Karl Spiesberger
Encyclopedia
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 world war, removing its negative connotations. During his involvement with the Fraternitas Saturni Spiesberger was also known as Frater Eratus. Under this name he published several articles in the Blätter für angewandte okkulte Lebenskunst.
. In May 1932 he moved to Berlin to attain a career as an actor. In 1935 he met the then already well-known magician and occultist Gregor A. Gregorius, whom in 1928 founded the Lodge "Fraternitas Saturni" and came into close contact with him. Later he became one of its best-known members
He worked intensively with the magical use of the Armanen Futharkh runes. When this came in conflict with the Nazi regime he turned to other occult themes, such as the magic of the spheres and the ancient books of magic (Grimoires).
When Gregorius reorganised the FS after the war in 1950 Spiesberger became a prominent teacher in the Berlin Lodge (Orient Berlin) of the FS. In the same time, he devoted himself to writing.
In 1960 he withdrew from the lodge for unknown reasons. He died in the age of 87 in Berlin and is also buried there.
and the Pendulum
.
Due to the Nazi suppression and imprisonment of "non-authorised" or "non-officially sanctioned" runic/Germanic mystics and revivalists and their respective organisations during the Third Reich (see Nazi mysticism
) the runes were so closely associated with the Nazis that the use and discussion of them in academic as well as esoteric circles was hampered by adverse public opinion. Those of the old rune magicians and occultists who had survived the war in Germany, slowly began to make their way back to their work, and new voices were also heard. The best known of these new voices was Spiesberger.
After the war the Armanen system was revived, and "reformed" by Spiesberger. Spiesberger was a widely qualified, "eclectic" occultist who has authored books in the hermetic as well as the runic tradition. His two principle works on runic topics are Runenmagie: Handbuch der Runenkunde (1955) and Runenexerzitien für Jedermann (1958). In these books he synthesises the work of all the German runic magicians and experts who preceded him, within a pansophical framework. Although he eliminates all the racist and völkisch elements, he retains the Armanen system of runes, which by 1955 had become almost traditional in German circles.
) as originally envisioned by Guido von List
and magically developed by Siegfried Adolf Kummer
. Both were proponents of the Armanen Runes
. What Spiesberger essentially tried to do was remove the "racist" aspects of the Armanic and Marbyan rune work and place the whole system in a pansophical, or eclectic, context. To Guido von List, Friedrich Bernhard Marby
, Siegfried Adolf Kummer and Rudolf John Gorsleben
, the runes represent the key to esoteric understanding. To Spiesberger, they were just one more tool to be used by any individual magician.
After the war he also wrote Der erfolgreiche Pendel-Praktiker published in 1963. Although still far more readily available in its original German text, it is now also available in its 1989 English translation entitled Reveal the Power of the Pendulum. In this book about pendulum dowsing, he refers to the Odic force
.
Like most authors on esoteric or magical subjects, he presents a mixture of the old with some original innovations of his own. To some extent the innovations may have been drawn from the eclectic teachings of the Fraternitas Saturni.
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
, occultist, Germanic revivalist
Germanic Neopaganism
Germanic neopaganism is the contemporary revival of historical Germanic paganism. Precursor movements appeared in the early 20th century in Germany and Austria. A second wave of revival began in the early 1970s...
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
Armanen runes
The Armanen runes, or Armanen 'Futharkh' as Guido von List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based in shape on the Younger Futhark...
after the second world war, removing its negative connotations. During his involvement with the Fraternitas Saturni Spiesberger was also known as Frater Eratus. Under this name he published several articles in the Blätter für angewandte okkulte Lebenskunst.
Life
Since his earliest youth Spiesberger was interested in occultism and hypnosisHypnosis
Hypnosis is "a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination."It is a mental state or imaginative role-enactment . It is usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary...
. In May 1932 he moved to Berlin to attain a career as an actor. In 1935 he met the then already well-known magician and occultist Gregor A. Gregorius, whom in 1928 founded the Lodge "Fraternitas Saturni" and came into close contact with him. Later he became one of its best-known members
He worked intensively with the magical use of the Armanen Futharkh runes. When this came in conflict with the Nazi regime he turned to other occult themes, such as the magic of the spheres and the ancient books of magic (Grimoires).
