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The Secret of the Runes
The runes are said to have “revealed themselves” to von List, uncovering a complete cosmology and esoteric understanding of the primeval Teutonic/Aryan peoples, and becoming the cornerstone of his ideology. No other work so clearly and simply sets forth the full spectrum of von List’s fantastic vision of a mystical philosophy based on Germanic principles.
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1908
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About the author
Guido von List
34 books42 followersaka Guido Karl Anton List
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guido_vo...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guido_vo...
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 14, 2021
This is a translation of one of the most influential figures in pre-War German occultism, done by a man who has contributed heavily to post-War Germanic occultism. Flowers includes extensive contextual introductory material and footnotes that help with some of the more complex spiritual aspects of the text. Reading this actually will help those interested in Flowers understand a bit more of where he draws from (and more significantly differs from) List’s approach, although that was not its publisher’s likely intent.
As we learn in the prefatory matter, Guido List was a man who was raised Catholic, but early in life showed an interest in paganism – especially German/Nordic paganism. He never seems to have entirely felt that this required a final break with Catholicism, and much of his researches confirmed the pagan roots of modern Catholic practices. At a critical point in his life he experienced a period of temporary blindness, which he associated with a mystical revelation as to the true meaning of the writing system of the ancient Northern European peoples, and he tied this to an interpretation of the Eddas (ancient poetic cycles preserved from that same period). His system of runes (or “futhark”) was a-historical in that it did not follow known examples of complete rune-rows, but followed his spiritual insight instead.
List is largely remembered today as a kind of spiritual antecedent of the Nazis, and though Flowers questions this narrative, he cannot deny it altogether. He refers to some of List’s ideas as
positive racism,” in that they speak of a significant destiny for “Aryan” people without necessarily trashing other races, but List’s follower Lanz von Liebenfels went to a much greater extreme of dehumanizing non-Germanic people and List in at least one other writing seems to have followed his lead. Flowers’ many assertions about the Nazis developing parallel to, but not influenced by, List’s ideas are called into question by one of his own footnotes, in which he avers that the slogan “Sieg Heil” originated with a Listian insight.
The 88 footnotes might seem like a lot for such a slender book (and some antifa numerologists might read significance into the number), but for me there was rather too little context for some of List’s more bizarre linguistic claims. It seems as though he often decided arbitrarily that two words which sound similar in modern German must have come from the same “ur-root” word in ancient language, but at times Flowers lets these claims pass without comment, so it is hard to say.
Overall, the book is probably of limited interest, but for researchers who want to check out early pagan thought, or English-speakers exploring the links of Nazism and the occult that want to see a primary source, it is one of the more readily available sources.
As we learn in the prefatory matter, Guido List was a man who was raised Catholic, but early in life showed an interest in paganism – especially German/Nordic paganism. He never seems to have entirely felt that this required a final break with Catholicism, and much of his researches confirmed the pagan roots of modern Catholic practices. At a critical point in his life he experienced a period of temporary blindness, which he associated with a mystical revelation as to the true meaning of the writing system of the ancient Northern European peoples, and he tied this to an interpretation of the Eddas (ancient poetic cycles preserved from that same period). His system of runes (or “futhark”) was a-historical in that it did not follow known examples of complete rune-rows, but followed his spiritual insight instead.
List is largely remembered today as a kind of spiritual antecedent of the Nazis, and though Flowers questions this narrative, he cannot deny it altogether. He refers to some of List’s ideas as
positive racism,” in that they speak of a significant destiny for “Aryan” people without necessarily trashing other races, but List’s follower Lanz von Liebenfels went to a much greater extreme of dehumanizing non-Germanic people and List in at least one other writing seems to have followed his lead. Flowers’ many assertions about the Nazis developing parallel to, but not influenced by, List’s ideas are called into question by one of his own footnotes, in which he avers that the slogan “Sieg Heil” originated with a Listian insight.
The 88 footnotes might seem like a lot for such a slender book (and some antifa numerologists might read significance into the number), but for me there was rather too little context for some of List’s more bizarre linguistic claims. It seems as though he often decided arbitrarily that two words which sound similar in modern German must have come from the same “ur-root” word in ancient language, but at times Flowers lets these claims pass without comment, so it is hard to say.
Overall, the book is probably of limited interest, but for researchers who want to check out early pagan thought, or English-speakers exploring the links of Nazism and the occult that want to see a primary source, it is one of the more readily available sources.
March 31, 2024
Είναι ίσως το μοναδικό βιβλίο (στα ελληνικά πάντα) που εξετάζει τους γερμανικούς ρούνους και όχι τους σκανδιναβικούς. Δεν είναι κακό, αλλά περισσότερο μοιάζει με μια πρόχειρη ματιά, παρά με έρευνα. Θα ήθελα να μπει περισσότερο στο ζουμί της μαγείας των ρούνων
April 25, 2013
To be perfectly honest, I have absolutely no interest in Runes at all, especially as a divinatory tool! However, I’ve seen so many History Channel documentaries where they talk about this book, that I thought I might as well read it!
And I quite liked the notion that the runes were “revealed” to Von List, rather like Odin, even if he wasn’t hanging upside down on a tree at the time!
The book is a summary of List's Germanic mysticism as realised in the years between 1902 and 1908.
The "Armanen Futharkh", as List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based on the Younger Futhark which were "revealed to" von List in 1902.
The row of 18 "Armanen runes" came to List while in an 11 month state of temporary blindness after a cataract operation on both eyes in 1902. This vision in 1902 allegedly opened what List referred to as his "inner eye", via which the "Secret of the Runes" was revealed to him. List stated that his Armanen Futharkh were encrypted in the Rúnatal of the Poetic Edda (stanzas 138 to 165 of the Hávamál), with stanzas 147 through 165, where Odin enumerates eighteen wisdoms (with 164 being an interpolation), interpreted as being the "song of the 18 runes". List and many of his followers believed his runes to represent the "primal runes" upon which all historical rune rows were based.
