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The ancient Germanic
Runic alphabet and Runestones, their possible civilization
origins, and their historic influence
by James Mayfield (Chairman, European Heritage Library)
Print
this Article • About
the Author • Bibliography/Sources
This article is about the
ancient Germanic religious culture and their creation of the
Runic alphabet and many historic Runestone artifacts throughout
Scandinavia, the British Isles, and Europe. It also investigates
whether the Germanic writing system was derived from Roman
Latin or was entirely independent. In conclusion, it traces
the modern influence of these ancient Germanic Runes in popular
culture. If you would like to add theories and content to
this article, or an error has been made, please notify us.
If you would like me to teach you Runic, let me know.
As this article is very
long and comprehensive, you may prefer the QUICK VIEW
below:
Ethnographic
& religious background •
Runic alphabet & meanings • Possible
civilization origins • Runestones
of the world • Runes adopted
by Germanic nationalists and Nazis • Influence
of Runes today
One of the more unique and historically-influential systems
of writing in European history is the ancient Runic alphabet
of the ancient Germanic cultures. It is unusual among other
ancient European scripts in that most of our evidence of Runic
writing comes from thousands of stone inscriptions distributed
across Northern Europe, and because they were seemingly invented
with very little foreign influence at a time when the Germanic
peoples were portrayed as "barbarians." They are
also famous because of the emphasis on ancient Germanic religion
by the German Nazis during World War II. The Runic alphabet,
created nearly 2,000 years ago, still is influential today
in popular culture throughout Scandinavia.
Ethnographic and religious background
on the Germanic peoples and their language:
The Germanic peoples share
a common genetic, ethnocultural, historic, and linguistic
heritage, and include the English, Norwegians, Swedes, Danes,
Germans/Austrians, the Dutch, Flemings, Frisians, Icelanders,
Faroese, and Volga Germans. Before the formation of independent
national and political identities that caused partial divergence
in each region's cultural traditions, the Germanic peoples
followed a common religion, language, and culture. The pre-Christian
religion to which the Germans adhered whether in remote Iceland
or eastern Germany is today abstractly called Asatru or “Norse
mythology,” and united the Germans under an informal pantheon
that included the god of lightning Thor, the god of war Tyr,
the high god of wisdom and death Odin/Woden/Wotan, and the
god of purity Baldur. Read our article on the possible
historic roots of Germanic gods for more information.
Because the Germanic peoples lacked a written history until
the first century AD, it is difficult to determine how, where,
and when this religion coalesced. In the early centuries after
Christ, Germanic peoples gradually forged formal states or
tribal confederations, creating powerful empires in Spain,
Tunisia (Carthage), France, England, and Italy. Most of these
states adopted Christendom by the 7th century. The majority
of the southern German societies on the European mainland
were illiterate. Having been more closely exposed to Christendom,
the few remnants of Runic outside of Scandinavia were replaced
by Latin.
The northern Germans in Scandinavia
have a comparatively different experience. Whereas Christendom,
the Latin alphabet, and an intense enculturation campaign
that phased out the old customs began on the mainland in the
5th century, the Germanic peoples of Scandinavia did not become
Christian until after the 9th century. Runes were far more
widespread in Scandinavia than in Germany, and thus most likely
originated among the northern Germanic peoples, likely in
Sweden. The Christianization process that victimized the old
religion and its associated Runic votives was also incredibly
gradual, and as a result Runic was used in Scandinavia in
ever-decreasing forms until as late as the 17th century. The
Vikings of Scandinavia, who adhered to the old Germanic religion
that mythologized the Runic alphabet as a holy creation of
Odin, spread the Runic alphabet to the distant shores where
they settled and raided several centuries after Runic had
died out among their relatives on the continent. Runic letters
appear on many Icelandic Christian illuminated manuscripts
centuries after the Viking Age, a coexistance with pre-Christian
Germanic heritage that would be unheard of in many societies
in Christianized Europe.

A post-Christian Icelandic manuscript
depicting Thor fishing for Loki's son, the Jormungänger serpent
Most of our information on
the early religious culture and use of Runes among the ancient
Germans come from Medieval Iceland. Christian skalds and poets
like Snorri Sturlusson (1178-1241) offer our best source material
that allow us to reconstruct this early Germanic cultural
orbit. To read an introduction to the Edda (an early Icelandic
source), read our article on Sources
on pre-Christian Germanic/Norse religion.

