The Iron Maiden of Nuremberg
Preserved but no longer current.
A mediaeval instrument of torture used in Germany for "heretics," traitors, parricides, etc. It was a box big enough to admit a man, with folding- doors, the whole studded with sharp iron spikes. When the doors were closed on him these spikes were forced into the body of the victim, who was left there to die in horrible torture.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “The Iron Maiden of Nuremberg” mean?
A mediaeval instrument of torture used in Germany for "heretics," traitors, parricides, etc. It was a box big enough to admit a man, with folding- doors, the whole studded with sharp iron spikes. When the doors were closed on him these spikes were forced into the body of the victim, who was left there to die in horrible torture.
Is “The Iron Maiden of Nuremberg” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.