Heaven letter

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Letter from heaven with Christian texts and colored angels, around 1800

A letter from heaven is a supposedly handwritten message from God to the people that he himself wrote in gold. The Letters of Heaven often contained prayers , demands for Sunday sanctification, and moral appeals. They promised people salvation against hardships, worries and fears, vowed protection against armed violence, illnesses, difficult births, accidents, storms and fire. In times of war, heavenly letters were popular, which were folded up and worn on the body as an amulet for protection . Some letters to heaven represent an early form of the chain letter . They encouraged copying and distribution, illustrations were often redrawn or prints were hand-colored. During the Second World War , the letters were distributed by copying. After 1945 the religious significance was increasingly lost.

history

The material on the subject of heavenly letters is described as exceptionally extensive in the specialist literature. It can be assumed that there are also letters from heaven where there are written cultures in the world. In Europe alone, there are versions in at least 29 languages. Therefore, studies and analyzes can only partially deal with the subject. Parchments and papers degrade over the centuries, documents were lost or went undetected. Possible locations for letters from heaven are, among other things, chest lids and cabinet doors, as they have sometimes been lined with such sheets. They also served as murals or inserts in prayer books. As a result, a conclusive history of development can hardly be traced. The creation of categories is also difficult due to the content overlapping with other topics. The origin of the heavenly letters is also called "extraterrestrial origin". This formulation presumably corresponds to an old world view with the two opposites earth and divine heaven and does not describe a modern understanding of extraterrestrial life forms. Belief in a letter from heaven is based on a human-like image of God. This god communicates his divine will in the letter.

"I am therefore sent to you
To make this letter known
This is commandment to you
, it is revealed through me here"

Letter to Heaven around 1750

Letters of protection from heaven were found in ancient Greece and the Orient . The idea of the sky letter has the Gnostic embossed Epistula Apostolorum affected. In Christian form, heavenly letters go back to the 6th century. This divine action is reminiscent of the handing over of the tablets of the law to Moses ( Ex 32.15–16  EU ) or of the idea that the Koran was transmitted piece by piece. The Koran itself has been interpreted as a letter from heaven. Parallels can also be found in the legends of the Orthodox icons : on the one hand, icons were also sent from heaven. On the other hand, they develop their power through exact copying of the original. Heavenly letters also circulated in Reformed and Protestant circles. These beliefs became an important customer base in the 19th century. The first form were handwritten sheets, later they were also made by printing .

"This letter should be copied by one and the other, or handed over for printing."

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

Typing

When typing is to distinguish between heaven letters - coming from the sky - the so-called and God letters or letters to the sky as thank-you or petitions - to directed the sky and were about deposited at places of worship.

According to legend, there are three ways in which a letter from heaven reaches people. Either he fell from the sky. Or he was handed over, for example by an angel . The last variant was a floating letter, which escaped when the hand reached it, so that it had to be copied in order to be able to hold its message in the hands. A letter from heaven always showed itself to a certain person, whose faith did not have to be particularly strong.

The boundaries between the types can be fluid. Not all forms of the letter of heaven threaten with misfortune if they are not spread further; to differentiate one can speak of heavenly letters and heavenly chain letters. A sub-category of the heavenly letters are therefore magic-religious chain letters . The request to reproduce is intended to expand the religious group. The letter to heaven is therefore based on a missionary idea.

"This letter should always be copied from one another, and if you have committed as many sins as sand by the sea [...], they should be forgiven you [...]."

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

There are two main categories of Himmelsbrief, the Gredoria type and the Holstein type. The terms come from the name and location of the subheading on the pages of the Letters of Heaven.

The meaning of the word Gredoria are unknown. It is said to be borrowed from a magic word that is often found in the introduction to heavenly letters. He promises to increase the impact and credibility of the letter. Letters of the type Gredoria cite the Michaeliskirche in St. Germain as their origin and the Archangel Michael , who says that the letter was written in gold letters. In terms of content, the Gredoria type usually does not contain any protection or blessing formulas, whereas the Holstein type does.

The Holstein type seems to have been created during the war because it represents a “letter amulet against wounding”. It supposedly contained formulas for protecting against weapons.