An EHL map of Europe's ethnic groups and their relations.
The Germanic groups of a common descent are in orange. (CLICK
TO ENLARGE)

The Stavkirke (Stave-Church)
is the equivalent of a composite Christian-Odinic church.
Previously crude temples depicted in the Icelandic sagas included
altars for icons of Freyjr and Odin, and evolved with the
adoption of Christendom to become a uniquely Scandinavian
architecture that retained traces of the Odinic past. They
are national monuments that can be seen all throughout Scandinavia.
Primitive churches have been found in Russia, Ukraine, and
Germany. Most German ones were probably destroyed by Christians
since Germany quickly became the superpower of the Christian
world by the 11th century.
The Runic alphabet, the Runes' meanings,
and spiritual significance (divination):
The Runic alphabet was used
as a formal system of writing in England, Norway, Denmark,
Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, and the Baltic. There seems
to have been a universal standard for writing the Runic alphabet.
Carved or written by diverse authors and travelers from different
backgrounds, all Runic inscriptions have an incredibly similar
alphabet foundation whether in Estonia or Ireland. This is
perplexing given that when the Runic alphabet was first used
(2nd century CE), historians have been unable to locate a
major political hegemon that was able to formalize this system
of writing all across Northern Europe. The circumstances under
which Runic inscriptions occurred were, however, mostly informal,
and were ostensibly intended to announce the presence of various
Viking chiefs and maritime travelers in the region. Other
Runic writings tell elaborate and resplendent tales of mythology
and history with poetic formality. The presence of a system
of writing that was widespread throughout this large geographic
area leads one to question the notion of early Germanic barbarism.
Although slight variations
in the appearance of the Runic alphabet evolved over the centuries,
a formal written standard has been isolated. It is an incredibly
practical script that can be easily used and learned by laymen
to write the many sounds of the proto-German language. Some
forms of "short-hand" and more informal Runic writing
have also been found across wide ranges. The greatest diversity
in Runic alphabets exists in Sweden. The Runic alphabet is
often called “Fuþark” (pronounced FOO-Tark) because of the
Runes that are usually treated as the first letters of the
alphabet (F, U, Th, A, R, K). The so-called “Elder Fuþark”
that was more prevalent in Scandinavia seems to have been
used mostly by educated aristocrats and grandees in the early
centuries after Christ, whilst “Younger Fuþark” became popularized
later during the Viking period. Nearly all of the regional
variants of Runic are nearly mutually intelligible, intimating
a high level of shared development of the script across the
Germanic world.
Although Runic was phased
out during the process of Christianization and the proliferation
of a Latin-based system of writing among the Germanic peoples,
the Runes themselves survived even outside of Scandinavia.
The Icelandic alphabet today still uses the ancient Rune of
Thor in their "th" sound (þ), as did Anglo-Saxon
(Old English) for many centuries after the Germanic Anglo-Saxons
settled England. The first written language of the Germans
after Runic has been traced to the Gothic Alphabet, invented
by the Gothic German priest Ulfilas in the 4th century. His
invented alphabet, intended to initiate the conversion of
the Odinist Goths to Christendom for reading the Bible, was
a meticulous mixing of Greek letters and Runes. The fact that
the Goths, who lived in southern Germany and the northwestern
Balkans, used the almost identical Runic writing as the Norwegians
and Swedes implies that the ancient barbaric Germans expressed
a greater manifestation of civilization than is popularly
believed.

Elder Futhark was the early form that
seems to have spread from Sweden since the much later forms
of Swedish Runes are still similar to the Elder form.

