The Influence of German-Language Prints on the Form of Czech-written Incantation Manuscripts

Pages	52–62
DOI	10.37520/amnpsc.2025.012
Keywords	book market – magical practices – incantation – superstition – everyday life
Type of Article	Peer-reviewed
Citation	GRŮZOVÁ, Anna. The Influence of German-Language Prints on the Form of Czech-written Incantation Manuscripts. Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia litterarum. Prague: National Museum, 2025, 70(3-4), 52–62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37520/amnpsc.2025.012. ISSN 2570-6861 (Print), 2570-687X (Online). Also available from: https://www.nm.cz/en/periodicals/acta-musei-nationalis-pragae-historia-litterarum/70-3-4/the-influence-of-german-language-prints-on-the-form-of-czech-written-incantation-manuscripts

Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae – Historia litterarum | 2025/70/3-4

In the Czech lands of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, incantation manuscripts were used primarily by members of the lower social classes, often in rural areas, as a means of coping with everyday problems. These magically oriented texts circulated predominantly in manuscript form, as printed versions were subject to censorship. This paper examines possible models for the instructional content found in such manuscripts. Alongside oral folk tradition, printed texts containing magical practices played a significant role in the creation of these manuscripts. Within Czech cultural conditions, German-language prints — particularly those presenting themselves as prayer books — were frequently encountered. 

Full Text of the Article