Alfred Schuler

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Alfred Schuler
Alfred Schuler in 1902
Personal
Born	(1865-11-22)22 November 1865 Mainz, German Confederation
Died	8 April 1923(1923-04-08) (aged 57) Munich, Weimar Germany
Cause of death	Surgical complications during tumorectomy
Religion	Neopaganism Western esotericism
Nationality	German
Main interest(s)	Roman history, archaeology, classical philology, symbology
Alma mater	University of Munich
Occupation	Independent scholar, writer, poet
Organization
Founder of	Munich Cosmic Circle
Senior posting
Reincarnation	Roman citizen
Influenced by Gérard Encausse Franz Hartmann Carl Kiesewetter [de] Ludwig Klages Eliphas Lévi Johann Jakob Bachofen
Influenced Ludwig Derleth Stefan George Ludwig Klages Karl Wolfskehl
Initiation	Blutleuchte
Literary works	Dichtugen (1930) Nachlass (1940)

Alfred Schuler (22 November 1865 – 8 April 1923) was a German classicist, esotericist, ceremonial magician, mystagogue, writer, poet, and independent scholar. He was a co-founder and central esoteric figure of the Munich Cosmic Circle, a prominent group of Munich-based writers and intellectuals. Furthermore, he was a notable influence to poet Stefan George and philosopher Ludwig Klages, of whom he was a life-long friend, as well as other members of the Circle. The majority of his literary output was not published until after his death.

Schuler studied law and archaeology at the University of Munich, and made his living as an independent scholar after his studies. Though devoid of political motives, Schuler's research into the historic significance of the swastika may have led to its appropriation by the Nazi movement. Schuler became highly critical of modern archaeology, seeing those in the discipline as "desecrators of graves ripping out of the earth what has been sanctified by the rite of burial, and confining to the unwholesome air of museums the lustrous force rightly working its mighty influence under the cover of darkness".

Schuler adopted the title ultimus paganorum (lit. 'the last pagan'), and was believed to be reincarnate of a Roman citizen of the late imperial era. He held his own "rebirth into an unpleasant epoch" to be the responsibility of an evil demon. Schuler died during an operation meant to remove a malignant tumour.

He was openly gay.^[1]