DIE IWWERLIEFERING

Lüsch-Müsselman Graabhof - Urglaawe

2012-01-23T21:31:00.005-05:00

The Lüsch-Müsselman Graabhof is an Urglaawe cemetery in West Mahoning Township, Carbon County, PA. This location is in northern Deitscherei.

The cemetery also contains graves of Christian (Schwenkfelder, Lutheran, Mennonite) ancestors whose religious choices will always be respected. However, the grounds on the remainder of the Graabhof are dedicated to the goddess Holle and to the future founding of an Urglaawe temple to be maintained by Distelfink Sippschaft.

For more information, please contact Robert Lüsch Schreiwer.

Black Friday Mayhem

2011-11-26T11:26:00.001-05:00

The news reports from yesterday and from this morning have most certainly triggered in many of you the same reaction that they did in me: revulsion.

Just skirting the headlines, we see a shooting, a pepper spraying incident, another trampling, and a mass looting.

From Braucherei, Urglaawer learn that the intentions behind a gift, which would also include the process of obtaining the gift, are imprinted energetically upon the gift. When a procurement of a gift is the result of theft, violence, or subterfuge, the gift becomes toxic to the recipient. While the Wurt (Wyrd) of the perpetrator will deservedly be impacted by the actual inhumane act, unfortunately, so will the Wurt of the recipient be negatively affected.

Our society has been reduced, somehow, to going below the lowest common denominator; we are in fractions of fractions at this point. The consumer culture hyperbolizes the Black Friday sales, thus whipping up a fervor among those who willingly buy into the frenzy. The mayhem is abetted by a media that are always looking for ways simultaneously to condemn and to glorify social drama.

On the large, social scale, this annual disorder will not change. However, among the various Heathen paths, we can strive to ensure that our holiday observances do not become overtaken by meaningless consumerism.

Surely there are many reasons to purchase and to give gifts to one another. In fact, the gift exchange is a hallmark of Heathenry. However, we must be conscious of the intentions behind our gifts and of the state of mind we are in when packing and presenting them. To do otherwise is to behave irresponsibly with ourselves and our communities.

As we progress towards Yule, let us reject the chaos that has beset our nation. Instead, let us attune ourselves to the best interests of our communities and our collective and individual Wurt.

Furious Host/Wild Hunt Representations in Deitsch Culture

2010-11-02T13:10:00.003-04:00

Now, as we enter the dark half of the spiritual year, we are once again seeing costumes, marching in parades, and answering the knocks of trick-or-treaters on our doors. Heathens of all stripes know that we are witnessing the remnants of the folk symbolically taking part in the Furious Host, or the Wild Hunt.

Local Deitsch culture represents the Furious Host in several ways. The vast majority of people who engage in some of these traditions are almost certainly unaware of the Heathen origins of their parades or festivities, but some of the Braucherei practitioners reported the relationship of the traditions to the Furious Host and kept the true meaning of the traditions alive.

Unfortunately, the wider American culture's influence has seeped into almost all of the Deitscherei, particularly when overt efforts to assimilate the Deitsch began after 1911. Thus, some of the local culture's traditional practices have changed. Originally, Allelieweziel (October 31) was not a time of tricks-or-treats.... Well, it was a time of people dressing up in costume, perhaps for the "tricks" portion of it. More commonly, the belief was that it was more important to focus on the safe transition of the souls of the departed (which leads to the question of whether there is meshing or influence one way or the other with the Christian All Soul's Day).

The next appearance of people dressed in costumes is referred to in English now as King Frost. This was more a time of dread as the cold weather was setting upon the land. However, the local culture has lost most of this fear, with the only remnant of any aspect of the observance being a huge parade in Hamburg that includes costumes, etc. It is usually held in November (though this year it was in October), and the establishment of this parade was more for commercial celebration than for the faded ties to the local folklore. Urglaawer and Braucherei do not see this time as one of celebration at all; instead, we recognize the Frost Giants hold on our soil until Dunner beats back three of them (named, with varied spellings, Dreizehdax, Vatzehvedder, and Fuffzehfux on May 13, 14, and 15th respectively).

The next appearance of costumes is known since Christian times as St. Nicholas Day. This is when Der Belsnickel, who is almost certainly a Christian-sanitized version of Wodan, comes door to door all wrapped in furs and wearing a large hat, to reward good children and to punish bad children... But even in rewarding good children, the rewards often require the child to answer a riddle or to show some sort of wisdom. Children who grab for gifts or candies (traditionally, it was chestnuts) may have to dodge the whip of a switch. The Belsnickel tradition is on the upswing in several parts of Deitscherei, but in some places, it is becoming very Americanized, meaning that it is losing the danger of reaching for rewards without showing wisdom.

