The Germanic Origin of Vampires

The vampire has long been a source of fear and fascination, with its roots deep in the many tales about vampires that can be found in the folklore of various cultures across the globe. While the vampire of the modern imagination is largely derived from the vampiric creature of literature from the last two centuries or so, it has its origins in ancient Germanic mythology. This paper will explore the evolution of the vampire from its origins in Germanic myth to its current cultural incarnation.

The notion of vampirism originated in Germanic folklore, perhaps as far back as the Bronze Age. In the oral tradition of many Germanic peoples, tales were passed down from generation to generation, recounting mythical creatures that inhabited the night and preyed on people, animals, and occasionally even crops. In these stories, vampires were described as omnivorous, blood-drinking beings who could transform into other forms. They were often conceived as corporeal forms of deceased persons, thought to have returned in a state of undeath. Vampires held a place of terror and fascination in the oral mythologies of Germanic peoples, and the creature has remained alive and active in their oral traditions to this day. Similarly, variations on vampire motifs have made their way into Germanic literature, from literature about ghosts and spirits to the literary vampire. This enduring concept has, in turn, had a lasting impact on the perception not only of vampires in other European and world cultures, but on Western culture greatly.