And I quite liked the notion that the runes were “revealed” to Von List, rather like Odin, even if he wasn’t hanging upside down on a tree at the time!
The book is a summary of List's Germanic mysticism as realised in the years between 1902 and 1908.
The "Armanen Futharkh", as List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based on the Younger Futhark which were "revealed to" von List in 1902.
The row of 18 "Armanen runes" came to List while in an 11 month state of temporary blindness after a cataract operation on both eyes in 1902. This vision in 1902 allegedly opened what List referred to as his "inner eye", via which the "Secret of the Runes" was revealed to him. List stated that his Armanen Futharkh were encrypted in the Rúnatal of the Poetic Edda (stanzas 138 to 165 of the Hávamál), with stanzas 147 through 165, where Odin enumerates eighteen wisdoms (with 164 being an interpolation), interpreted as being the "song of the 18 runes". List and many of his followers believed his runes to represent the "primal runes" upon which all historical rune rows were based.
February 22, 2012
A classic work by List, founder of the Armanian Order. A fine work about the Rune symbology synthetised with German linguistics and pre-Christian Aryan language, about the magical meanings of the Runes and it was interesting to learn about how the hooked cross and Aryan Runes in general, were hidden in Christian symbols during the Christianisation of the German people. I learned a lot about how the Runes are one with the Aryan culture, from pre-Christian times to modern days, although very often I got lost in what I was reading and the book being a hard read, it was hard to understand sometimes.
May 7, 2021
Nice book but it takes time to know Von List refers to the armanen runes and its traduction to Spanish is not perfect. So, information could be awesome to treat with images and more references similar to the references List refers in this book.
It could be less heavier if reader has some basic or advanced knowledge about all the runic systems since the elder futhark to the young one.
It could be less heavier if reader has some basic or advanced knowledge about all the runic systems since the elder futhark to the young one.
August 10, 2022
Wild speculation and outright made up information on runes. There's something to be said for Von List's esoteric methodology but I doubt his results. The secret is that it's more informed by 19th and 20th century nationalist cultural movements than by authentic practice or rigorous academic investigation
June 24, 2017
Fascinating.
June 24, 2019
A pretty dense read, as is typical of German-English translations, but also an essential piece of reading for anyone interested in Norse mysticism.
July 17, 2021
An interesting publication that is of interest for it's influence in the rehabilitated Germany of the 1920's as well as neo-pagan movement.
May 19, 2024
Was not every religion in a sense reveiled? If you doubt Guido then you should doubt Abraham, Jesus and Muhammed. At least Guido was not a pimp or a mass murderer. I admit though, Jesus is way cool.
The 18 runes of the Armanan system are powerful, logical. They align with the Havamal.
They are reveiled in the cube.
A concise, no BS system.
Decouple it from the BS propaganda created in 1910 by the Spin Masters and you have something solid.
Nuff said.
The 18 runes of the Armanan system are powerful, logical. They align with the Havamal.
They are reveiled in the cube.
A concise, no BS system.
Decouple it from the BS propaganda created in 1910 by the Spin Masters and you have something solid.
Nuff said.
January 26, 2026
An interesting read, as an important historical document.
It feels like a LOT of people in the late 19th century and early 20th century were prone to mistaking "overactive imagination" for "prophecy".
It feels like a LOT of people in the late 19th century and early 20th century were prone to mistaking "overactive imagination" for "prophecy".
February 12, 2024
Leí esto en una época en la que me había enamorado del esoterismo, y de aquí saqué muchos conocimientos que usé en aquél entonces, pero que ya no me son relevantes
February 15, 2025
Easy read, great esoteric insight from one of the masters himself. I will meditate further upon this.
January 27, 2024
The interesting bit is the relationship between runes and heraldry
February 20, 2023
Libro decisamente interessante per tutti gli storici del nazismo data l'enorme influenza culturale che Guido von List ebbe sulla Germania nazionalsocialista. Detto questo avevo idea di cosa trovarmi di fronte ma non pensavo fino a questi livelli, purtroppo non sono molto ferrato sulla runologia e la mitologia scandinava in generale ma dubito che le rune vadano lette e interpretate nel modo proposto da List, molto più esoterico/simbolico che filologico. Inoltre se ho capito bene le rune prese in esame da List (o almeno la maggior parte di esse) non sono quelle storiche delle popolazioni scandinave ma sono una creazione stessa di List denominante "rune armane" che sarebbero state "suggerite" all'autore durante un periodo di cecità da forze e spiriti non meglio definiti. Questo credo che renda bene l'idea del contesto e del genere di opera in questione, in ogni caso sarebbe interessante sapere il parere di persone imbattutesi in questo libro che hanno anche avuto opportunità di studiare le rune e la cultura scandinava e il suo rapporto per quanto labile, con le interpretazioni di List.
April 1, 2014
This is a fascinating supplementary book to modern day runology. The Armanic perspective is useful to anyone looking to work with the Elder Futhark, or younger/frisian models.
Frankly, I couldn't imagine anyone aside from Dr. Stephen Flowers being more qualified to translate List's work; and add commentary about the occult significance of his contributions to understanding the underlying archetypes represented by the runes.
These matters obviously won't interest everyone; but if they're up your alley, check this translation out.
Frankly, I couldn't imagine anyone aside from Dr. Stephen Flowers being more qualified to translate List's work; and add commentary about the occult significance of his contributions to understanding the underlying archetypes represented by the runes.
These matters obviously won't interest everyone; but if they're up your alley, check this translation out.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews