German folk magic played a significant role in the history and cultural heritage of Pennsylvania. As the state was settled by a large number of German immigrants, their traditions and belief systems were brought with them and remained influential in the area. **German folk magic** refers to the supernatural practices that were commonly performed by the rural population in Germany. It encompassed a range of rituals, superstitions, and charms that aimed to influence aspects of daily life, such as health, fertility, and protection from evil forces. When German immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania during the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought their magical practices with them. These practices were primarily rooted in the Protestant Christian beliefs of the time and often integrated elements of Catholicism as well.
So how do we make these controls effective? First and foremost, the intent and application of the cones and witches hats must be communicated to all personnel, regularly and consistently. This communication must reinforce that cones and witches hats are critical controls which require the same respect as such as personnel danger locks, hard barricading, windrows or bunting. It is imperative that the colour and size of cones or witches hats is also clearly defined to avoid confusion in the workplace.
Jehovah, shall speak to me, I will bring you word And Jehovah refuseth to give me leave And the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak v. And if Ba lak would give him an house full of Silver Gold , Page 150 he saith, he cannot go beyond the word of the Lord , or Jehovah, my God, to do less or more Where note, that Balaam openly professeth to these heathen, that Jehovah is his God, and him he will obey, Numb.
These practices were primarily rooted in the Protestant Christian beliefs of the time and often integrated elements of Catholicism as well. This combination of religious influences created a unique blend of folk magic that set it apart from other magical traditions in the United States. One prominent aspect of German folk magic was **powwowing**, also known as **braucherei**.
Operational witchcraft cap
A modest enquiry into the nature of witchcraft, and how persons guilty of that crime may be convicted: and the means used for their discovery discussed, both negatively and affimatively, according to Scripture and experience.
Hale, John, 1636-1700., Higginson, John, 1616-1708.CHAPTER. XVI.
I come now to speak concerning those that are called Black Witches , or Malefic • Witches, who by their enchantments do call in the De|vils aid, for revenge, to do hurt to the bodies, and health of their neighbours, or to their cat|tle, goods, and the like. These are the persons commonly called Witches, and against whom the spirits of men and the laws of men are most bent, for their prosecution and punishment. Now that I have concerning such to say, I shall com|prehend in the ensuing Propositions .
Prop. 1. There have been many evils that have befallen man and beast, which have been ungroundedly ascribed to Witchcraft, and so to Witches, which proceed from other causes: As from natural operations tho' hidden from those that so suspect: or from the hand of God immediately, or from the hand of Satan with|out the concurrence of man kind; as hath been in part shewed already in this enquiry above. Should an herd of Swine run violently down a streep place into the Sea in these days and pe|rish in the waters, as did the Gergesens Swine, Page 148 Math. 8.32. People would conclude they pe|rished by Witchcraft; and yet there was no such cause of the destruction.
Prop. 2 Melancholly and Imagination hath fancied many things to proceed from Witches, when there is no ground for it.
Prop. 3 Many impossible things for Witches, or the Devil to do by them, are related to be done by Witches: As the transmutation of bo|dies from men to beasts, &c. The going in Spi|rit to places far distant, and leaving their bodies behind; as if the Devil could separate the Soul from the body, and restore it again at pleasure, which is to ascribe to him a divine power to restore the dead. Such things are either devised fictions, or abuses of the imaginations of them that so sav • of themselves: they, being only laid in a tr • o • dream, and so conceiting a change in them that never was. So some have affirmed they have been carryed many hundred miles through the air, to remote places and brought back again in an hour or two, which cannot be without a miracle; for so swift a mo|tion through the air, would take away the breath of a person so transported, without an almighty power to sustain them.
