Unlike the Romans, the Germanic people never formed one empire. The Germanic people consisted of a large group of tribes that shared their culture, religion and identity. The few written sources about the ancient Germanic people were written by their enemies, the Romans. These are therefore never entirely objective. We get most of the information from the Roman historian Tacitus in his work Germania. In it, he mentions that the Germanic people worshiped different gods. He mentions Wodan, Donar, Nerthus (probably an earth goddess), and Freyr. He wrote that the Germanic tribes had sanctuaries where they worshiped these gods. He mentioned that the Germanic religion was often practiced in the natural environment such as woods and forests and that trees played an important role in their religious rituals. Tacitus claimed that the Germanic tribes sometimes performed human sacrifices, but that was also a genuine Roman propaganda tool.
Many gods were worshiped locally. The gods in this blog were broadly worshiped throughout Germanic culture.
Runes
Archaeological finds have shown that from at least the 2nd century AD, the Germanic people used runic writing. Therefore we also show how the names of their gods are written. In addition, for convenience we have also drawn a parallel to the names of the Viking gods.
Note: runes are a script with different variants. The transliterations given are based on the older Futhark runic script. There are also other runic scripts, such as the younger Futhark, which may have slight differences in the shape and sound of the runes.
Wodan: ᚹᛟᛞᚨᚾ (W-O-D-A-N) (Odin)
As the supreme god of Germanic mythology, Wodan was the god of wisdom, war, magic and poetry. He is identified as the Norse god Odin. The Germans worshiped him as the god of rulers, warriors and poets. With his distinctive attributes, such as the spear Gungnir and the two ravens Huginn and Muninn, Wodan was an enigmatic and powerful figure.
Donar: ᛞᚢᚾᚨᚱ (D-U-N-A-R) (Thor)
Donar, the son of Wodan, was the god of thunder and the patron saint of mankind. With his magical hammer Mjölnir, he could summon lightning bolts and battle giants and other threats. Donar was seen as a symbol of strength, protection and fertility.
Freyja: ᚠᚱᛖᛃᚨ (F-R-E-Y-A) (Freya)
Freyja was the goddess of love, fertility, beauty and magic. She was associated with love and pleasure, and was known for her charm and seduction. Freyja was also a battle goddess who welcomed warriors into the afterlife.
Frigg: ᚠᚱᛁᚷᚷ (F-R-I-G-G)
Frigg was the wife of Wodan and the goddess of marriage, fertility and motherhood. She was seen as a wise and protective goddess who watched over the fate of mankind. Frigg was often depicted as an epitome of feminine strength and wisdom.
Loki: ᛚᛟᚲᛁ (L-O-K-I)
Loki was a much-discussed figure in Germanic mythology. He was a clever and cunning god who could help or hinder both the gods and the people. Loki was associated with chaos, fire and transformation, and played a central role in many myths and legends.
Freyr: ᚠᚱᛖᚢᚱ (F-R-E-U-R)
Freyr was the god of fertility, fertile soil and peace. He was revered as a god of abundance and prosperity, and his image was often associated with fertility symbols. Freyr was also known for his sword, which was a symbol of power and protection.
Tiwaz: ᛏᛁᚹᚨᛉ (T-I-W-A-Z) (Tyr)
Tiwaz was the god of justice, justice and war. He was a brave and just god who symbolized heroism and courage. Tiwaz was associated with the administration of justice and was often revered as a patron saint of warriors.
Hell: ᚺᛖᛚ (H-E-L)
Hel was the goddess of the underworld and ruled over those who resided in the realm of the dead. She represented both darkness and eternal life after death. Hel was often depicted as a pale and gloomy goddess.
Baldr: ᛒᛆᛚᛞᚱ (B-A-L-D-R)
Baldr was the god of light, beauty and peace. He was loved for his goodness and wisdom, and was considered a symbol of purity and cleanness. Baldr's tragic death was a turning point in Germanic mythology and marked the beginning of Ragnarok, the doom of the gods.
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