A chart of the typical changes in the later Younger Futhark's
Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian variants. Because Swedish variants
remained most close to the original Elder Futhark, this reinforces
the probability that the origin of Runes was in Sweden.
In some cases, the
individual Runes themselves were attributed with religious
significance or representation. This springs from the fact
that the Runes were believed to have been conceived by the
“High One” Odin himself with specific religious and ritual
attributes. Unfortunately, with the growth of modern “pagan”
and “New Age” movements that derive many of their myths from
ancient Germanic religion have devised elaborate emotional
and cosmic effects that are imbued upon each Rune with no
historical legitimacy whatsoever. Historians and anthropologists
have been unable to determine a traditional significance to
each Rune. It is likely that worshippers employed ad hoc ritual
significance to Runes when necessary. For example, if a charismatic
myth circulated in a region that the god of fertility Freyjr
bestowed a great harvest, a mystic may then rely upon the
Rune of Freyjr to propitiate famine. In the following village,
if Freyjr were extolled for granting a bounty of children,
a worshipper may use the same Rune for that very different
attribute. Therefore, it is difficult to describe the spiritual
significance of each Rune. What can most likely be agreed
on is that letters of the Runic alphabet that corresponded
to the first letters of gods' names almost always referred
to those gods. The "O" letter always refers to Odin,
whilst the "Th" always to Thor. Only in the Edda,
our major source of pre-Christian pan-Germanic religion, do
we see verbose descriptions on Runes and their meanings from
the mouth of Odin himself (or the pen of Snorri Sturlusson)
in the chapter "Havamal" (Words of the High One):
“Runes you will find, and readable
staves,
Very strong staves,
Very stout staves,
Staves that Bolthor stained,
Made by mighty powers,
Graven by the prophetic God.
[...]
The first charm I know is unknown to rulers
Or any of human kind;
Help it is named,
for help it can give
In hours of sorrow and anguish.
I know a second that the sons of men
Must learn who wish to be leeches.
I know a third: in the thick of battle,
If my need be great enough,
It will blunt the edges of enemy swords,
Their weapons will make no wounds.
I know a fourth:
it will free me quickly
If foes should bind me fast
With strong chains, a chant that makes
Fetters spring from the feet,
Bonds burst from the hands.
I know a fifth: no flying arrow,
Aimed to bring harm to men,
Flies too fast for my fingers to catch it
And hold it in mid-air.
I know a sixth:
It will save me if a man
Cut runes on a sapling' s roots
With intent to harm; it turns the spell;
The hater is harmed, not me.
If I see the hall
Ablaze around my bench mates,
Though hot the flames,
They shall feel nothing,
If I choose to chant the spell.
I know an eighth:
That all are glad of,
Most useful to men:
If hate fester in the heart of a warrior,
It will soon calm and cure him.
I know a ninth:
When need I have
To shelter my ship on the flood,
The wind it calms, the waves it smoothes
And puts the sea to sleep
I know a tenth:
If troublesome ghosts
Ride the rafters aloft,
I can work it so they wander astray,
Unable to find their forms,
Unable to find their homes.
I know an eleventh:
When I lead to battle old comrades in-arms,
I have only to chant it behind my shield,
And unwounded they go to war,
Unwounded they come from war,
Unscathed wherever they are
I know a twelfth:
If a tree bear
A man hanged in a halter,
I can carve and stain strong runes
That will cause the corpse to speak,
Reply to whatever I ask.
I know a thirteenth
If I throw a cup of water over a warrior,
He shall not fall in the fiercest battle,
Nor sink beneath the sword,
I know a fourteenth, that few know:
If I tell a troop of warriors
About the high ones, Elves and Gods,
I can name them one by one.
I know a fifteenth,
That first Thjodrerir
Sang before Delling's doors,
Giving power to Gods, prowess to Elves,
Fore-sight to Hroptatyr Odin,
I know a sixteenth:
If I see a girl
With whom it would please me to play,
I can turn her thoughts, can touch the heart
Of any white armed woman.
I know a seventeenth:
If I sing it,
The young girl will be slow to forsake me.
I know an eighteenth that I never tell
To maiden or wife of man,
A secret I hide from all
Except the love who lies in my arms,
Or else my own sister (“Havamal”, Nordic Edda)
Note that nowhere else in
the ancient Germanic textual sources do we see specific significance
being connected with specific Runes. It is inevitable that
Runes were engraved upon bones, wood, stones, and gems and
used by Odinic shamans and priests for religious purposes.
Clearing evil spirits, endowing divine protection from the
war gods Thor and Tyr, propitiating the gods' rage, and predicting
an uncertain future are typical. Fertility rites were also
important among all early societies, and many of the Runes
seem to have had fertility purposes. Much of the religiosity
in Scandinavia, as reported to us by Adam von Bremen (an Anglo-Saxon
Christian), centered around fertility cults of Freyjr and
Freyja. It can be assumed that fertility Runes were likely
placed on personal altars and shrines in private homes prior
to intercourse to maximize chances of conception.
One interesting feature of
the Runic alphabet is that most of the major German pantheonic
gods had their own Runes. Odin had the Othala/Odal Rune for
the letter “O,” Thor the Thorn (Þ,þ) for the sound “Th,” Tyr
the “T,” and Baldur, Freyjr, and Heimdal may have had the
“B,” “F,” and “H,” respectively. It is likely that these religious
symbols were designed before the formal alphabet was developed
for writing, and the writing system developed from these unique
symbols. Predictably, the Runes were used to channel the divine
favor and blessings of the particular gods when their specific
functions became needed (in times of war, conception, studies,
etc.). Although today an Asatru convert may find charts of
exact symbolic meanings of each Rune on various New Age websites,
it is impossible to know the exact historical significance
of each of the Runes or how they evolved.

Odin next to the Odin Rune. This specific Rune had religious
significance and evolved into the Runic letter for the sound
"O."

Thor had his own Rune that
evolved into the sound "Th." In the Icelandic alphabet
today, the letter is still used for the same sound.