Prop. 4. It must be granted that there is no clear instance of any such Malefick or Black Witch in Scriptures. The Magicians of Egypt or Babylon , or those mentioned Act. 8.9, • 11. & 13.8, 9, 10. Jer. 27.9. Isa. 47. Dan. 2. & Page 149 4. & 5. chap. are not charged with any such crimes. The only instance I remember given of such an one in Scripture is Balaam : but he cannot be proved to be such an one. (1) Its pleaded that Balak sent to him to come; For I wot , (saith he) that he whom thou cursest is cursed . And this indeed shews what an opinion Balak had of him, Numb 22.6 But when Balaam answers the messengers. he tells them; As the Lord , i. e. Jehovah, shall speak to me, I will bring you word : And Jehovah refuseth to give me leave: And the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak v. 8, 13, 38. So that whate|ver opinions Balaam might have of plurality of Gods, yet he owns he could not curse Israel but by the true God. See Numb. 23 1, 3 with Deut. 23. 4, 5. Josh. 24 9, 10. The Scripture shews that Balaam sought not to curse Israel , but by the everliving God. (2) And if it be said, that Balaam saying, There is no inchantment a|gainst Jacob, neither divination against Israel, Cap. 23. 23. Intima • eth, That there may be inchant|ment and divination also against other people; yet it doth not signify that Balaam used to curse any without the assistance of the true God. For he saith, v. 8. How shall I curse whom God hath not curse? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied? He speaks as a man convinced, that the power of all false Gods was unable to bring a curse without Gods leave. And if Ba|lak would give him an house full of Silver & Gold , Page 150 he saith, he cannot go beyond the word of the Lord , or Jehovah, my God, to do less or more Where note, that Balaam openly professeth to these heathen, that Jehovah is his God, and him he will obey, Numb. 22.18. And when the Angel of Jehovah opposeth him, he submits so far to him as to offer, if it displeased him, he would go back again. And when he comes to sacrificing, still it is to Jehovah . For he said, Chap 23 3 after he had offered, Peradventure Jehovah will come & meet me, &c. and where God met him, He said unto him, i. e. to Jehovah. I have offered upon every altar a bullock & a ram , and this was repeated again, and still Balaam went to meet Jehovah, and Jehovah met him once and again, and put a word in his mouth. And Balaam spake the word Jehovah put into his mouth: and when Balaam saw it pleased Jehovah to bless Israel, Chap. 24. 1 All the cir|cumstances of the place shew that all his addres|ses were unto the living God, that by him he might procure such a curse upon Israel , which might do more against Israel then all the armies of Balak could do.
Q Why then is Balaam called a Soothsayer or Di|viner, and said to use Inchantments? and what are those Enchantments? and why so called ?
A. These inchantments were the Sacrifices mentioned, Chap 24. which were offered to the true God For its said, He went not as at other times to seek for Enchantments : This plainly re|fers Page 151 to the times when he sacrificed as above|said Heb. Che • agnam, bepagnam, i. e. not this time as the former time; namely the times when he sacrificed. Thus Ainsworth in locum ; all his for|mer altars and sacrifices were by the art of in|chantment, or observing fortunes. But how these were inchantments, seeing they were not as the heathen inchantments to a false God, & that sacrificing was an Ordinance of God, is a difficulty to understand. But I conceive they are so called, because Balaam did pervert the end and use of Gods O • dinance, and therein imitate the Heathen. For God had said to him, Thou shalt not curse the people, for they are blessed Yet Balaam by these Sacrifices will try to curse them. So heathen nations are said to do, before they warred against any people to endeavour by prayers, sacrifices and enchantments to turn the favour of God from them. Before the Hea|then Romans Besieged any City, their Priests, called out the God, under whose tutelage the City was, that he would forsake the people, Temples and holy things, and be Provost unto them, and accept of their City, &c. vowing to him, if he would so do, to honour him with Temples, &c. And then offered Sacrifices to the Dictator or Emperour, devoted, or cursed the Enemies Cities and Armies, that they might be filled with fear, terror, &c. Balaam acts his like. These and like the Charmers, Maim • ny speaks of, who whisper over a wound, or read a verse Page 152 out of the Bible: likewise he that readeth over an infant, that it may not be frighted; or that layeth the Bible, or the Phylacte • ies upon a child that it may sleep: Such saith he, are In|chanters or Charmers, because they make the words of the Scripture; medicine for the body, whereas they are not, but medicine for the Soul. So Balaam makes a charm of an Ordi|nance of God: For neither Balak nor Balaam ai|med to give honour & glory to God thereby, but to use them as it were a bribe, to try if thereby they could prevail with the Lord to reverse his word, whereby he had said of Isra|el, They are blessed . For when he sees he can|not prevail, he saith, God is not a man that he should • ly; and he hath blessed, and I cannot reverse it . Again, what Balaam did herein, it was not sincerely for God, but for his hire, Neh. 13.2. Even for rewards of Divination, Numb. 22.7. For the wages of unrighteousness , 2 Pet. 2.15. Pos|sibly also there might be somewhat like inchant|ment in the manner of his sacrificing; as Sacri|ficing in the high places of Baal, and on the top of Peor, places formerly dedicated to Baal-Peor . Thus Balaam by his Enchantments deserved the title of a Soothsayer or Diviner and mad Prophet.
