Ä’ostre
Ostara [' o: stara ] is one of Jacob Grimm (1785 - 1863) by philological comparisons as the name hergeleiteter term for a putative Germanic goddess of spring. As a source Grimm, referring to the Anglo-Saxon monk and church historian Bede, the origin of the word " Easter " (Easter) with an earlier Germanic goddess called " Eostrae " explained. In Romanticism found Grimms assumption of Ostara strong appeal, has since been often used for the explanation of Easter customs, and was used during the recent past input in encyclopedias and textbooks. In technical science, the assumption of a Germanic Ostara has long been controversial and is usually rejected.
- 4.1 Neopaganes Paganism
- 4.2 Analytical Psychology
- 4.3 Ostara magazine
Sources and source criticism
The Venerable Bede
In the 8th century, explains the English church historian the Venerable Bede ( 673-735 ) in his De ratione temporum, a polemic for the termination of Easter according to the Roman Church tradition, contrary to the practice of iro -Scottish church tradition, the origin of the word Easter. Beda speculated as a template for the month name to a " goddess Eostrae " that the Eosturmonath ( April; OHG ôstarmânôt ) his name should have given.
" Eostur - Monath, qui nunc paschalis mensis interpretatur, quondam a dea illorum, quae Eostrae vocabatur, et cui in illo festa celebrabant, noun habuit; a cuius nomine nunc tempus paschale cognominant, consueto Antiquae observationis vocabulo gaudia novae solemnitatis vocantes "
" The Eosturmonath, now called Passover month was formerly named after one of their goddesses, which was named Eostre, in whose honor feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they call the Passover with their name, so the pleasures of the new solemnity be called by the name of the ancient goddess worship. "
The existence of this goddess is, however, disputed by many scientists today, or at least greatly doubted. Thus, the Concise Dictionary of German superstition came in 1935 at the end: "If ever there was a Anglo-Saxon Eostra fragile, the research held a fortiori a German goddess Ostara for undetectable. "
Jacob Grimm
Jacob Grimm speculates in his book German mythology (1835 ) about a Germanic goddess named Ostara, on the basis of Bede Eostrae:
"The two goddesses, which very briefly cites Bede (. Temporum de ratione cap 13), without further depicting, merely for the declaration of named after them for months, and are Eastre Hrede; of this has merz, from that april his Saxon [s ] chen name. "
Grimm evaluates it an invention of the goddess by the pious Bede as " unlikely" and draws on more etymological evidence; among other things mentioned in Eginhard " ôstârmanoth " (Easter month ahd for April ), and concludes: " Ostara, Eastre may therefore have been divinity of the radiant morning of the rising light, a joyous, redemptive phenomenon, the term for the could be used resurrection festival of the Christian God. "
Grimm - as well as general German Romanticism - was very interested in Germanic religion as an independent basis of German culture and put the reference of legendary figures such as Mother Hulda or Perchta to the Nordic goddess Frigg or Freya ago. By Grimm's general influence on the German Linguistics of the 19th century, Ostara was a wide distribution. At Grimm's derivation is, however, today criticized frequently that he had alternative explanations, such as the Frisian Asteron, the Middle High German Ôsteren or the Old High German word for Easter Ôstarûn not taken into account, but this is a misnomer, since Grimm's interpretation so explicitly on the Old High German word Ôstarûn based.
Scandinavia
In the Icelandic poetry of the Edda and in the Scandinavian skaldic there is no evidence of a goddess who could correspond to the Anglo-Saxon Eastre. Even the idea of a spring goddess or a morning goddess of the rising light does not appear in Norse literature.
Etymological discussions
About Bede's mention of Eostrae individual authors suggest the following notes as evidence for the existence of a Germanic goddess Ostara or Eastre:
- Floor and place names such as Osterode, Easter wood or Oesch (also oyster Thal written ). However, in such a place name to refer to Eastern direction is mostly natural and is therefore as represented by the place-name research.
- In the Frankish empire of April was also called " ôstarmânôt ", which is related to the Old English " eastarmonath ". The creation time of the names is not known and therefore whether they were inspired by the Easter or the Easter festival was named after the month name.
- The name of a block of stone into Westphalia " in Oestern " is derived on Ostara, but these are here to popular belief. Hailing from the same area " Osta - stone " - a votive tablet found in the 16th century - is interpreted by proponents of Ostarathese as reference. The panel is only preserved in tracings showing a male or female figure with horned helmet, carrying an overflowing cornucopia, and next to a circle (sun or full moon interpreted ) and a crescent moon. In addition, the drawing shows a rune saying: " dhu Gautar osta, il ous sin grosta -" ( roughly: " You good Osta, illuminates your face -"). Neither the stone nor the runic inscription are recognized by the research as authentic.
- As further evidence also consecration stones of Matronae Austriahenae be evaluated in the environment of the Lower Rhine town Morken - Harff sometimes. These matrons were interpreted in part as " the Eastern residing in the East." Also demonstrated are the Austriahenae in Hermühlheim at Cologne by seven dedicatory inscriptions from Roman times to the Matronennamen Authrinehae, Auðrinehae, Audrinehar and Autriahenae. They are probably due like most Matronennamen at local, district or clan names.
Correspondences
Ostara was in the earlier research and is still partly equated variously with various goddesses of related peoples and cultures or associated:
- Based on the comparative study of religion an Indo-European goddess of the dawn (* H2eusōs f ) is assumed as the Indian Uṣāḥ, Greek Eos, Roman Aurora and the Lithuanian Aušrinė show. However, a Germanic goddess * Austro can therefore not be proven and the comparison with the Old English Eastre remains vague.
- The epithet " ástaguð " ( "Dear God", to OHG anst » favor, love" ), which the goddess Freyja in the younger Edda (. Skáldskaparmál see Chap 28), is sometimes mistakenly brought into etymological connection with Ostara.
- Also controversial is the etymological connection sometimes made in the older literature between Ostara and the West Semitic goddess Astarte fertility.
Reception history
Neopaganes Paganism
In modern times, neopaganen faiths festivals lying in the spring time are most often called Ostara or Ostarafest.
Analytical Psychology
Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) took on the older discussion and trying to read Ostara as a manifestation of the so-called Mother Archetypes.
Journal Ostara
The Austrian esoteric and Nazi Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels published 1905-1930 under the title Ostara, letter Library of blond and Mannesrechtler a magazine with racist content, in which he also attributed the country's name Austria to the assumed Germanic goddess.