Barbarian Rites: The Spiritual World of the Vikings and the Germanic Tribes

by Hans-Peter Hasenfratz

Discover the untamed paganism of the Vikings and the Germanic tribes prior to the complete Christianization of Europe

• Explores the different forms of magic practiced by these tribes, including runic magic, necromancy (death magic), soul-travel, and shape-shifting

• Examines their rites of passage and initiation rituals and their most important gods, such as Odin, Loki, and Thor

• Looks at barbarian magic in historical accounts, church and assembly records, and mythology as well as an eyewitness report from a 10th-century Muslim diplomat

• Reveals the use and abuse of this tradition’s myths and magic by the Nazis

Before the conversion of Europe to Christianity in the Middle Ages, Germanic tribes roamed the continent, plundering villages and waging battles to seek the favor of Odin, their god of war, ecstasy, and magic. Centuries later, predatory Viking raiders from Scandinavia carried on similar traditions. These wild “barbarians” had a system of social classes and familial clans with complex spiritual customs, from rites of passage for birth, death, and adulthood to black magic practices and shamanic ecstatic states, such as the infamous “berserker’s rage.”

Chronicling the original pagan tradition of free and wild Europe—and the use and abuse of its myths and magic by the Nazis—Hans-Peter Hasenfratz offers a concise history of the Germanic tribes of Europe and their spiritual, magical, and occult beliefs. Looking at historical accounts, church and assembly records, mythology, and folktales from Germany, Russia, Scandinavia, and Iceland as well as an eyewitness report of Viking customs and rituals from a 10th-century Muslim diplomat, Hasenfratz explores the different forms of magic—including charms, runic magic, necromancy, love magic, soul-travel, and shamanic shape-shifting—practiced by the Teutonic tribes and examines their interactions with and eventual adaptation to Christianity. Providing in-depth information on their social class and clan structure, rites of passage, and their most important gods and goddesses, such as Odin, Loki, Thor, and Freyja, Hasenfratz reveals how it is only through understanding our magical barbarian roots that we can see the remnants of their language, culture, and dynamic spirit that have carried through to modern times.

Hans-Peter Hasenfratz, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of the history of religion at the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. The author of numerous works in German on ancient cultures and religions, he lives in Bochum, Germany.

Genres: History, Paganism, Mythology, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2011

Reviews

[Max · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly, while this book seemed promising, a fair amount of it is inaccurate or biased by the authors obsession with Odin and the Mannerbund concept, making it a less-than-useful resource. I wish there was a better book that covered the same material.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks at Aspects & the Spirituality of the Germanic Peoples

This books primarily deals with aspects of heathen spirituality among the Germanic and Viking peoples. Sure, I would recommend, although I would have liked for the author to be a tad more detailed, perhaps-- I finished this book in under a few hours, so it could have been longer in my taste.

[Buck Wilde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garlic is good luck, right? Drives off vampires, strengthens the blood, wards off disease, you know. Garlic are a cure-all goes way back in folklore. The vikings couldn't be bothered to wear garlic, because their runic language conferred the powers associated with its subject to the object on which it was carved and painted.

Vikings would walk around wearing amulets consisting of a thin metal disk with the word "GARLIC" carved on it. If you don't think that's the tightest shit, get out of my face rn.

Interesting material, likely improved by being a direct translation from German.

[Amber Draeger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and follows many of the Viking sagas

I enjoyed this as a review of Germanic barbarian religion. It mostly focuses on Viking cultural and religious practices as those are assumed to be in common with the proto-German culture and religion.

[Matthew W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking for years for a book that provides a concise and easy-to-understand introduction to the religion(s) of pre-Christian Germanic tribes. I am happy to report that "Barbarian Rites" goes beyond the book that I have been looking for. One of the facts I found most interesting in the book is that the Freikorps and the National Socialist SA and SS were (according to the author) the modern equivalent of the ancient German Männerbunde; systems of Germanic males who were able to bears arms into their own cult(s) and specific social
functions.

I must thank Michael Moynihan for translating Hans-Peter Hasenfratz's "Barbarian Rites." After I found out he translated this work, I knew I had to read it as his TYR journals are nothing short of topnotch.

[Lilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note sure how long it will be available, but the publishers have a full copy uploaded here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/55807815/Ba...

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introductory text.