Tyr's Rune is similar to an arrow. Tyr and Thor are arguably
the oldest of the Germanic Pantheon, and worship of Thor seems
to have occurred from Germany to Finland if some theories
are correct of a common origin of the thunder god Ukko. The
Rune then evolved into the letter "T."
Possible origins of the Runic alphabet
in relation to other civilizations:
Historians have difficulty
tracing the Runic alphabet back to its origins. It is likely
that Runic inscriptions go back at least a century or more
than the available evidence we have found so far due to the
fact that most inscriptions were probably written on perishable
wood (which was considered holy) or even written in the dirt
as a vehicle for connecting with nature and the earth. It
is also likely that the "Runic alphabet" actually
was first used at least a century after the Runes themselves
were invented. In other words, the significance and meaning
of Runes may have been simply transferred from religious purposes
to writing as settled civilizations developed in Scandinavia.
Historians have been able to trace the earliest available
forms of Runic writing to the 3rd century, at least 250CE
[1]. Other sources trace them back at least a century prior
[2]. Elaborate and artistic Runic inscriptions with an intelligible
meaning can be found on the resplendent Gallehus horns of
4th or 5th century Denmark that say, "I Hlegast, son
of Holt, made this horn."
Historians have had difficulty
determining which culture created the writing system and whether
or not it derived from the vulgar Latin writing of the Roman
Empire. Previously, most scholars readily assumed that the
alphabet derived from Latin. Surely, some letters have a similar
appearance. One salient scholar traces only four Runes to
a possible Latin origin, but determines that the Runic alphabet
is not merely a Roman import or derived from Latin because
the other twelve Runes have absolutely no connection to symbols
outside of the Germanic culture [3]. Scholars also point out
that almost no use of Runes existed in southern Germany --
where cultural contacts with the Romans were more frequent
-- until centuries after it had long achieved relative formality
in Scandinavia [4]. As a result, the Runic alphabet is entirely
an invention of the Germanic cultures independent of Roman
civilization. It is possible to argue that Runes were later
influenced by Latin as trade networks expanded between Germany
and Rome, but this argument is hindered by the fact that very
few reforms occurred on Runic over the centuries that had
any increasing resemblance to Latin. For these reasons, it
seems that Runic was invented almost spontaneously outside
of the empire's reaches.
Most Runes have been traced
to Sweden, where an eclectic array of simplified forms percolated
throughout Denmark and Norway. Due to this frequency, it is
likely that the original Runic standard was invented in Sweden.
The originator is not known. According to the theory of euhemerism,
mythological tales and figures derive at least partially from
historic fact. For example, Odin may have been a legitimate
historical chieftain in ancient Scandinavia or Germany who,
upon his death, became deified as a god much like Alexander
the Great and Octavian were. Since the Edda sources attribute
the creation of Runes to Odin (see above), it is theoretically
possible that at least the foundations of Runes may have been
developed by an ancient Swedish chieftain identified as Odin.
This, of course, is pure theory that cannot be proven or disproven.
Additionally, there seems to have been a far greater veneration
of the wise god Odin in Sweden and Scandinavia than in Germany,
where the god of war Tyr was the primary target of worship.
This amplified focus on the characteristics of wisdom, knowledge,
and Runes in Sweden may imply that Sweden possessed a nascent
and primitive form of a literary and developed community from
which Runes emanated throughout Northern Europe with the historic
human Odin as its legitimate ancestor. This possibility is
strengthened by many ancient sources' depictions of huge centers
of pilgrimage and worship with elaborate hierarchies, rituals,
and gold-swaddled temples with a priestly cast of Godis (Odinic
priests), especially in the Swedish temple of Uppsala. This
may have been the birthplace of the Germanic peoples' independent
system of writing.

An early illustration of Adam von Bremen's report of Odinic
sacrifice in Uppsala, Sweden
Some Runic letters do bear
mysterious similiarity to other systems of writing in the
ancient world. This is in part because stone and wood only
allow very simple and straight lines due to the difficulty
of etching or carving curved symbols. Only on paper and papyrus,
written in China and Egypt respectively, were scripts of very
curved and ornate forms possible. As a result, many of these
societies that only used stone or wood will inherently have
similar-looking writing systems. Therefore, the fact that
the letters of remote Central Asia (Orkhon "Runes")
and the Hungarian Runes from the far away Ural mountains look
similar to Germanic Runic is likely inconsequential.
Another major theory that
the Germanic Runic writing system derived from other written
civilizations is that of the North Italic peoples. The ancient
Etruscans and other Italian tribes in the north of Italy had
written languages and elaborate cultures that predated the
foundations of the Roman Republic. Most scholars who aver
that the German Runes derived from foreign origin consider
the North Italic scripts to be the likely source. One scholar
believes that any partial derivation from North Italic letters
to a new German form must have occurred in the first centuries
BCE before being taken north by the Cimbri and Teutones back
to Denmark [7]. It is impossible or impossible to disprove
this. However, it is unlikely to be the case because of a
variety of factors: 1) most North Italic scripts were relatively
phased out by the time of the creation of the Runic alphabet,
and what little remained were largely subsumed under the Latin-writing
Roman hegemon; 2) Runes appear hundreds of kilometers away
in Scandinavia centuries before they appear anywhere near
Italy; 3) the Etruscans and North Italic tribes, who wrote
on stone, were limited in the angles and shapes of letters
they could produce in the same way that the Germans were,
and thus inevitably looked similar. In addition, only very
few of the Runic letters have any similarity to the German
ones. As a result, it seems again likely that the Germanic
Runes were an independent invention of relatively spontaneous
origin.
Another strange phenomenon
is the existence of the so-called “Hungarian Runes.” The Hungarians
(Magyars) migrated from central Russia/the Urals from the
9th century onward into the Hungarian Steppe of Central Europe,
and their origin has been highly speculated. Their system
of writing appears to have been a script strikingly similar
to Germanic Runes. Upon their king Istvan's conversion to
Catholicism in the 11th century, all of their pre-Christian
"Runic" alphabet was abolished in favor of the Latin
script. It is possible that the Hungarians borrowed this writing
system from stateless German settlers or villagers east of
Germany who they met on their eventual fateful way to Hungary.
So too, the pagan Hungarians were one of the most contumacious
and assiduous rivals of unified Germany (the First Reich)
under King Heinrich the Fowler and Kaiser Otto the Great of
the 10th and 11th centuries, the latter having obliterated
their armies at Lechfeld. This may imply a possible contact
between the two civilizations by which Germanic Runes spread
to the Hungarians, who created a Hungarian analogue. This
is, of course, purely theoretical. The similarities may be
entirely coincidence. What is certain is that the German Runes
did not derive from the Hungarian "Runes" due to
the fact that the German writing system predates the Hungarian
migrations towards Germany by over 400 years.