In terms of content, regional subgroups show parallels to one of the two main types. The design was mutually copied by printing publishers and given an individual note. The most important publishers for letters to heaven in the 19th century were Gustav Kühn and Oehmigke & Riemschneider from Neuruppin .

content

In terms of content, it was initially about the fact that Sunday should be increasingly sanctified again. In the Middle Ages, the so-called Sunday letter dominated , which was worded differently.

"I command you to work six days, and on the seventh you are to hear God's word, if you do not do it, I will punish you with pestilence and war at this dear time."

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

“He also says that he who works on Sundays is condemned by God; I give you six days to do it, and on Sundays you should go to church [...]. "

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

Over time, the content changed to more general moral prompts.

“One should not kill another with the tongue and should not be wrong against your neighbors. Do not rejoice in your goods and riches. Honor father and mother. If you do not testify wrongly against your neighbors, I will give you health and a blessing. "

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

The apocalyptic character was lost in the further development . Instead, local details came into focus. Frame narratives were spread more epic .

Heavenly letters promised salvation against the needs, worries and fears of the people. The heavenly letters promised protection against armed violence, diseases, heavy births, accidents, storms and fire.

"Whoever has this letter in the house, or carries it with him, will not harm him, and you should be protected from fire and water and all the violence of the enemy."

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

“If a white-haired woman were pregnant and had this letter with her, she would give birth happily; [...]. "

- Heavenly letter : A key to the sky from Masuria

Both Catholics and Protestants used it attached to the wall as a house or stable blessing. The promise of salvation gave the letter a boost in meaning. In times of need they formed a coping strategy based on magical-religious beliefs.

Addressees were sometimes also groups of people or entire cities. Flavius ​​Lucius Dexter, Roman historian of the 4th century, reports that in 1467 a letter from Mary to the townspeople was allegedly found in the city archives of Messina . Girolamo Savonarola , Dominican church reformer , spoke in a sermon on October 25, 1795 of a letter from the Blessed Virgin to the city of Florence .

politics

Political benefits were also accommodated in heavenly letters. Peter the Hermit is said to have referred to a letter from heaven, which stated that “Christianity should open up from everywhere to drive the Gentiles out of Jerusalem” to preach the crusade in 1095/96. The hermit Raniero Fasano, who started the flagellant movement in 1260 , is said to have received a letter from the Blessed Virgin Mary . Flagellants from Germany and Italy invoked heavenly letters to portray their penance movement as divine. Geissler from 1260 and 1349 apparently used eschatological heavenly letters as legitimation. For Rulman Merswin , a member of the religious movement “ Friends of God ” in the 14th century, letters from heaven played a role. Matthias Flacius reports on a letter from Jesus Christ to the Council of Constance . The letter with anti-papal content should have been preserved in the St. Andreas library in Braunschweig . Mystics used heavenly letters to prove their supposed encounters with Jesus. An example of this is the letter that Jesus is said to have dictated to St. Baptista de Varanis ( Poor Clare from Umbria , † ≈1525). The folklorist Adolf Spamer treated heavenly letters of German mystics . Heavenly letters were also used for the Reformation movement .

Times of war

Since the Thirty Years' War (1618 to 1648), letters from the heavens were popular in times of war and were worn folded on the body as amulets and so-called ball blessings . For example, Richard Heuberger describes in the article “A letter from heaven and a miraculous prayer from the time of the First World War” a letter from a soldier who died on the Dolomite front .

“I conjure up all guns and weapons by the living God, in the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I ask in the name of Jesus Christ blood that no bullet hits me, whether they are made of gold or silver or lead, God sets me free from all. "

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

“Whoever carries this with him will not be hit by the enemy artillery and he will be protected from thieves and murderers, he must not be afraid of swords, rifles, pistols, because the way you strike at him, you have to go through death and command of Jesus Christ all guns stand still, whether they are visible or invisible, [...]. "

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

“Whoever carries this letter with him will not be caught, nor be injured by the enemy's weapons, so true that Christ died and went to heaven, as true as he walked on earth, nothing can be stolen, pushed or injured, Flesh and limbs Everything should remain undamaged for me. "

- Letter to Heaven : Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg

construction

Konrad Vanja has grouped the similarities between the letters of heaven into ten points:

  1. Reference to a heavenly origin
  2. Legend of the origin, which should make the letter appear credible
  3. Hint to copy a floating letter in order to banish its power
  4. Blessings and supplications
  5. Memento Mori formulas
  6. Reminders
  7. House blessing
  8. Commandment to sanctify Sunday
  9. Hope for happiness and health
  10. Threat of disaster if the letter is not reproduced

In addition, important elements are illustrations and graphic elements that have even been traced on hand-copied versions. The illustrations show, for example, “the miraculous event of the sending down of the letter” or scenes from the saints, for example Archangel Michael who defeats Satan .

Combat

Although the letters from heaven often contained prayers , demands for Sunday sanctification and morals , they were not wanted by the official church . Since the 6th century the Church has opposed the practice of the heavenly letters in several councils . In the Middle Ages, Gerardus Cameracensis (around 1012) spoke out sharply against a letter supposedly written by Christ, the contents of which he called theologically untenable despite the call for peace and Saturday fasting. Even secular authorities issued especially in the 19th century repeatedly regulations against trafficking and the spread of sky letters. Viktor Gotthilf Kirchner describes the Letters of Heaven as "a kind of lay Bible", the contradictions of which he shows in his 1908 book "Against the Letters of Heaven". In the Nazi regime , the Propaganda Ministry worked against the heavenly letters and " denominational chain letters".

Further development

Experts see a thematic overlap and later further development of the heavenly letters to chain prayers and the first lucky chain letter . Chain prayers, that is, prayers that called for dissemination, were widely used during the two world wars. In the 1930s the letters were increasingly printed as picture sheets. During the Second World War , the letters were distributed by copying. With the end of the Second World War, the relevance of the heavenly chain letter waned. In so-called Swiss Solidarity letters, the letters are copied and forwarded out of fear of impending disaster. The distribution for religious reasons, as in the letter to heaven, was lost. The religious aspect as content was ultimately completely erased. God as the author has been replaced by public figures or friends. Prayers could no longer be found in the content. Threats were justified profane or were left out entirely.

gallery

  • Letter to heaven with chain letter character from England (18th century)

  • Letter to Heaven from Norway (1817)

  • Letter to Heaven from Copenhagen, used as an amulet (1770)

