Protection from, and exorcism of, supernatural evil in Germany (medieval to 19th century)

[malymin]

Hello!

Writing a fanfiction taking place inside of a fairy-tale kingdom. In-universe, the fairy-tale is a literary fairy tale (aka has a singular author, not a true folk tale), written by a German author, some time in the 18th century at earliest and the 19th century at latest. The author character lived and died in a fictional town heavily based on the real world town of Nördlingen. I'm writing a scene where a character from the fairy-tale setting is feeling guilt about having been "weak" against a supernatural, corrupting force, and is scared that force is still possessing or influencing him.

Most of the information I can find on the topic of exorcism, prayers against demonic/bewitching/etc influence, repentance for having practiced witchcraft, renouncing demonic temptation, etc I can find on my own are specifically resources aimed at modern-day Catholics living in English-speaking countries. (That is, when they're even remotely in the ballpark of what I'm looking for... new-age and non-Christian solutions, while interesting, are not helpful for what I'm writing.) However, I know that a large percentage of Christians in Germany are some flavor of Protestant. Even when it comes to Catholic-majority regions like Bavaria, there might be things that have been done there in the past that would not be recorded on an English-language website for English-speaking Catholics - especially folk beliefs and traditions not officially condoned by religious authorities.

Region:

• Least specifically looking for stuff from German speaking countries in Europe
• Most specifically: looking for things from the Swabia region of Germany, within the state of Bavaria

Religion:

• Christianity mainly, maybe some Germanic pagan stuff if I branch out.
• Protestant or Catholic
• Not just solutions ideally condoned by local religious authorities, but folk beliefs and practices

Historical Placement:

• Ideally, not newer than the 19th century. If people didn't believe it prior to, idk, 1925 or something, it's not as useful to me.
• Must have been practiced at some point after the Christianization of the region, at absolute earliest.
• However! Customs and beliefs that are not strongly attested to in reality, but that appear in fictional and folkloric depictions of the past or present written (or transcribed from oral tradition) within the "target range" (such as "pre-christian times" as they'd be seen in Wagnerian operas, or "feudal society" as depicted in both the feudal period's own courtly literature and later literature), are also helpful, as the fic I'm writing is set within an author-created world that would be influenced by such pre-existing and contemporaneous fiction's distortions of reality.

I hope this isn't too specific. If you know something in this ballpark but don't think it's "good enough" for my nitpicky criteria, please share anyways so I can learn something new! ^_^;

Comments

[liriaen]

The power of the written word on a Zettel/Zeddel - well, I think its strength can derive from either/or. Good or bad. You’d have both. Think back to the Roman practice of writing curses on pieces of lead and depositing them in chthonic places… or, on the other hand, the small slips of paper with prayers and saints you can still get in any Catholic church, for your wallet or books or wherever. To put a thought/prayer/curse/wish into writing is a way to immanentize it - it’s a step closer to realising your objective. And when your slip of paper comes with a certain spiritual or magical pedigree - that’s all the better.

Oh I wouldn’t overstate the Thriller thing ;) I guess knowledge of Danse Macabres is a dying art; most people watching that video were probably reared on The Dawn of the Dead etc rather than the spectre of the Black Death becoming the great equalizer who mowed down rich and poor alike. :) Danses Macabres are a very 14th-17th century thing, and for most Europeans that could as well be Ancient Egypt or the Moon. But it’s an interesting road of inquiry!

[malymin]

Thank you very much for elaborating! I might not use everything I learn here for the purposes of what I'm writing, but I still find it interesting to learn about for learning's sake! (And it is somewhat interesting to connect the zettel concept to the source material I'm writing for, although I doubt the series' creators had the concept in mind at all.)

Are there any kinds of charm/amulet or protective rituals associated with protection from supernatural beings' influence (the devil himself, alps and mahrts, other demons and ill-causing spirits and beings) that you know of? Alternatively, any such things for trying to ward against wild animals (such as those that attack people and livestock, or steal food - including folkloric variations on this real threat, like how werewolves are to wolves) and disease, that you know of? Sorry if this is too broad of a question.

Regarding the thriller article: Well now I feel very much like I was making poor assumptions based on the article. ^_^; Sorry, now I worry that I've been very rude... I've been slow to reply because I wasn't sure how to appologize.