The collection, which up until a few years ago was presented predominantly in Scharnstein Castle under the framework of the Museum for Historical Criminology, is in its beginnings as old as the Upper Austrian Provincial Museum. The most important objects arrived in the years 1864-1870 from castles Rannariedl, Falkenstein and Wartenburg, as well as from the municipalities of Linz and St. Florian, to the art and cultural historical department. In 1885 the collection was rounded off by the sheath with wooden judge's sceptres. It was donated by the last judge of restriction law in the upper Danube valley, Dr. Josephus Pflügl. All objects acquired later were – with the exception of the Marchtrenk cradle – only of secondary importance.

 
The objects cover the area of jurisdiction, but also that of execution of the law. Special importance was attached to the judge's sceptres in the collection, which fulfilled representative and symbolic tasks. Besides this category the collection includes the area of the execution of sentences for smaller and more serious offences. Therefore in addition to shame masks, neck violins and a Bäckerwippe, there are also beheading swords, executioner’s axes and breaking wheels. Furthermore the museum possesses various torture devices used for extorting confessions (thumb and finger screws, choke-pears).
 

Collection management:

(prior appointment requested)

Mag. Ute Streitt

Upper Austrian Provincial Museum

(Welserstr. location)

Welserstr. 20

4060 Leonding

Tel: +43 732 674256-102

Fax: +43 732 674256-160

E-mail: u.streitt@landesmuseum.at