literature

  • Wolfgang Brückner: Letter, III. Piety history. In: Lexicon for Theology and Church . Volume 2. Herder, Freiburg 1993, ISBN 3-451-22002-4 , Sp. 690 ( preview in Google book search).
  • Ellen Ettlinger: The Hildburgh Collection of Austrian and Bavarian Amulets in the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum. In: Folklore . 76, 2 (Summer 1965), ISSN  0015-587X , pp. 104-117.
  • Hans Günther Bickert, Norbert Nail: The inn on the Lahn: The legendary "Gasthof zum Schützenpfuhl" in Marburg and its guests. With an article about "Letters of Heaven". Updated and expanded edition, new edition. Büchner-Verlag, Marburg 2019, ISBN 978-3-96317-166-6 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Helga Maria Wolf: Letter to Heaven. Art and Culture> ABC of Austrian Folklore> Letter to Heaven. In: austria-forum.org. Non-profit association “Friends of the Austria Forum - Association for the Promotion of the Digital Collection of Data with a Reference to Austria”, September 17, 2009, accessed on March 21, 2020 . With references to:
    1. Klaus Beitl: Dictionary of German Folklore . Alfred Kröner Verlag, Stuttgart 1974, ISBN 3-520-12703-2 , pp. 362 . 2.     Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli (Ed.): Concise dictionary of German superstition . 4: Impact and puncture-proof - crackling . de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1987, DNB 861193733 , Sp.
      21st f . (Unchanged. Photomechanical reprint of the edition de Gruyter, Guttentag, Reimer, Trübner, Veit, Berlin / Leipzig 1932).
  2. ↑ a b c d e Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 245 ( online at ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  3. ↑ a b cf. Heinrich Harmjanz: The German fire blessings and their variants in Northern and Eastern Europe . A contribution to comparative blessing research XXXVII (=  FF Communications . No. 103 ). Helsinki 1932, p. 13 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 251 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  4. ↑ a b c d Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 247 ( online at ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  5. ↑ Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 251 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  6. ↑ a b c Nigel F. Palmer:  Letter to Heaven . In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie (TRE). Volume 15, de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1986, ISBN 3-11-008585-2 , pp. 344-345. Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 247 ( online at ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  7. ↑ Cf. Stübe 28/31 with reference to China, Hippolyte Delehaye : Note sur la légende de la Lettre du Christ tombée du ciel . In: Académie royale des sciences, des lettres et des beaux-arts de Belgique (ed.): Bulletin de l'Académie royale de Belgique, Classe des Lettres . tape 1 . Bruxelles 1899, p. 171-213 . Hippolyte Delehaye : Mélanges d'hagiographie grecque et latine . Subsidia hagiographica. Ed .: Académie royale des sciences, des lettres et des beaux-arts de Belgique. tape  42 . Société des Bollandistes, Bruxelles 1966, p. 150–178 (there p. 178: “Quant à l'idée de l'origine céleste de la lettre, elle n'est pas particulière à l'Orient. C'est un des motifs préférés de l'élaboration légendaire dans tous les pays et dans tous les temps. "Translation by Google:" The idea of ​​the heavenly origin of the letter is not unique to the Orient. It is one of the most popular motifs of the legendary production in all countries and at all times. "). A. Closs: Letter to Heaven . In: Reallexikon der deutschen Literaturgeschichte . tape 1 . De Gruyter, Berlin 1958, p. 656/8 (Closs believes that the letter to heaven spread in Europe from the Orient.). Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 23 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  8. ↑ Cf. Henry Gawlick: The picture gallery of the little people . Chest pictures in Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania. Hinstorff Verlag, Rostock 2001, ISBN 3-356-00904-4 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 248 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  9. ↑ a b c d e Wolfgang Brückner: Letter, III. Piety history. In Lexicon for Theology and Church . Volume 2. Herder, Freiburg 1993, ISBN 3-451-22002-4 , Sp. 690 ( preview in Google book search).
  10. ↑ Letter from Heaven, around 1750, 54 × 73.5 cm; Innsbruck City Archives, Inv.-No. Div-3226. Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 253 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  11. ↑ H. Ch. Pueck, G. Quispel: The origin of the so-called. Gospel Veritatis . Ed .: M. Malinine. Zurich 1956, p. 65 (Ev. Ver. 19, 34 / 20,24). HM Schenke: The origin of the so-called. Gospel Veritatis . Göttingen 1959, p. 36 . Cf. M. Hornschuh: Studies on the Epistula Apostolorum . In: Patristic texts and studies . tape 5 . Berlin 1965, DNB  452106230 , p. 4th f ., urn : nbn: de: 101: 1-201606058143 (especially note 7). Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 39 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  12. ↑ Sura 97.1.
