Reviews and reception Shaman of Oberstdorf

brian p. levack, 2000.

writing in church history, journal of american society of church history, historian brian p. levack of university of texas (2000) described shaman of oberstdorf fascinating study of popular witch beliefs in late-sixteenth-century germany , relating valuable part of behringer s investigation lies in exploration of these popular beliefs , how served prelude massive regional witch hunt took place in southern germany 1587 until 1592. ultimately, felt book constructed, judicious, , gracefully translated work of original scholarship illuminates of important issues in history of witchcraft , history of popular culture. deserves wide audience.

georg modestin of university of fribourg (2000) reviewed behringer s book sixteenth century journal, in remarked obvious issue of particular book not social history , instead focusing in on stoeckhlin s depositions . in respect, modestin felt shaman of oberstdorf exploring form of mythical archaeology may @ times remind 1 of carlo ginzburg s attempts in ecstasies ; modestin recognised behringer aware of pitfalls related subject , thereby not expanding search origins of shamanistic visionary traditions prehistory ginzburg had done. although predominantly positive book, modestin did criticise choice of title chosen english translation, believing shaman of oberstdorf unnecessarily spectacular considering fact in book, behringer tentatively speaks of shamanism.

trevor johnson, 2001.

the american history review published review written trevor johnson (2001) of university of west of england, bristol, in described behringer s work in positive manner. johnson noted behringer deftly unpacks nuances of alpine legend-motifs careless , naïve, if not designing, assumptions of nineteenth , twentieth-century nationalist folklorists. goes on note behringer s patient dissection of [the folklorists ] sleights of hand 1 of many delights of book, vivid , moving evocation of social, economic, , political realities of modern alpine world , tone of solidarity victims , class (for example, automatically supplying birth , death dates of humblest bit-players in story). jonhson notes shamans of oberstdorf inevitably invites comparison modern classics of carlo ginzburg, particularly night battles (1983) , ecstasies (1990) , 2 historians dealing clear material overlap , nonetheless johnson believes 2 employ radically different methodoligies. praising midelfort s english language translation, johnson believed tribute behringer s fascinating book left reader yearning know more , particularly how social, economic, political , religious tensions evident in region, elsewhere, in post-reformation period affected relationships between living , dead generally.

wider influence

the french medievalist claude lecouteux highlighted behringer s book in preface 1996 edition of book witches, werewolves , fairies: shapeshifters , astral doubles in middle ages. arguing behringer s findings supported own theories regarding concept of double, lamented behringer seemed unfamiliar such theory.