So-called Hungarian and Etruscan Runes.
Etruscan is similar to Runic only in the superficial appearance.
Few commonalities can be drawn to Runic. Hungarian Runes,
however, are strikingly similar in many ways that make it
arguable that Hungarians borrowed an alphabet from the Germans
when settling in Central Europe. Because Germanic Runes existed
long before Hungarian migration, it cannot be such that Germans
borrowed from Hungarians. Note that only a few Etruscan letters
are shown here because Etruscan is still untranslatable, and
many symbols are used for many different sounds.
There is another theory for
the origin of both Runic and Hungarian Runes referred to as
“Orkhon Runes” or Central Asian Turkic Runes. 7th-century
inscriptions have been found throughout western Mongolia and
Siberia with bizarrely familiar symbols that are common to
German and Hungarian Runes. The Life Rune, the Swastika, and
even the distinctly Germanic Othala Rune of Odin seem to have
been used in Central Asia as well. These Runes probably belong
to the Turkic populations west of Mongolia, and were likely
borrowed from the earlier Sodgian alphabet of their Iranian
predecessors. Although it is reasonable to believe that early
Turkic and Iranian peoples had contact with Germanic peoples,
the fact that the earliest Turkic or Central Asian Runes date
from the 9th century – nearly a thousand years after German
Runes were being developed – implies that the Germanic Runes
are unrelated. It is unusual that the Othala Rune, a very
uniquely German symbol, would appear in the desolate plains
of the east thousands of miles away, but it is likely no more
than coincidence as proven by the independent appearance of
the Swastika all over the world's ancient cultures.
See these articles written
by a Turkish historian claiming that many Germanic Runestones
and inscriptions were actually of Central Asian Turkic origin,
emphasizing a supposed link between the two ethnos: [1]
[2]
(Thanks to Murat Sezen)

Orkhon Runes from Central Asia, which
are likely Turkic instead of Mongol design and derived from
Iranian Sogdian script, has the most similarities to Germanic
Runes next to Hungarian Runes. The Life Rune and the Odin
Rune are both present.
Runestones throughout the world:
Runestones are large stone
landmarks and way-signs engraved with Runic inscriptions that
date back over 1,500 years. Typically, metal and stone tools
were used to carve indentations into the rock face, and paint
or dye was smeared into the recesses to leave a lasting imprint.
A major problem with evidence is that thousands of Runestones
were destroyed for their pagan, non-Christian roots by the
Christian authorities of Olaf Tryggvasson of Norway and other
proponents of the new faith in Scandinavia. So too, the very
wet, damp climate of Scandinavia makes seaside stones with
Runic inscriptions prone to moss and fungus growth that quickly
erases the Runes. Many Runestones have been discovered by
accident near private homes. As a result, evidence important
to historians may exist of which we are as yet unaware. We
may therefore never know exactly how developed, civilized,
and literate German societies were prior to the adoption of
Christendom.
Predictably, the history
of prolific conquest in the Viking age saw the spread of the
Runic alphabet and Runic inscriptions throughout the non-Germanic
world. Runestones have been found in France, Ireland, Scotland,
the Baltic, and may have even spread to Russia and the Middle
East, where Vikings traded with native peoples and probably
exchanged “useless” Runic-inscribed artisanry for goods. The
vast majority of Runestones outside the Germanic world date
from the 7th-10th centuries, precisely the Viking Age that
ended with the Christianization of Scandinavia (the last Germanic
region to be converted). It is possible that Vikings left
Runic inscriptions in Canada, where Vikings were the first
modern Europeans to discover the New World (500 years before
Columbus). Some monuments in Minnesota and the American Northeast
claim to have ancient Runic artifacts, but this is largely
assumed to be a farce. Since Germanic settlement in North
America was so brief and ephemeral, it is unlikely that Vikings
struggling to survive would take the time to write elaborate
historical documents on Runestones. However, Iceland, from
which the Nordic settlers in America came on their way from
Greenland to Canada, were among the most literate of the Germanic
peoples in Runic and in Odinic religious tradition. As a result,
many Runic relics invaluable to our understanding of ancient
Germanic culture is likely lost.
Most Runestones are very
simple, and include imagery such as ships, animals, hunting
rites, and only a few actual Runes. Most do not actually include
any actual message whatsoever in the Runic alphabet. Instead,
they include individual Runes intended to honor specific gods
(such as Odin or Thor) or to channel the spiritual significance
of each Rune (such as protection or reinforcing the king's
authority). Some Runestones in Sweden especially have elaborate
poetry and stories with intricate artwork, as seen below.
Others describe alliance and trade bonds, family triumphs,
and Odinist prayers. Most Runestones available for viewing
today are incredibly faded and difficult to read. Although
the original pan-Germanic language has evolved into regional
dialects such as Norwegian and today's German, any speaker
of Icelandic or even German can understand many Runic writings.

