JACOB DÜRR - The Shadow of a 19th Century Goês

This essay portrays the obscure historical figure of Jacob Dürr (1777-1840). Remembered primarily for his collaboration with Justinus Kerner (1786-1862), Dürr maintained a shadowy existence both during his lifetime and in the literary memory of his work.

The scant records we have describe Dürr as a goês in the ancient sense, that is, as someone who works in lived relationship with demons and spirits, with his life and practice set outside all orthodox power structures and on the margins of society. Specifically, we are informed about the exorcistic operations that Dürr performed on several patients over a period of more than twenty years.

Frater Acher restores the fragmentary records about Jacob Dürr. What emerges is the picture of a spirit-healer who worked in the 19th century in southern Germany with precise methods of animistic-shamanistic origin. The essay, thus, provides a unique source of information both to the historian of esoteric history in the West, as well as modern practitioners of this tradition.

The booklet is illustrated throughout with occult ‘Kleksographien’ from Justinus Kerner's posthumous book of the same name. These works predate Rorschach's studies in this field by decades, and provide unique insights as to how Justinus Kerner might have artistically processed the events guided by Jacob Dürr.

The essay can be downloaded for free as a PDF for private use. It will be part of a book by the author on the recent history and practice of Western Goêteia.