  13. ↑ See Rudolf Stübe: Letter to Heaven . In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli (Hrsg.): Concise dictionary of German superstition . No. 4 . Berlin – New York 1932, p. 21-27 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 247 ( online at ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  14. ^ Theodor Nöldeke: History of the Qoran . edited by F. Schwally. 2nd Edition. Dietrich, Hildesheim 1961, p. 79 f . (First edition: Leipzig 1909). Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  15. ↑ Konrad Vanja : House blessings and heavenly letters as a topic of everyday and Sunday sanctification and protection . Examples from the collection of the Museum of European Cultures, Berlin. In: Simon Michael, Monika Kania-Schütz (Ed.): In search of salvation and healing. Religious aspects of everyday medical culture (=  folklore in Saxony . Double issue 10/11). Thelem, Dresden 2001, ISBN 3-933592-39-9 , p. 37–62 , here p. 56 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 249 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  16. ↑ a b c d e Karl Bartsch: Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg . Heaven letter. Printed as a manuscript. Woodcut. In: Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg . tape 2 . Holzinger, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-1-4823-1593-6 , Customs and Superstition - Magic and Blessings, Meetings, p. 556–558 ( http://www.zeno.org/nid/20004522877 ; http://www.zeno.org/Lesesaal/N/9781482315936?page=556 [accessed on March 23, 2020] Original title: Sagen, Märchen and customs from Meklenburg, Vienna 1880. First edition: Braumüller, first edition pp. 341–343).
  17. ↑ a b c d e Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 246 ( online at ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  18. ↑ See Andreas Rauchegger: Copy & Paste . Heavenly letters and chain letters as writing and copying rituals in transition. Saarbrücken 2009, ISBN 978-3-639-29781-2 , p. 10 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 246 ( online at ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  19. ↑ a b c d e f g h Stableiter: The leader's deputy . Archival documents, Document 20, (Barch - NS 8/185). Munich May 7, 1941 ( nostradamus-online.de - registration required for online access). Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 249 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  20. ↑ a b c d Karl Bartsch: Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg . Heaven letter. A count had a servant. In: Michael Holzinger (Ed.): Legends, fairy tales and customs from Mecklenburg . tape 2 . Holzinger, Berlin 2013, ISBN 978-1-4823-1593-6 , Customs and Superstition - Magic and Blessings, Meetings, p. 558-560 ( http://www.zeno.org/nid/20004522885 ; http://www.zeno.org/Lesesaal/N/9781482315936?page=558 [accessed on March 23, 2020] Original title: Sagen, Märchen and customs from Meklenburg, Vienna 1880. First edition: Braumüller, first edition pp. 343–345).
  21. ↑ a b c Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 250 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  22. ↑ See Rudolf Stübe: Letter to Heaven . In: Hanns Bächtold-Stäubli (Hrsg.): Concise dictionary of German superstition . No. 4 . Berlin – New York 1932, p. 9 f . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 250 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  23. ^ Adolf Spamer: Weissenburg in Alsace as a picture sheet city . In: Hermann Gumbel (Hrsg.): Writings of the Scientific Institute of the Alsace-Lorraine in the Reich at the University of Frankfurt (=  contributions to the intellectual and cultural history of the Upper Rhine region . NF, No. 18 ). Frankfurt / Main 1938, p. 235 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 250 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  24. ↑ See Erdmute Nieke: Heavenly letters and infernal images . Popular piety on Neuruppiner picture sheet. In: Landkreis Ostprignitz-Ruppin (Ed.): Yearbook. People, pictures, stories . 2000, ZDB -ID 1208963-1 , p. 164-173 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 250 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ]).
  25. ↑ a b Nigel F. Palmer:  Letter to Heaven . In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie (TRE). Volume 15, de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1986, ISBN 3-11-008585-2 , p. 345. Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Himmelsbriefe und Kettengebete . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 250 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  26. ↑ a b Chron. Ad ann. 1033 (MG SS. 6,357 [PL 160,205 f.]). Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  27. ^ Translation by Helmut Kowalewski: A key to the sky from Masuria. In: Historische-masurische-vereinigung.de. Historical Masurian Association, accessed March 26, 2020 .
  28. ↑ Flavius ​​Lucius Dexter, chron. ad ann. 86 (PL 31,253 f.) Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  29. ↑ Macedo a. O. 114 f. Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  30. ↑ Annales Rosenveldenses (MG SS. 16,101). Quoted from Heinrich Hagenmeyer: Peter the Eremite . A critical contribution to the history of the first crusade. Ed .: Otto Harrassowitz. Leipzig 1879, p. 117 ( archive.org [accessed April 2, 2020]).
  31. ^ Arthur Huebner: The German Geißlerlieder . Studies on the sacred folk songs of the Middle Ages. de Gruyter & Co, Berlin / Leipzig 1931, p. 57 . Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  32. ^ Arthur Huebner: The German Geißlerlieder . Studies on the sacred folk songs of the Middle Ages. de Gruyter & Co, Berlin / Leipzig 1931, p. 46 ff . Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  33. ^ Walter Muschg: The mysticism in Switzerland . Huber, Frauenfeld / Leipzig 1935, p. 377 .