Prop. 5. Though there be no plain example of a Mal • fick Witch; yet from what the Scrip|ture saith of the power of Satan and his malice against man, & of the wickedness that is in the Page 153 heart of man; we may see there is a possibili|ty of such abominable creatures to be found in the black list of Satans guard. For,
1. Satan hath power when the Lord permits him, to do mischief to the bodies and estates of mankind, as already proved in the instances of Job and others.
2. There be some persons so wicked that A|baz like, they will sacrifice to and serve the Devil, that he may help them. And if in other things, why not in revenging them upon those they hate, as well as in other matters? As Israel slew their brethren in a rage that reached up to heaven: so some will pursue their adversa|ries with a rage reaching down to hell. And excess of anger gives great advantage to the Devil, Eph. 4.26, 27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath; neither give place to the Devil. If sinful anger gives the Devil a place, how much more such a rage as whereby men go to hell for aid against their toes? When men seek to Satan for revenge, he will be ready to further them in it; by discoursing with them, (as he did with Eve , yea with Christ himself, Math. 4.) to see what he may gain upon them thereby: or by tempting them to sacrifice to him, or use his ceremonies and ordinances, whereby, Satan is implicitely at least invoked for to do his utmost on their behalf. And Sa|tan that promised to the spotless Lamb of God, all the kingdoms of the world, will be ready Page 154 to promise such miscreants to revenge them on their adversaries, or any mischief they desire, if they will serve him. And at some times to per|form his promise if the Lord suffer him, as the roaring Lyon that seeks to devour: or at least will pretend himself author, of the harms the envyed person sustaines. But if he cannot, yet be can answer such deluded creatures, that ei|ther they did not observe his direction, or that God hath set an hedge about the party malig|ned, or the like, and so keep up his credit still.
Mrs. Got , a very credible and pious woman, told me, That her father Mr. Palmer lived nigh a man that acknowledged himself to be a Conjurer. On a certain day there came a violent wind upon Mr. Palmers house, as if it would blow it down: but it only blew down an Elm tree that stood in his Court yard. In process of time this Conjurer came to Mr. Palmer and confessed that he had a grudge against him, and thereupon did invocate the Devil to do Palmer a mischief, and he promised to blow down Palmers house; but only blew down the Elm • whereupon the Conjurer taxed the Daemon with breach of promise: But he answered , Palmer was a Praying man, and God had set an hedge about all that he had need of, and so he had no power over his house; but the Elm being only for shew and re|creation, he had power over that .
As for matters of fact, I must refer to histo|ries that speak of Malefick Witchcraft, wherein though many things are certain or fabulous, Page 155 there may be truth in some of those relations. And by the above-mentioned, and other such histories, we meet with of that kind, we may gather, That when persons will seek to the De|vil for revenge, he will either do harm to those they hate, or if the Lord inflict by his hand upon such persons hated by the Conjurers, Satan will perswade the Conjurer, that he effected it in persuance of their quarrel. But if the desired mis|chief be not effected, the Devil will have a plea to excuse himself. But however they which by themselves immediately invocate the Devil to help them, to avenge themselves on those they hate, are hereby Malefick Witches, whether they obtain his help or not.
