Uranian astrology

Uranian Astrology is a modern form of astrology based on teachings of German surveyor/astrologer Alfred Witte (1878-1941), founder of the Hamburg School of Astrology. Witte revived and further developed the use of mathematical midpoints for precision astrological analysis and prediction. He was also an avid independent student of astronomy.

Explanation

Along with extensive midpoint analysis, Uranian Astrology incorporates the use of 16th-harmonic angles/astrological aspects, singled out for their correlation with dynamic energy manifestations. These include the conjunction (0°), opposition (180°), square (90°), semi-square (45°), and sesqui-quadrate (135°), as well as all other multiples of 22.5° angles. (see the article on the astrological aspects for more information)

Early Development

In his early writings in the 1920s, Witte experimented with numerous historical astrology techniques, including the astrological houses, planetary formulae similar to 'Arabic parts', and planetary rulership systems. His approach to astrology was to verify or deny assumptions by means of observation rather than rely on astrological traditions. Witte also proposed the existence of hypothetical Trans-Neptunian objects, which are considered essential to the practice of Uranian astrology.

World War II

Witte was considered an enemy of the German Third Reich, and died shortly before being interned in a Nazi concentration camp, in 1941. During the Third Reich, German physician and astrologer Reinhold Ebertin took Witte's core teachings, but rejected the transneptunian objects because of the controversy over them, and renamed his derivative of Uranian Astrology "Cosmobiology". After World War II, Witte's work was resumed primarily by the German astrologer Ludwig Rudolph, who had also been interned by the Nazis. He continued to develop and refine Witte's methods while resisting the efforts of some colleagues, including Hermann Lefeldt, to re-emphasize traditional astrological methods.

Early- to mid-20th century developments

Richard Svehla, an Ohio astrologer, was among the first to translate German materials from the early experimental years of the Hamburg School of astrology into English, in the 1940s. Later, Hans Niggemann, a German naval officer and proponent of Hamburg School astrology, who had immigrated to New York, translated more of the earlier German astrological texts from the 1940s and 1950s, including those of the traditionalist Hermann Lefeldt, and these led to an enthusiasm in New York and Massachusetts for what American astrologers called Uranian Astrology at that time. Among his contemporary enthusiasts was Charles Emerson. Then, in the 1970s, Karl Ambjornson produced original writings conveying techniques based on the more recent research in Germany and the United States, in San Francisco, beginning to bring astrologers more up-to-date on research-based developments in Germany, where more emphasis was put on critical testing rather than perpetuation of historical teachings. Further sorting and prioritization, based on practical research, was to occur in subsequent years.

Modern developments

In the 1970s, German astrologer, psychologist,and chemist Ruth Brummund, a student of Ludwig Rudolph, began developing new methods in the Hamburg School based on the more recent research, and ultimately formed the school of Uranische Astrologie in 1993 to maintain the focus on the more efficient methods of midpoint analysis. Recently, her work has been made available in English, and she is cooperating to advance what is now referred to as 21st Century Uranian Astrology.

References:

Ambjornson, Karl: "Delineation of Mundane Events", San Francisco, 1974.

Ambjornson, Karl: "Handbook: the 90 Degree Disc", San Francisco, 1974.

Brummund, Ruth: "Brummund Rulebook" (in electronic format), Special Uranian astrology program, Aureas Software, Paris, 2006.

Brummund, Ruth: "Brummund Lexicon" (in electronic format), Special Uranian astrology program, Aureas Software, Paris, 2006.

Brummund, Ruth: Regelwerk-Neufassung 2.Auflage, Udo Rudolph Verlag, Hamburg, 1990.

Brummund, Ruth: Uranische Techniken Hamburger Astrologen, Eigenverlag Ruth Brummund, Hamburg, 1994.

Schnitzler, Ilse and Lefeldt, Hermann: "Lexikon fur Planetenbilder", (derived from 1946 Regelwerk fur Planetenbilder by Witte-Lefeldt, and translated by Hans Niggemann as "Key to Uranian Astrology"), Witte-Verlag, Hamburg, 1957.

Witte, Alfred: Regelwerk für Planetenbilder (translated as "Rule/s/book for Planetary Pictures" by Richard Svehla and Hans Niggemann), Ludwig Rudolph Verlag, Hamburg, 1959.

Witte, Alfred: Der Mensch, (actually a collection of articles by Alfred Witte and colleagues from the 1930s) Ludwig Rudolph Verlag, Hamburg, 1975.