Odin on his 6-legged horse
Schleipnir on a Runestone

(from library.hartsem.edu)



(from http://www.wonderquest.com/english2-big-changes.htm)

(from Odinsvolk.ca)



(from solarnavigator.com)
The
Runes and Runic alphabet as embraced by racialist pan-Germanic
nationalists and the Nazis:
The Runic alphabet, having
been for the most part subsumed under the respective nations'
evolved Christian cultures with their Latin-based scripts
for nearly 1,000 years, made a significant comeback in the
late 19th century in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia. As
an intense racial and cultural nationalism proliferated throughout
most European cultures, the Germanic peoples -- despite over
1,000 years of divergent histories and often war with each
other -- began to emphasize their shared genetic heritage.
Runes became synonymous with a romanticized ancient Germanic
bloodline. For many Germans, the Runes signified the longstanding
historical and cultural heritage of reunified Germany (the
Second Reich of 1871 under Bismarck). For others of the racialist
far-right (whose ideology quickly became the dominant belief
in Germany), the Runes signified an ethereal proof of the
semi-divide origin of the Germanic or Aryan race. Many bizarre
mystics considered the Germans to be descended from a race
of giants or gods who directly came to earth before being
polluted by mixing with inferior races, especially the Jews.
The Runes were thus the ancient language of Heaven. Others,
like Adolf Hitler, dismissed these ridiculous mystical claims,
but acknowledged the Germans and their Runic language as proof
of an inherently superior "culture-creating" race
of civilization-builders to contrast from the "culture-bearing"
races. Although according to sources Hitler had little interest
in Runes and this occult frivolity, the ultranationalist racialism
of the Third Reich made Runes retain a semi-divine association.
Heinrich Himmler, the second-in-command and leader of the
Nazi SS, considered Runes to be the mystical and holy writing
system of the revived ancient Germanic religion that combined
National Socialism with the defunct Odinism. Although these
ideological-religious concepts are exaggerated and often breathtakingly
ridiculous, Germany's claim to a common descent from the Nordic
peoples, the ancient Nordic religion, and the Runes was completely
legitimate, as illustrated above.
The first Germanic racialist-nationalist
to imbue ancient Runes with a religious significance was Guido
von List of Austria in the 19th century. For more thorough
analysis of this bizarre process of racialist-religious occultism,
please read Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's quick and excellent
The Occult Roots of Nazism. Von List's consciousness
of the Germanic peoples' shared Nordic and Runic heritage
proliferated to increasingly-popular nationalist groups in
Germany, Denmark, and Friesland (the Netherlands). The former
priest von Liebenfels employed Runes as a perceived proof
for the natural, biological creativity and superiority of
the Germanic knights and orders. Many obsessed ultra-nationalist
mystics believed that the Runes were a magical language that,
if unlocked, would imbue Germany with the power to dominate
the world, consign the lesser races of the world to subjugated
slavery, and unlock the god-powers of their heavenly ancestors
[5]. Some nationalist mystics, who joined chivalrous societies
based upon the German Teutonic
Order and the Knights Templar, practiced magical "Runic
gymnastics" like yoga in which they would mold their
bodies in the shapes of Runes to gain spiritual energy. From
this perspective, the Runes of the 3rd century CE were portrayed
as the impetus to all civilizations' cultural, linguistic,
and literary creativity. Of course, this is absurd.
The Swastika is a symbol
of obvious significance. It appears all across the world with
a completely unrelated origin: in India and Southeast Asia,
it symbolizes good luck and positive reincarnation, whilst
in Scandinavia and Germany, ancient Runes symbolized the sun
and its all-pervasive power and strength. The Swastika symbol
appeared in ancient Germany without any derivation from India.
In Germany, this Rune became popular as a result of many theories:
one theory emphasizes the occult bond of the nationalist Nazis
with Indian theosophical mystic movements; others aver that
Hitler chose the symbol because of its mesmerizing effect;
others note that the "Swastika" was indeed an ancient
Rune that had nothing to do with the Indian Swastika. The
actual origin of the Swastika is a source of eclectic dispute.
Runes played a significant
part in the German ideology of the Third Reich (1933-45).
Runic symbology functioned as tools of propaganda that instilled
in the Germans a feeling of a spiritual connection with their
ancient bloodline, one that according to Nazi ideology gave
them the right to dominate lesser races. The SS, the elite
legions of the state, adorned their helmets with the ancient
Rune corresponding to the "S" lightning bolt of
the Runic alphabet that signified strength and dominance.
The SS, which adopted National Socialist ideology to create
a pseudo-religion that blended Christian monotheism with ancient
Odinism, founded a headquarters at the mysterious Medieval
castle of Wewelsburg, an obscure and deeply eerie location
that I was fortunate enough to see myself (my photos are shown
below). On the floor of the main hall, a massive sun-wheel
can be seen etched into the marble floor that is based upon
a radiating Swastika Rune. In another room in the dungeon
that was intended to function as a type of holy shrine to
the deceased heroes of the Third Reich and ancient German
history, a huge luminous Swastika Rune can be seen on the
ceiling (see my photo of it below). Official SS rings (pictured
below) included the Tyr rune (the letter "T"), the
Runic Swastika, and the sun-wheel. The "life" Rune
(the letter "Y") was frequently used to symbolize
the Germanic World Tree Yggdrasil and the beauty of healthy
reproduction, and has been recently used by neo-Nazi groups
to symbolize the presciousness of white children (new life).
As is apparent, the ancient
Germanic Runes were reinvested with religious significance
by the pan-Germanic nationalists after 1,000 years of historical
pause upon the end of the Viking era. Although the Germans'
claim to this ancient heritage is fully legitimate, it is
undeniable that the Nazis warped their original meanings into
unrelated modern associations. Heinrich Himmler believed that
the Runes would ensure the mastery of the Reich over Europe,
and hoped that the Edda texts of Medieval Iceland would guide
him to alleviate Germany's dire situation in their war against
the Soviets. One source even claims that he sought to bring
Thor's mythological hammer into reality as a lightning weapon
or tesla coil to defeat new Soviet tanks [6].

