steps into the street, and begins to dance.
The chronicles name her Frau Troffea. As far as we can tell, there was no music. She simply couldn't stop.
She danced for days. Then others joined her. Soon there were dozens, and by some counts, as many as 400.
The city's leaders decided the cure was... more dancing.
They opened guild halls, built a stage in the market, and hired musicians, and strong dancers, to keep everyone moving.
It only made things worse. So they banned public dancing and music instead.
Many dancers were taken to a shrine of Saint Vitus, near the town of Saverne, in red shoes, holding small crosses.
Later stories claim some danced themselves to death. Yet the city's own records from the time don't mention any deaths.
So what was it? Poisoned grain seems unlikely. People poisoned by it struggle to dance for days.
Historian John Waller suggests a kind of mass trance. Famine, disease, and fear of Saint Vitus' curse, spreading from mind to mind.
One to keep: fear can spread like a fever. And sometimes, it dances.
Close the book. Keep your nose to the wind.
Sources
- In July 1518 a woman in Strasbourg, named in most accounts as Frau Troffea, began dancing in the street and continued for days; within weeks dozens more had joined, with estimates of between about 50 and 400 people (The Public Domain Review; John Waller, The Lancet, 2009).
- The city authorities opened guild halls, set up platforms in the market and hired musicians and dancers, believing the dancers had to dance the affliction out; when this made things worse, public dancing and music were banned (The Public Domain Review).
- Many of the afflicted were taken to the shrine of St Vitus near Saverne, where they were given small crosses and red shoes (The Public Domain Review).
- Later accounts claim people died from dancing, but Strasbourg's own records from the time do not mention deaths.
- Historian John Waller argues that ergot poisoning is unlikely, and that famine, disease and fear of St Vitus's curse led to a mass psychogenic illness (John Waller, 'A forgotten plague: making sense of dancing mania', The Lancet, 2009; National Geographic).
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