Anna Göldi was executed in Glarus, Switzerland, in what is often called Europe's last witch execution, though technically convicted of poisoning rather than witchcraft. Her case occurred during the Enlightenment, causing scandal and demonstrating how old prejudices could persist even as intellectual elites rejected witchcraft beliefs.

Anna Göldi's execution during the Enlightenment era fascinated writers interested in the gap between intellectual progress and popular prejudice. Swiss and German authors explored her story to examine themes of social marginalization, gender bias, and the slow pace of cultural change, while poets reflected on the tragedy of dying for beliefs the educated had already abandoned.