Das Geheimnis der Runen
Encyclopedia
Das Geheimnis der Runen is a book by Austrian mystic Guido von List
, in which he presents his "Armanen Futharkh".
It appeared as a periodical article in 1906, and as a standalone publication in 1908.
The book is a summary of List's Germanic mysticism
as realised in the years between 1902 and 1908.
The "Armanen Futharkh", as List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based on the Younger Futhark
which were "revealed to" von List in 1902.
The row of 18 "Armanen runes" came to List while in an 11 month state of temporary blindness after a cataract
operation on both eyes in 1902. This vision in 1902 allegedly opened what List referred to as his "inner eye", via which the "Secret of the Runes" was revealed to him. List stated that his Armanen Futharkh were encrypted in the Rúnatal of the Poetic Edda
(stanzas 138 to 165 of the Hávamál
), with stanzas 147 through 165, where Odin enumerates eighteen wisdoms (with 164 being an interpolation), interpreted as being the "song of the 18 runes". List and many of his followers believed his runes to represent the "primal runes" upon which all historical rune rows were based.
The book was dedicated to his good friend Friedrich Wannieck
and in the introduction before his discussion of the runes there is a copy of a correspondence between Wannieck and List.
and Nazi occultism.
The Armanen runes were employed for magical purposes
in by authors such as Friedrich Bernhard Marby
and Siegfried Adolf Kummer
, and after World War II in a reformed "pansophical" system by Karl Spiesberger
.
More recently, Stephen Flowers
, Adolf Schleipfer, Larry E. Camp and others also build on List's system.
Das Geheimnis der Runen was published in Leipzig
and Vienna
in 1908 by the Guido-von-List-Gesellschaft (Gross-Lichterfelde).
It was also known as GLB 1 of the Guido-List-Bücherei (GLB) series.
The book was also published as a periodical article as 'Das Geheimnis der Runen' , 'Neue Metaphysische Rundschau' [9] 13 (1906), 23-4, 75-87, 104-26.
An English language translation of the book was published in 1988 by Stephen E. Flowers.
The book also remains popular in German Neo-Nazism
, with a reprint published by Adolf Schleipfer of the "Armanen-Orden
.
Guido von List
Guido Karl Anton List, better known as Guido von List was an Austrian/German poet, journalist, writer, businessman and dealer of leather goods, mountaineer, hiker, dramatist, playwright, and rower, but was most notable as an occultist and völkisch author who is seen as one of the most important...
, in which he presents his "Armanen Futharkh".
It appeared as a periodical article in 1906, and as a standalone publication in 1908.
Contents
Germanic mysticism
Germanic mysticism or Germanic occultism may refer to* Ariosophy* more generally, various schools of Esotericism in Germany and Austria* various modern systems of runic magic...
as realised in the years between 1902 and 1908.
The "Armanen Futharkh", as List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based on the Younger Futhark
Younger Futhark
The Younger Futhark, also called Scandinavian runes, is a runic alphabet, a reduced form of the Elder Futhark, consisting of only 16 characters, in use from ca. 800 CE...
which were "revealed to" von List in 1902.
The row of 18 "Armanen runes" came to List while in an 11 month state of temporary blindness after a cataract
Cataract
A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light...
operation on both eyes in 1902. This vision in 1902 allegedly opened what List referred to as his "inner eye", via which the "Secret of the Runes" was revealed to him. List stated that his Armanen Futharkh were encrypted in the Rúnatal of the Poetic Edda
Poetic Edda
The Poetic Edda is a collection of Old Norse poems primarily preserved in the Icelandic mediaeval manuscript Codex Regius. Along with Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the Poetic Edda is the most important extant source on Norse mythology and Germanic heroic legends, and from the early 19th century...
(stanzas 138 to 165 of the Hávamál
Hávamál
Hávamál is presented as a single poem in the Poetic Edda, a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking age. The poem, itself a combination of different poems, is largely gnomic, presenting advice for living, proper conduct and wisdom....
), with stanzas 147 through 165, where Odin enumerates eighteen wisdoms (with 164 being an interpolation), interpreted as being the "song of the 18 runes". List and many of his followers believed his runes to represent the "primal runes" upon which all historical rune rows were based.
The book was dedicated to his good friend Friedrich Wannieck
Friedrich Wannieck
Friedrich Wannieck was a prominent and wealthy Austrian/German industrialist most notable for his successful business ventures and his enthusiastic support for the völkisch author, pioneer of Germanic mysticism and runic revivalist, Guido von List.He was an Armanist and supporter of List's Armanen...
and in the introduction before his discussion of the runes there is a copy of a correspondence between Wannieck and List.
Reception
List's book is seminal to later currents of Germanic mysticismGermanic mysticism
Germanic mysticism or Germanic occultism may refer to* Ariosophy* more generally, various schools of Esotericism in Germany and Austria* various modern systems of runic magic...
and Nazi occultism.
The Armanen runes were employed for magical purposes
Runic magic
There is some evidence that, in addition to being a writing system, runes historically served purposes of magic. This is the case from earliest epigraphic evidence of the Roman to Germanic Iron Age, with non-linguistic inscriptions and the alu word...
in by authors such as Friedrich Bernhard Marby
Friedrich Bernhard Marby
Friedrich Bernhard Marby was a German rune occultist and Germanic revivalist. He is abest known for his revivalism and use of the Armanen runes row. He was imprisoned during the Third Reich, which may have been due to a denunciation by Karl Maria Wiligut...
and Siegfried Adolf Kummer
Siegfried Adolf Kummer
Siegfried Adolf Kummer was a German mystic and Germanic revivalist. He is also most well known for his revivalism and use of the Armanen runes row...
, and after World War II in a reformed "pansophical" system by Karl Spiesberger
Karl Spiesberger
Karl Spiesberger was a German mystic, occultist, Germanic revivalist and Runosophist. He is most well known for his revivalism and usage of the Sidereal Pendulum for divination and dowsing and for his anti-racialist stance and revivalist usage of the Armanen Futharkh runic system after the second...
.
More recently, Stephen Flowers
Stephen Flowers
Stephen Edred Flowers is an American Runologist and proponent of occultism and Germanic mysticism. The Bonham, Texas-born author has over two dozen published books and hundreds of published papers on a disparate range of subjects. He is also known by the pen-name Edred Thorsson...
, Adolf Schleipfer, Larry E. Camp and others also build on List's system.
Editions
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
and Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1908 by the Guido-von-List-Gesellschaft (Gross-Lichterfelde).
It was also known as GLB 1 of the Guido-List-Bücherei (GLB) series.
The book was also published as a periodical article as 'Das Geheimnis der Runen' , 'Neue Metaphysische Rundschau' [9] 13 (1906), 23-4, 75-87, 104-26.
An English language translation of the book was published in 1988 by Stephen E. Flowers.
The book also remains popular in German Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism
Neo-Nazism consists of post-World War II social or political movements seeking to revive Nazism or some variant thereof.The term neo-Nazism can also refer to the ideology of these movements....
, with a reprint published by Adolf Schleipfer of the "Armanen-Orden
Armanen-Orden
The Armanen-Orden is an Arman Heathen organisation active in the German countries. It was founded in 1976 by Adolf Schleipfer and his then-wife Sigrun von Schlichting as the reorganisation of the Ariosophical Guido von List Society, though its doctrine is not limited to List's teachings...
.