During Yuletide, children in Deitscherei would dress in costume and go out for tricks-or-treats. To this day, the practice is still called "belsnickeling," whether it happens at Yuletide or on Halloween. Much of the American secular Christmas concept came into being through the Deitsch culture with Santa and Mrs. Claus (read: Wodan and Holle) out on their journey through the sky.

Some of the other traditions that were present in the Colonies or the Early Republic have waned or disappeared. New Year's Day would bring about Mummenschanz parades (the roots of the big Mummers Parade in Philadelphia, though that is a later incarnation). Fat Tuesday costume parades were Heathen holdovers that had the Christian Fastnacht grafted onto them, but those have virtually disappeared from the Deitscherei. There are sparse records of people dressing in costume for small parades around April Fool's Day, but I do not believe this was a widespread practice.

The culmination of parades with their roots in the Furious Host would be Walpurgisnacht, which is when Holle returns to the Earth and the Furious Host ends. While in Germany, Walpurgisnacht celebrations are large events, they never seemed to have taken root in the Deitscherei. However, a volume of folklore and myths has surrounded a site in Northampton County since the Colonial Era. Local lore tells of strange experiences at this site, which is known as Hexenkopf or Hexekopp.

Hexenkopf is one of the sacred peaks or mountaintops in the Deitscherei. It is said to be spiritually active at all times, with animals behaving strangely (appearing and disappearing), shadowy figures approaching hikers and vanishing, etc. On Walpurgisnacht, the frequency of spiritual activity has long been said to be unusually high.

The Christian settlers feared the site and said that witches gathered there on Walpurgisnacht. Some practitioners of Braucherei, though, instead identified Hexenkopf as the home of Holle here in the new settlement. As such, Holle is viewed as the Mother of the Deitsch folk, and Urglaawer celebrate the return of Holle from the Furious Host at Hexenkopf. German Heathen groups have recently begun to make annual pilgrimages to the site as well.

One of the goals of Distelfink Sippschaft is to revive the other traditions of the old parades and to reattach the original significance to the observances that have not died out. We are fortunate enough to live in an area and to have access to a culture that has so much knowledge that was guarded by the practitioners of the old ways.

Redemptioners

2010-10-11T11:10:00.002-04:00

A part of Deitsch culture that is heard of very infrequently is the history of the Redemptioners or Redemptionists. These are the first-generation Deitsch settlers who placed themselves into indentured servitude (read: slavery) in order to afford the journey to the Colonies.

Numerous books cite the historical existence of the Redemptioners, but few go into detail as much as True Heroes of Provincial Pennsylvania, by Julius F. Sachse. This book is old and was not easy to find. Fortunately, however, it was digitized in 2009 with funding from the University of Pittsburgh Library System.

The piece describes very well the vagaries of the Redemptioner system, starting with the agents who were slick enough to convince Palatines to emigrate without having their fare paid. Thus, they were forced to sign themselves into slavery, and then their labor was sold, whether on shipboard, at the ports, or in caravans over the countryside. Resistance meant death or imprisonment. Sachse asserts that the conditions under which the Redemptioners lived were often worse than those of the slaves in the South.

Other books, such as William T. Parsons', Pennsylvania Germans: A Persistent Minority, cite the sympathy that the Deitsch had with the plight of the Southern slaves. One way to view this sympathy is from the shared experiences of the Deitsch pioneers, many of whom had lived in virtual slavery in Europe and were witnessing similar conditions in the South. Redemptioners who had paid off their bondage also would be sympathetic to the slaves of the South, too. As such, the first protest against slavery in the Americas took place in Germantown, PA, in 1688.

Many of us here in the Deitscherei have at least one ancestor who was a Redemptioner. Many, if not most of us, have no idea what sacrifices the Redemptioners made for their families. This cruel, exploitative practice, along with the abominable institution of slavery against which our ancestors shed their blood, should not be forgotten, lest we be doomed to repeat it.

