Spiritism and the Occult in Germany, 1880-1930

Abstract

The article presents an overview of the place of spiritualism and the occult in German society and culture between the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The history of concepts like occult sciences and occultism is sketched out, as weil as the specific interplay between discourses, practices, and media in the field of the occult. The second half of the article discusses the significance of urban spaces for the occult. The author distinguishes between an ontological and constructivist interpretation of space and relates both to the problem of urbanity and the occult.