1. Satan hath power when the Lord permits him, to do mischief to the bodies and estates of mankind, as already proved in the instances of Job and others.
Powwowing involved the use of prayers, rituals, and folk remedies to heal physical and spiritual ailments. Powwowers, or brauchers, believed that specific words and actions had the power to ward off evil, bring good fortune, and cure various illnesses. These practices were passed down through oral tradition and were often conducted by individuals who possessed innate magical abilities. Herbs and plants played a crucial role in German folk magic, as they were believed to possess specific properties and powers. Certain plants were used for medicinal purposes, while others were used in protective charms or spells. The importance of herbs can still be seen today in the Pennsylvania Dutch traditions, such as the creation of **hex signs**. Hex signs are geometric symbols painted on barns or household items to bring protection, luck, or other desired outcomes. Furthermore, German folk magic in Pennsylvania also included the use of **hexerei**, or witches' spells. Hexerei was often seen as a negative form of magic, associated with hexing and cursing. It was believed that certain individuals possessed the ability to harm others through supernatural means. However, it is important to note that hexerei was not widely practiced and was generally viewed with skepticism by the Pennsylvania German community. German folk magic continues to be practiced and celebrated in Pennsylvania today. Festivals and events, such as the **Kutztown Folk Festival**, highlight the rich traditions and magical practices of the Pennsylvania Dutch community. Visitors can learn about powwowing, herbal remedies, and other aspects of German folk magic that have been passed down through generations. In conclusion, German folk magic had a profound impact on the cultural landscape of Pennsylvania. The magical practices brought by German immigrants influenced the beliefs, traditions, and everyday life of the Pennsylvania Dutch community. Powwowing, herbology, and hex signs are just a few examples of the rich magical heritage that continues to be celebrated in the state..
Reviews for "Pennsylvania Dutch Powwow: From German Folk Magic to Modern Practice"
1. Jessica - 1/5 stars - I found "German folk magic in Pennsylvania" to be incredibly disappointing. The book promised to delve into the rich history and traditions of German folk magic, but instead, it was filled with a mishmash of poorly researched information and personal anecdotes. It became evident that the author had not done their due diligence in understanding the subject matter, resulting in a disjointed and shallow exploration of the topic. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive and accurate understanding of German folk magic.
2. Thomas - 2/5 stars - As a person interested in German folklore and magic, I was excited to read "German folk magic in Pennsylvania." However, I was sorely disappointed by the book's lack of depth and coherence. The author seemed to jump from one topic to another without establishing a clear narrative or providing any substantial evidence for their claims. Additionally, the writing style was dry and unengaging, making it difficult to stay interested in the book. While it did contain some interesting anecdotes, they were not enough to salvage the overall lackluster content. I would advise potential readers to seek out more well-researched and comprehensive books on the subject.
3. Andrew - 2/5 stars - "German folk magic in Pennsylvania" failed to live up to my expectations. The book lacked a clear structure and seemed to be more of a collection of loosely related stories rather than a cohesive exploration of German folk magic. I was also disappointed by the lack of depth in the author's research, as it often felt like surface-level information that could be easily found online. The book missed an opportunity to provide a deep insight into the subject matter and left me wanting more substantial content. Overall, I did not find this book to be a valuable resource for anyone genuinely interested in German folk magic.
4. Emily - 1/5 stars - I regret wasting my time on "German folk magic in Pennsylvania." The book was a jumbled mess of misinformation and poorly supported claims. It was evident that the author lacked a solid understanding of German folk magic, as many of the explanations and examples provided were superficial and inaccurate. The book also lacked credible sources and references, making it difficult to trust the presented information. I would strongly discourage anyone from relying on this book as a reliable source of knowledge on the topic.