Distelfink Sippschaft

2010-10-07T18:03:00.002-04:00

Distelfink Sippschaft now has a new presence on the web:

http://www.distelfink.org

Deitsches Wikipedia

2009-10-05T09:59:00.000-04:00

Es gibt yetz en Blatt uff 'em Deitsch Wikipedia:

http://pdc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urglaawe

Un, nadierlich, uff Englisch:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urglaawe

Annere Bledder:

http://urglaawe.ning.com - Die Distelfink Sippschaft

http://community.beliefnet.com/urglaawe

Mir Sinn Neie Urglaawe-Gewebbledder Yetz Am Baue!

2007-12-25T02:29:00.000-05:00

http://www.urglaawe.org

http://www.urglaawe.mobi (fer die beweegliche Geraetschaft)

Beide Gewebbledder waerre uff Deitsch un Englisch gschriwwe sei.

Hallicher Yuul!

2007-12-21T13:03:00.000-05:00

Ich weess, as ich keh Gaab dazu hab, doch hawwich 's Bild unnich heit gmacht .

Viele Sege zu alle Urglaawer!

Heel die Wane!
Heel die Ase!
Heel 's Volk!

Englisch :)

2007-12-15T11:34:00.000-05:00

http://urglaawe.blogspot.com

Was iss der Urglaawe?

2007-12-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

Wammer "Urglaawe" saage, mer meine, waricklich, "Asatru," awwer "Asatru" bedeidet "trei zu den Asa." Mer sinn aa zu den Wanir, awwer Vanatru is fer uns gaar nicht genunk genaa. Urglawwe bedeidet zu uns "es alt Wandel" un der Glaawe, zum unsere Voreldre treie warre. Mer sinn yo aa Asatruar un mer halde uns zu den Asa un Wanir dreie, awwer uff Deitsch saage, as mer "Urglaawere" sinn. 'S Wandel bleibt nooch in der Pennsilfaanisch-Deitsche Kultur, un mer misse meh davun lanne.

Fer Leit, die uff Englisch schwetze:
Ur = original
Glaawe = faith
so geht's: Urglawwe = original faith
der Urglaawer = adherent to the original faith (m.)
die Urglaawerin = adherent to the original faith (f.)
die Urglaawer = adherents to the original faith (pl.)

Heel den Asa un Wane!

Heel Gna!

2007-12-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

Der Gschwindichkeet ihre beliebte Gottin, Handmaedel vun der Frigga. Du mit deim Gaul, Hófvarpnir (Hufschmeisser) bringscht die Wadde vun der Frigga zu alle. Du ziegscht vun uns, wann versichert, Hinnernisse ab, un Du Hinnernisse wammer 'n Eihalding brauche. Heit denke mer an Dich!

Heel Gna!

Heel Frigga!

Hallich Dankfescht!

2007-11-22T13:31:00.000-05:00

Heit gewwe mir Danke fer alle die Gschenke, die mir in unsere Lewe henn.

HEELE ZE DE GEDDER UN DE GEDDERINE!

Dorsege Versammling

2007-10-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

Heit (15 Newweling) sammle mir uns im Heimdaalhof am 19:30 um der Dor zu sege. Bis dann!

Fehu Schwetzt Heit Zu Uns

2007-10-24T12:41:00.000-04:00

Un heit denkt mer ihn draa....

Heel Frigga!

2007-10-19T14:42:00.000-04:00

Die schtill Gottin (Gedderin) vun der Heiraat, der Liewe, der Familye, der Kindergeburt, un der Faadekunscht!

'M Wodin sei Fraa, un 'm Balder sei grenkti Mudder, heel zu Dir, Frigga, die Wewerin vun Wyrd!

Kumm mol zu uns un nimm unsere Gschenker aa!

Du wehrscht unsere Heiser iwwer, un du webscht der Fruch in unsere Familye

Denki fer dei Verwaahring un dei Fruch!

Heel Frigga!

Die Naame fer die Munedde un die Daage (zu der Iwwerlieferingiewing)

2007-10-09T21:31:00.001-04:00

Yenner: die Hadding
Hanning: der Hanning; die Hanning
Matz: die Lenzing (selde, doch gheert)
Abrill: die Oschdret
Moi: die Wonnet
Yuni: die Broochet
Yuli: die Hoiet (oft benutzt allgmee fer die Summerzeit)
Aagscht: die Aernet
September: die Scheiding
Oktower: die Gehling
Nowember: die Newweling
Disember: die Yuuling; die Yuhling

Sunndaag: Sunndaag (fer Sunna)
Muundaag: Muundaag (fer der Muun)
Dinschdaag: Dinschdaag adder Duischdaag ('s Ding (Dui))
Mittwoch: Wodanschdaag
Dunnerschdaag: Dunnerschdaag adder Dorschdaag (fer Dunner)
Freidaag: Freidaag adder Freydaag (fer Frey un fer Freya)
Samschdaag: Saeterdaag adder Sigynschdaag (fer Sigyn (Saeter))

Braucherei: En Fenschder zu der Vergangeheit

2007-10-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

Viele Deitsche Leit henn nadurlich vun der Braucherei un der Hexerei gheert. Wie sett mer diese Iwwerlieferinge in Asatru benutze?

