Neopaganism

As an expert in the field of Older German Philology Prof. Rudolf Simek has contributed many valuable publications on Germanic and Old Norse topics. Among his most well-known works is the ‘Dictionary of Northern Mythology’ (First published 1984 as ‘Lexikon der germanischen Mythologie’). In the second edition of his 2014 book ‘Religion und Mythologie der Germanen’ he made critical comments on modern Germanic Neopaganism in Germany which attracted the attention of the heathen community.

The increase of membership in Iceland’s Ásatrúarfélagid (en. The Ásatrú Fellowship) has already been staggering in the last one and a half decade. But the latest numbers illustrate an ever stronger growth. Over the last three years more than a thousand Icelanders became registered members in the Ásatrú Fellowship – an increase of astounding 50%. Altogether more than 3,500 people are now part of the Ásatrúarfélag. This corresponds to slightly over 1% of Icelands total population, therefore making the island easily the most heathen country in Europe.