When Gregorius reorganised the FS after the war in 1950 Spiesberger became a prominent teacher in the Berlin Lodge (Orient Berlin) of the FS. In the same time, he devoted himself to writing.
In 1960 he withdrew from the lodge for unknown reasons. He died in the age of 87 in Berlin and is also buried there.
Rune Magic
Spiesberger is well known as the single most important person to revive Germanic mysticism after the second world war, including the Armanen RunesArmanen runes
The Armanen runes, or Armanen 'Futharkh' as Guido von List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based in shape on the Younger Futhark...
and the Pendulum
Pendulum
A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced from its resting equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the equilibrium position...
.
Due to the Nazi suppression and imprisonment of "non-authorised" or "non-officially sanctioned" runic/Germanic mystics and revivalists and their respective organisations during the Third Reich (see Nazi mysticism
Nazi mysticism
Speculation about Nazism and occultism has become part of popular culture since 1959. Aside from several popular documentaries, there are numerous books on the topic, most notably The Morning of the Magicians and The Spear of Destiny ....
) the runes were so closely associated with the Nazis that the use and discussion of them in academic as well as esoteric circles was hampered by adverse public opinion. Those of the old rune magicians and occultists who had survived the war in Germany, slowly began to make their way back to their work, and new voices were also heard. The best known of these new voices was Spiesberger.
After the war the Armanen system was revived, and "reformed" by Spiesberger. Spiesberger was a widely qualified, "eclectic" occultist who has authored books in the hermetic as well as the runic tradition. His two principle works on runic topics are Runenmagie: Handbuch der Runenkunde (1955) and Runenexerzitien für Jedermann (1958). In these books he synthesises the work of all the German runic magicians and experts who preceded him, within a pansophical framework. Although he eliminates all the racist and völkisch elements, he retains the Armanen system of runes, which by 1955 had become almost traditional in German circles.
Work
Spiesberger's works were always cast in the 18 rune Futharkh (the Armanen RunesArmanen runes
The Armanen runes, or Armanen 'Futharkh' as Guido von List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based in shape on the Younger Futhark...
) as originally envisioned by Guido von List
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...
and magically developed by 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...
. Both were proponents of the Armanen Runes
Armanen runes
The Armanen runes, or Armanen 'Futharkh' as Guido von List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based in shape on the Younger Futhark...
. What Spiesberger essentially tried to do was remove the "racist" aspects of the Armanic and Marbyan rune work and place the whole system in a pansophical, or eclectic, context. To Guido von List, 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...
, Siegfried Adolf Kummer and Rudolf John Gorsleben
Rudolf John Gorsleben
Rudolf John Gorsleben was a German Ariosophist, Armanist , journal editor and playwright.-Life:...
, the runes represent the key to esoteric understanding. To Spiesberger, they were just one more tool to be used by any individual magician.
After the war he also wrote Der erfolgreiche Pendel-Praktiker published in 1963. Although still far more readily available in its original German text, it is now also available in its 1989 English translation entitled Reveal the Power of the Pendulum. In this book about pendulum dowsing, he refers to the Odic force
Odic force
The Odic force is the name given in the mid-19th century to a hypothetical vital energy or life force by Baron Carl von Reichenbach...
.
Like most authors on esoteric or magical subjects, he presents a mixture of the old with some original innovations of his own. To some extent the innovations may have been drawn from the eclectic teachings of the Fraternitas Saturni.
Selected works
Karl Spiesberger has written many works.- Runenmagie, 1955
- Runenexerzitien fur Jedermann, 1958
- Unsichtbare Helferkräfte, 1960
- Reveal the Power of the Pendulum: Secrets of the Sidereal Pendulum, A Complete Survey of Pendulum Dowsing, 1962. ISBN 0572014198
- Praktische Telepathie, 1966
- Runenmagie Handbuch der Runenkunde, 1968 (R. Schikowski-Verlag, Berlin)
- Das Mantra Buch, 1977
- Telepathie Die Macht des Überbewußten, 1982. ISBN 3877020712
- Die Aura Des Menschen: Wie die Aura sichtbar gemacht werden kann und was ihre Farben bedeuten, 1987
- Secrets of the New Age: 4 Complete Books, 1989
External links
- Works by and about Karl Spiesberger in the German National LibraryGerman National LibraryThe German National Library is the central archival library and national bibliographic centre for the Federal Republic of Germany...
catalogue