The Thule Society (Thule-Gesellschaft)
was the early occult group that in part gave rise to Nazi
symbology in Germany. Runic and pre-Christian Germanic religion
were revered. Many scholars believe Hitler and the National
Socialists derived their ideology from this group's occult
polemics.

My photo of Heinrich Himmler's official documents, alongside
two SS Runes, from the obscure and rarely-seen Wewelsburg
castle, headquarters of the SS. (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

My photo of a diagram of the official SS ring, complete with
the Swastika, Lightning Bolt, and Sun-wheel, and Tyr Runes
from the official SS Wewelsburg headquarters. (CLICK
TO ENLARGE)

My personal photo of the radiant sun-like Swastika on the
ceiling of the venerated tomb-shrine of the SS. (CLICK
TO ENLARGE)

My photo of a wall-diagram depicting the sun-wheel Rune
(on which the German Swastika was based) on the floor of the
main hall in the SS headquarters of Wewelsburg. Photography
of the Rune itself is not allowed due to entropy.
(CLICK TO ENLARGE)
The
influence of Runes today, symbols of popular culture and "New
Age" movements
After World War II, the Allies
occupying Axis Germany, Hungary, Austria, and Italy made most
“racist” symbols illegal. As the Nazis employed Runes like
that of Odin and the SS bolt Runes, both symbols are intensely
eschewed by the modern governments despite those symbol's
integral part in early Germanic history that originally had
no association with any genocides until it was adopted by
the Nazis. The Swastika, for obvious reasons, is banned. The
Hungarians, who actively participated with Hitler's Germany
in the war and, following the seizure of power by the Hungarian
Arrow Cross nationalists in 1944, adopted ancient Hungarian
"Runes" whilst expelling and murdering its hated
Gypsy and Jewish populations. As a result, the Arrow Cross
"Rune" is banned in Hungary as well. Modern-day
Asatruars (Odin-worshippers/heathens/pagans), even in the
rare cases that they do not adhere to racialist ideologies,
are still forbidden to express the government-protected right
to religious expression because of the Runes' association
with the crimes of the Nazi legacy. Finnish and Estonian culture
have used their analogue of the Swastika for millennia on
their flags and standards and even airplanes (see the flag
below), and continued to do so during their alliance with
Hitler during World War II and even today. Although it was
attached to fervent Finnish ethnic nationalism, it has escaped
the association with genocide because of the Finns' lack of
involvement in the crimes committed by their allies in Germany,
Hungary, and Romania.
Over the last 50 years, Runes
have since become attached with the racialist, white nationalist,
and Neo-Nazi movements in America and Europe. The Othala Rune
of Odin, the Life Rune, the Thorn, and the Swastika (obviously)
are particularly common among skinhead groups like the Aryan
Nations and National Alliance. The National Alliance uses
the "Y" Rune of the World Tree to express their
adoration for white children. Other Odinic symbols, such as
the triple-triangle of Odin (Valknut) are common. For this
reason, Runes are typically discouraged for their racist association
today, and the Runes themselves have moved away from being
religious symbols, icons of ancient Germanic heritage, or
a writing system to one of symbolic racism. Although some
Asatruars (syncretic New Age “Odinists”) claim to be non-racialist
and tolerant, the rebirth of pre-Christian Germanic religion
is almost universally complimented by racialist idea in Germanic
blood, purity, and freedom from the “taint” of foreign races'
cultural influences (like the Semites' religion of Jesus Christ).
The Church of Odin or Asatruarfelagid (see their
official religion's website here)
is an officially-recognized church in the Lutheran-dominated
nation of Iceland today, and includes thousands of adherents.
As a result, the expression of Runes is a seriously controversial
issue in Germany and Scandinavia today.
The Runic alphabet is also
used for other obscure and irrelevant purposes. Because of
the incredibly practical and simple nature of the Runic alphabet
that can be used when writing anything from Hungarian to English,
many sub-cultures and New Age groups that have nothing to
do with Germandom use the Runic alphabet as a secret and esoteric
language. It is very easy to memorize. Even Satanist cults
have been found to use Runic for their Satanic rituals because
no relevant language exists or they are only capable of learning
simple systems like Runic (“Pact with the Devil,” Investigation
Discovery Channel).
In conclusion,
so few even realize how prevalent and influential the Runic
and pre-Christian Germanic culture is. Longstanding reliance
upon inherently biased and discriminatory Roman sources have
given the early Germans an image of barbarism. Hopefully,
the information presented in this article has articulated
that the Germanic people of the early 1st millennium were
far more cultivated and creative than we are currently able
to appreciate given our available source material. Influences
manifest in daily life almost undetected. Almost all the rituals
of modern Christmas -- holly, mistletoe, the tree, lights
and food, feasting rituals of pork and alcohol, and the Yule
log tradition directly came from pre-Christian Germanic tradition
that the Germanic Anglo-Saxons passed to the English-speaking
world. Even the symbol for the Danish company Bluetooth
is a combination of two Runes, and refers to the Odinist unifier
of Viking Denmark Harald Bluetooth (although he converted
to Christianity before his death). Excluding Saturday (from
the Roman god Saturn), all of the days of the week understood
throughout the Germanic- and English-speaking world derive
from gods of the pre-Christian Germanic religion: Monday (Mon's
Day), Tuesday (Tue/Tyr's), Wednesday (Wedne/Woden/Odin's),
Thursday/Donnerstag (Thor's Day or Thunder Day), Friday/Freitag
(Frey's), and Sunday (the day of the sun god). The many elf
languages of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, written
by the Germanic romantic J.R.R. Tolkein, derive completely
from Runic, as does most of the entire saga itself. The Icelandic
alphabet today still includes the Thor rune for the same sound,
and thousands of families have the names Thor or Thorsson.
Nearly all fantasy novels, games, and Role-Playing Games (RPGs),
especially Blizzard's best-selling Diablo II and Warcraft,
are all tremendously derived from ancient Germanic culture,
religion, mythology, and directly use Runestones as bearers
of magical properties. The full resplendence and historical
influence of ancient Germanic religion, culture, and its articulated
literary expression (Runes) cannot sufficiently be appreciated
as long as we continue to base our understanding of history
on obsolescent and one-sided sources from the Roman perspective.

