“Fornication” (German abzucht; zucht = “breeding”) is a stigmatizing term which, in its most literal sense, denotes the absence of “breeding,” i.e. of decent and civilized conduct [3]; [2]. From this very general sense, in the late Middle Ages its usage narrowed to refer to minor offenses punishable by the lower court of law (“Sin and Fornication”). In some south German and Swiss states, it also gave a name to the relevant special police unit (Unzüchter; cf. “…