Sack of Magdeburg

Sack of Magdeburg
Part of the Swedish phase of the Thirty Years' War
Sack of Magdeburg, 1632 engraving by D. Manasser, putting the blame on the citizens' disobedience
Date 20–24 May 1631 Location Magdeburg, Archbishopric of Magdeburg, Holy Roman Empire (present-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany) 52°08′N 11°37′E / 52.133°N 11.617°E / 52.133; 11.617 Result Catholic victory Destruction of the city
Belligerents
Holy Roman Empire Catholic League	Magdeburg
Commanders and leaders
Count of Tilly Graf zu Pappenheim	Dietrich von Falkenberg † Christian William (POW)
Strength
24,000 during the siege 40,000 during the sack	2,400
Casualties and losses
300 killed 1,600 wounded[1]: 471	25,000 defenders and inhabitants
Magdeburg class=notpageimage| Location within Saxony-Anhalt Show map of Saxony-Anhalt Magdeburg Magdeburg (Germany) Show map of Germany

The sack of Magdeburg, also called Magdeburg's Wedding (German: Magdeburger Hochzeit) or Magdeburg's Sacrifice (Magdeburgs Opfergang), was the destruction of the Protestant city of Magdeburg on 20 May 1631 by the Imperial Army and the forces of the Catholic League, resulting in the deaths of around 20,000, including both defenders and non-combatants. The event is considered the worst massacre of the Thirty Years' War. Magdeburg, then one of the largest cities in Germany, having well over 25,000 inhabitants in 1630, did not recover its importance until well into the 18th century.