The Odin Rune has been used after
the war for racist purposes, as seen here. This flag was not
used during World War II at all.

Finland used the Swastika on its flag
when it was part of the Axis in World War II. Although it
did not originally have anything to do with the typical German
meaning, racist ideology pervaded in all of Europe during
the war and especially in Axis nations. Finnish culture --
even before its near-universal adoption of Germanic culture
during Swedish Lutheran rule -- shares much in common with
early Germanic traditions even in its folklore, such as in
the Kalevala. Although Finns today effectively have a Germanic/Scandinavian
culture, most believe that they descend from a distinct Finno-Ugric
group.

The ubiquitous logo of the modern
Bluetooth company. This is a combination of two Runes. "Bluetooth"
is named after Harald Bluetooth, the first Christian-Viking
king of unified Denmark in the 9th century.
________________________________________
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
James Mayfield is a historian
and the Chairman of the European Heritage Library. I have
a Cum Laude BA in History with a Minor in Germanic Studies
(language and history), am presently working for my Masters
in History, and plan to immediately progress to my PhD Doctorate.
I have a special academic interest in Europe's diverse ethnic
identities, languages, and cultures, and the political struggles
of native European and immigrant minority identities. See
my staff entry for more information.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
[1] Pringle, Heather. The
Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust. New
York: Hyperion Books, 2006. Page 59.
[2] Todd, Malcolm. The
Early Germans. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.
Page 117.
[3] Todd, Malcolm. The
Early Germans. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.
Page 118.
[4] Todd, Malcolm. The
Early Germans. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004.
Page 14.
[5] Pringle, Heather. The
Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust. New
York: Hyperion Books, 2006. Page 55.
[6] Pringle, Heather. The
Master Plan: Himmler's Scholars and the Holocaust. New
York: Hyperion Books, 2006. Page 282.
[7] Derry, T. K. History
of Scandinavia. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota
Press, 1979. Page 11.
Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas.
The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and their
Influence on Nazi Ideology. London: I.B. Tauris and Co:
1992.
"Pact with the Devil,"
Investigation Discovery Channel
Asatruarfelagid, official
Odinist church of Iceland. See their website.
The Poetic Edda. Translated by Lee M. Hollander.
Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1962.
Omniglot.com for research
information and many comparative scripts
most of the images displayed
are not our property. I was unable to isolate many of the
original owners. If you find that you are the owner, feel
free to notify us to get credit.
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