  34. ^ Matthias Flacius: Catalogus testium veritatis . Strasbourg 1562, p. 545 ( uni-mannheim.de ). Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 40 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  35. ^ Johann Stadler et al.: Complete Lexicon of Saints . Ed .: JE Stadler, FJ Heim, JN Ginal. tape 1 . B. Schmid'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Augsburg 1858, p. 379 . Quoted from Zeno: Lexicon entry for "Baptista de Varanis, B. (1)". In: zeno.org. Contumax GmbH & Co. KG, accessed on April 3, 2020 .
  36. ↑ ASS May 7,485 / 7. Quoted after Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious advertising of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 41 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  37. ↑ Contribution to German philosophy . tape 60 . Giessen 1938, p. 184/92 (With a print of a letter from Jesus to the minnating soul). Alanus de Rupe : Historia universale delle imagini miraculose della Gran Madre de Dio . Ed .: Felice Astolfi. Venetia 1624, p.  456 (Compare also Mary's letter from heaven to a sister Johanna, who recommends praying the rosary and gives pious admonitions.). See E. Filthaut in: LThK. Volume 1 (1957), p. 266. Quoted from Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the advertising of faith in antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 41 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  38. ↑ Wolfgang Speyer: Book finds in the religious promotion of antiquity . With a view of the Middle Ages and modern times. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1970, DNB  458186414 , p. 41 , doi : 10.13109 / 9783666251146.23 .
  39. ↑ See Walther Vogt: The letters of protection from our soldiers . Your compilation and final story. In: Theodor Siebs (Hrsg.): Festschrift for the centenary of the University of Breslau (=  In the name of the Silesian Society for Folklore ). No. 13/14 . Breslau 1911, p. 598 f . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 248 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  40. ↑ Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 248 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  41. ↑ Richard Heuberger: A letter from heaven and a wonderful prayer from the time of the First World War . In: The Sciliar . No. 24 , 1950, pp. 443-447 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 248 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  42. ↑ Konrad Vanja : House blessings and heavenly letters as a topic of everyday and Sunday sanctification and protection . Examples from the collection of the Museum of European Cultures, Berlin. In: Simon Michael, Monika Kania-Schütz (Ed.): In search of salvation and healing. Religious aspects of everyday medical culture (=  folklore in Saxony . Double issue 10/11). Thelem, Dresden 2001, ISBN 3-933592-39-9 , p. 37–62 , here p. 56 f. . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 250 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 4, 2020]).
  43. ↑ See Fritz Byloff: Witches' faith and witch hunt in the Austrian Alpine countries . Berlin – Leipzig 1934, pp. 56 . Cf. Lepold Kretzenbacher: A "heavenly letter" weapon blessing . Styrian echoes of the ancient oriental Abgar legend. In: Historischer Verein für Steiermark (Hrsg.): Blätter für Heimatkunde . No. 61 . Graz 1987, p. 74 . See Helmut Seebach: Legends in the Palatinate. Ghosts, witches, devils . A contribution to the folklore of the Palatinate. Bachstelz-Verlag, Speyer 1996, ISBN 978-3-924115-17-3 , pp. 357 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 249 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  44. ↑ Viktor Gotthilf Kirchner: Against the heavenly letters . A contribution to religious folklore. Leipzig-Gohlis 1908, p. 41 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 249 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  45. ↑ Staff Officers: The Deputy of the Fuehrer . Archival documents, Document 20, (Barch - NS 8/185). Munich May 7, 1941 ( nostradamus-online.de - registration required for online access). Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 249 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  46. ↑ See Klaus Beitl: Brief - Religiöse Volkskunde . In: Josef Höfer, Karl Rahner (Ed.): Lexicon for Theology and Church . No. 2 . Freiburg im Breisgau 1958, p. 687 f . Quoted from Stableiter: The Fuehrer's deputy . Archival documents, Document 20, (Barch - NS 8/185). Munich May 7, 1941 ( nostradamus-online.de - registration required for online access). Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 251 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).
  47. ↑ a b Cf. Thomas Schürmann: Chain letters . In: Martha Bringemeier u. a. (Ed.): Rhenish-Westphalian magazine for folklore . No. 34/35 , 1989, ISSN  0556-8218 , pp. 118 . Quoted from Andreas Rauchegger: Heavenly letters and chain prayers . A cultural and ethnological contribution to the phenomenon of magical-religious chain letters. In: Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsges.mbH Innsbruck (Hrsg.): Scientific yearbook of the Tiroler Landesmuseen . No. 6 . Studienverlag Ges.mbH, 2013, ISSN  0379-0231 , p. 244–255 , here p. 251 ( online on ZOBODAT [PDF; 513 kB ; accessed on March 20, 2020]).