Donar’s club

A Donar or Hercules club is an elongated amulet made of antlers, bone, wood or bronze decorated with eyes, stripes or crosses. The amulets were made between the 3rd and 7th centuries and were exclusively worn by women.

The connection between the amulets and the Germanic thunder god is said to emerge from an early specimen found in Cologne, on which the words DIO HER (CULI) were found. Hercules was the way the Romans interpreted the Germanic deity Donder (Donar/Þorr, etc.).

Unlike the more commonly known Mjölnir amulets, these clubs were not worn as a pendant around the neck, but were used as ear or belt pendants. These clubs have been mostly found in Germany and the Low Countries.

(Translation. Original post can be found in the Dutch channel @WodanistischeOmroep)

Strettweg Cult Wagon

The Strettweg Cult Wagon is a religious object from the Celtic Hallstatt culture, found inside a burial mound in Strettweg, Austria.

Due to the animals on the wagon, it has been interpreted as a depiction of sacrifice.

The wagon most likely served as an object for offerings to a god, as seen by the small libation bowl held by the female figure in the centre.

Rübezahl

Rübezahl, also known as Krakonoš in Czech, is a mountain spirit inhabiting the Giant Mountains between Silesia and Bohemia. Using the name Rübezahl provokes his anger, instead respectful names such as “Lord of the Mountains” should be used.

He is usually a friendly character towards good people, giving them knowledge and presents. Towards bad people however, he will play the role of a trickster to take his revenge om them.

Many of Rübezahl’s features indicate that the spirit possibly represents the Germanic deity Wodan. He is able to control the weather, much like Wodan. The way he shares knowledge with good people is also similar to the Germanic god.

Even closer to Wodan is his appearance: the Lord of the Mountains often wears a dark cloak and is depicted having a long beard. While he is wearing this dark cloak, he also carries a cane which could be compared to Wodan’s spear.

One such tradition, also heavily under attack, is Black Pete (Zwarte Piet) in the Low Countries, a tradition stemming from the Germanic Wotan cult.

The current way Black Pete is depicted is based on images of Moors from the 13th century, which were widely known in Europe back then. However, the origin of both Black Pete and Saint Nicholas in this tradition, which he accompanies, dates back to Germanic times.

Jan de Vries, linguist and researcher of Germanic mythology, connected the figure of Zwarte Piet to the Einherjar of Norse mythology: Odin’s army of the dead in the Wild Hunt. The ‘Harii’ described by Tacitus in Germania as warriors painting their faces black as part of a cult, can be very well connected to the Einherjar known from Norse mythology.

In Germany, the same tradition exists in the figure of Knecht Ruprecht, helper of Saint Nicholas. The difference with the tradition in the Low Countries, is that Ruprecht does not resemble a Moor. The lack of Spanish clothing and African hairstyle brings the German Ruprecht closer to the mythological figure it represents.

The fact that Ruprecht, just as many similar figures, carries a birch rod indicates the traditions having the same origin. In some areas of Europe, the black painted figures go out and hit women with the rod, pointing towards the tradition stemming from a fertility cult.

The tradition that is probably most well known, however, is the Alpine tradition of Krampus. Krampus, just like Ruprecht and Zwarte Piet, carries a bundle of birch branches.

The biggest difference with the other traditions, is that Krampus truly takes the form of a terrifying, devilish creature. It is very likely that this depiction came to be under influence of Christianity, equating the figure with the devil.