The History Behind Throwing People Out Windows

Defenestration is the specific act of throwing someone out of a window. While it sounds like a modern oddity, this act was actually a recurring political statement that famously ignited a devastating thirty-year war.

The term was coined in the 17th century after a historic incident in Prague Castle sparked a massive European conflict. However, this was merely a repeat performance of an event from 200 years prior when officials were tossed from the New Town Hall. It became a strangely formal tradition, executed in what locals called good Bohemian style. The word itself is derived from the Latin term for window, turning a violent act into a permanent fixture of our dictionary.