Nuremberg Plate

Nuremberg Plate amongst other torture procedures

The Nuremberg Plate (German: Nürnberger Teller also Nürnberger Scheibe) was an apparatus for the interrogation through torture. This instrument of torture was used during late Middle Ages and early modern times for enforcement of confessions.

The Nuremberg Plate consisted of a rotating disc, that was mounted horizontally to the floor. The disc was powered by one or two torturers using a crank handle. The victim was locked into position with arm- and legchains on the spinning disc. Because of centrifugal forces the victim suffered from disturbances of equilibrium, circulatory disorder and regurgitation. Because torturing with the Nuremberg Plate often did not result in visible or serious injury, it was mainly used for the interrogation of privileged persons.

Reports about a tightened variant of the Nuremberg Plate, in which blades were moved from above towards the victim of torture, could not be confirmed unambiguously. It may be a myth, going back to the vivid fantasy of early modern times illustrators.

In its city of origin Nuremberg the Plate was presumably never used outside of the Nuremberg Castle.

References

Maria Theresa, Austria: "Constitutio Criminalis Theresiana". Facsimile reprint of the 1769 ed. published by J.T. Edlen von Trattnern, Vienna.