Handbuch der Germanischen Mythologie by Wolfgang Golther
QR code
"Handbuch der Germanischen Mythologie" by Wolfgang Golther is a scholarly handbook written in the late 19th century. It offers a comprehensive, source-critical account of Germanic pagan belief, from folk spirits and gods to cosmology and cult practice, meant both as a clear narrative and a usable reference. The work emphasizes trustworthy primary evidence, distinguishes secure tradition from conjecture, and relates Nordic materials to continental Germanic traces. The opening of the handbook sets
its scope and method in a brief preface: it will treat only the first millennium, tell clearly what reliable sources attest, exclude bold guesses, and serve as a reference with translated Nordic passages and careful notes. It then provides pronunciation and abbreviation guides and a detailed contents outline covering an introduction to scholarship and sources, sections on “lower” mythology, the gods, creation and world’s end, and forms of worship. The introduction begins with a history of research before Grimm, from early modern compilers and the revival of Nordic texts (Saxo, Eddas) to popularizers like Mallet and the Romantic turn. It surveys competing methods—euhemerism, symbolic and naturalistic readings—and the debate over the authenticity of Eddaic myth (with skeptics like Rühs opposed by P. E. Müller and Grimm). Next it presents Grimm’s decisive contribution as a vast, non‑systematic collection grounded in language and sources, while noting limits in his use of folk material. Finally, it sketches later developments: stricter source criticism, caution with folk and hero tales, and the rise and overreach of comparative and meteorological/solar theories (Schwartz, Kuhn, Max Müller), underscoring the need for disciplined, evidence‑based interpretation at the outset. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Golther, Wolfgang, 1863-1945 |
|---|---|
| LoC No. | 03025307 |
| Title | Handbuch der Germanischen Mythologie |
| Original Publication | Leipzig: Verlag von S Heirzel, 1895. |
| Credits | Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Language | German |
| LoC Class | BL: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Religion: General, Miscellaneous and Atheism |
| Subject | Mythology, Germanic |
| Subject | Germanic peoples -- Religion |
| Subject | Culture, Germanic |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 77891 |
| Release Date | Feb 8, 2026 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 269 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!