Aerscht, mir misse die alt Auskunft finne. 'S gibt viele Bicher un annere Media.

Zwett, mir misse vun de Brauchere/inne lanne. Liewer Braucher/Liewe Braucherin, helf uns mol unser Erwe in unsere Hatzer in unser Gwiss widderherzuschtelle!

Dritt, mir misse uns immer errine: Der alt Wandel hot nimmi uffgedrickelt. Er iss mit uns in der Deitscherei darrich die Braucherei (un, yo, Hexerei un annere Iwwerbleibsle) noch am Dauere.

Viert, mir misse unser alt Wandel ausschtudiere, aanehme, un darrichfolye!

Heel zum Æsir un zum Wanir!

Wichdiche Verschtandnisse

2007-10-03T10:34:00.000-04:00

wyrd: Wyrd (m.); Gwaerd (m.)
Ørlög: Urleeg (n.)
frith: Fruch (m.); mer kennt aa "Fried" saage, awwer "Fruch" deidet "Ordning" aa.

Die Reenheide

2007-10-01T17:19:00.000-04:00

Courage: der Mut
Truth: die Waahrheit
Honor: die Ehr
Fidelity/Troth: die Treie
Discipline: die Addning/Ordning
Hospitality: die Uffwaarting
Self-Reliance: es Selbscht-Zuverdraue
Industriousness: die Schaffichheit
Perseverance/Steadfastness: die Ausdauer
Wisdom: die Weisheit
Equality: die Gleichheit
Kinship: die Freindschaft/Verwandschaft
Generosity: der Edelmut
Strength: die Schtarick

Un mir Pennsilfaanische Deitsche gsetze dazu:

es Mitleid: Compassion
die Neigierheit: Curiosity (eager to learn)
die Bedrachdung/es Eisehnes: Respect (for others)
die Selbschtvisidiering adder der Selbschtreiguck: Introspection
die Selbschtverbessring: Self-Improvement

Etliche Wadde uff Deitsch

2007-09-26T20:05:00.000-04:00

rune = Roon (w.); pl. = Raane
Odin / Wotan = Wodin (m.)
Thor = Dor (m.), Don (m.)
Balder = Balder (m.)
Borr = Borr (m.)
Bragi = Braggi (m.)
Buri = Burri (m.)
Dagr = Daager (m.)
Delling = Delling (m.)
Eir = Eer (w.)
Forseti = Vorseti (m.) adder Forseti (m.)
Freyja = Freia (w.) adder Freya (w.)
Freyr - Frey (m.) adder Freyer (m.) adder Ing (m.)
Frigga = Frigga (w.)
Fulla = Fulla (w.)
Gefjun = Gefyuun (w.)
Hel = Hel (w.)
Heimdall = Heimdall (m.)
Idunn - Iduun (w.) adder Idunn (w.)
Loki = Looki (m.) adder Lookei (m.)
Sigyn/Saeter = Saeter (w.) adder Sæter (w.)
Sunna = Sunna (w.)
Tyr = Dui, Din adder Dyr (m.)

Die Nornir:
Skuld = Skuld (w.) adder Schkuld (w.)
Verðandi = Verdandi (w.)
Urðr = Urd (w.)

meh schpeeder

En Blatz fer Heid un Asatru do im Pennsilfaani?

2007-09-26T19:43:00.000-04:00

Mer sett en Tempel adder en Hof dazu baue.

Do schtudiert en Mensch allerdings en Gottsmann (Goði) zu waerre, awwer wammer annere Leit finne kennt, die schunnt Gottsmenner adder Gottsfraawe sinn, dann sette mer mit ihne zammegeh.

Nadurlich meecht mer die Mudderschprooch aawende, awwer mer kennt aa Englisch schwetze (wammer misse)!

Es Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Heidbindnis

2007-09-26T19:26:00.000-04:00

'S heidisch Bindnis fer die Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch Leit im Pennsilfaani un der ganz Welt.