Magical Oils In German Folklore

When you dive into German folklore the concept of "magical oils" shifts from the gentle, aromatic blends found in modern witchcraft or metaphysical shops to something much more primal and deeply bound to regional folk medicine.

In the rugged landscapes of the Harz Mountains and the deep valleys of the Black Forest, magical oils and fats weren’t just used to make things smell nice—they were used to heal, protect and allegedly cross the veil into the spirit world.

1. Hexensalbe & Flugsalbe: The Infamous Flying Ointments

You cannot talk about German witchcraft without mentioning Hexensalbe (Witch-salve) or Flugsalbe (Flying-ointment). While modern practitioners favor liquid oils, historical European magic relied heavily on animal fats (lard, tallow or goose grease) as a carrier because they absorbed into the skin incredibly well.

According to medieval folklore and later the witch-trial records, these ointments were brewed using highly toxic, psychoactive plants native to Germany:

Tollkirsche (Deadly Nightshade/Belladonna):

Associated with the goddess Atropos and used to induce trances.

Bilsenkraut (Henbane):

Traditionally used in Germanic sorcery to conjure visions and alter states of consciousness.

Stechapfel (Datura/Thornapple) and Schierling (Hemlock):

Highly poisonous plants associated with the Devil's work.

The Folklore:

Witches would anoint their bodies or their tools (like walking staves or broomsticks) with this fat-based "oil" to fly through the night to the Blocksberg (also known as the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains) for  Walpurgisnacht. Historically, these plants contain tropane alkaloids which, when absorbed through the skin, induce a heavy deliriant state and a profound sensation of flying or weightlessness.

2. Brauchheiler, Wender and Healing Oils

On the flip side of witches were the Wender und Brauchheiler—traditional German folk healers based in the Bavarian Alps and Austria who practiced a form of magic called Braucherei or Wenden.

For the Braucher oils and greases were sacred tools of healing (Sympathiemagie or sympathy magic) used to "catch" a disease and draw it out of the body.

The Unsalted Butter Cure:

In German folklore fresh unsalted butter was treated like a sacred oil. Healers would rub it on a wound while reciting a Zauberspruch (magic spell) to transfer the illness from the human to the fat which was then buried under a tree or fed to a dog to dispatch the sickness.

Johannesöl (St. John’s Wort Oil):

St. John's Wort blooms right around the Summer Solstice (Johannistag). In German lore, infusing the bright yellow flowers into oil turns the liquid a deep, blood-red color. This red oil was believed to hold the literal light of the sun. It was used as a magical panacea to ward off melancholy (demons), heal sunburns and protect a home from lightning strikes.

3. The Legend of Weisse Frauen and Magical Elixirs

In the folklore of the Bavarian Alps and the dense forests, tales abound of the Weisse Frauen (White Ladies)—elven or spirit-like beings who guarded hidden treasures and ancient knowledge.

According to legend, if a traveler showed kindness to a White Lady, she would often gift them a small vial of rare, glowing oil distilled from secret forest roots. This oil was said to have miraculous properties:

- A single drop on the eyes could grant Das Zweite Gesicht (the Second Sight) allowing a mortal to see hidden spirits and buried gold.

- Rubbed on a blade, it made the weapon unbreakable in battle.

4. Anointing the Dead and Protecting the Living

In older Alpine Germanic traditions, oils played a protective role during the Rauhnächte (the Twelve Holy Nights between Christmas and Epiphany) when the Wild Hunt (Die Wilde Jagd) was said to ride through the sky.

To prevent the spirits or the terrifying Krampus-like figures from entering the home, families would use lard or consecrated oils to draw the Drudenfuss ( an inverted pentagram) on stable doors and thresholds. The grease acted as a physical and spiritual barrier slipping the evil spirits up so they couldn't gain a foothold on the property.