WARRIORS OF ANCIENT TIMES AND MODERNITY: GERMANIC MÄNNERBÜNDE AND THE ODINIC SAMANIC WARRIOR CULT REVIVAL IN OUR TRIBE
- Hrolfr
- 6 hours ago
- 12 min read
Introduction:
The ancient Germanic world was rife with legends of Männerbünde – oath-bound warrior brotherhoods of young men devoted to battle and bound by sacred oaths. These warbands, often associated with the god Odin, were as much spiritual and ritualistic fraternities as they were martial units. In recent times, a small number of Norse Heathen groups like Odin’s Warrior Tribe (and its Society of Gungnir) have consciously revived and adapted these warrior-cult traditions. We named ours the “Odinic Shamanic Warrior Cult.” It it, Odin’s Warrior Tribe blends historical warrior ethos with contemporary practice – even expanding the ancient notion of brotherhood to include women – while maintaining the same core values of loyalty, initiation, transformation, and martial excellence. This paper examines the roots of the Männerbünde in Germanic antiquity, their ritualistic and spiritual dimensions, and social roles, and then explores how those frameworks reappear in the practices of Odin’s Warrior Tribe (OWT) and the Society of Gungnir. Sources (such as Hrafnsmál and Grettis saga), scholarly insights on Norse warrior cults, and the explicit practices of the modern Tribe will be integrated to show a continuum from the Germanic times even to today’s Heathen warrior paths. Finally, we reflect on how such revived warrior paths serve spiritual and community roles in modern Heathenry.
Ancient Germanic Männerbünde:
Warbands In the ancient Germanic context, a Männerbund (literally “men’s band”) was a cultic warrior brotherhood typically comprising young, unwed males undergoing rites-of-passage into manhood. These bands were not mere military units; they were social and spiritual institutions. Across Indo-European cultures, scholars describe groups of young men initiated into an oath-bound warrior band dedicated to a specific god. Among the Germanic tribes, that deity was often Odin (Wodan), our one-eyed war-God who was believed to be the divine patron and even embodiment of such warbands. The name Odin Herjan (“Odin the Warlord”) suggests his role as the leader of the warrior band. Under Odin’s blessing, these warriors aspired to ecstatic fury in battle, sometimes likened to a trance or possessed state in which they felt no fear or pain.
The Harii (Germanic Night Warriors)
Tacitus described them as painting themselves black, fighting at night to terrify foes. A true proto-Männerbund with ecstatic, shamanic overtones. The Männerbund initiation may have involved symbolic death and rebirth. Young warriors were symbolically killed as boys and reborn as ulfheðnar (wolf-skins) or berserkir (bear-shirts). They donned animal skins not as disguises, but we believe to assume a totemic, feral persona. During these rites, warriors were thought to incarnate the immortal force of fallen ancestors. This transformation endowed members with a fearless outlook: having already died symbolically, they would throw themselves into battle with ecstasy. Such beliefs tie to Odin’s promise of Valhalla, where slain heroes live on eternally until Ragnarök.
Totemic Fury: Berserkir and Ulfheðnar
Two archetypal figures dominated these bands: the Berserkr (“bear-shirt”) and the Ulfhedinn (“wolf-coat”). Berserkir were said to fight in mad fury, sometimes without armor, immune to fire and iron. Norse accounts describe Odin’s men going without armor, mad as wolves or bears, biting their shields and killing men, unaffected by fire or iron. By contrast, the Ulfhednar fought with the ferocity and coordination of wolves, clad in wolf pelts. The 9th-century poem Hrafnsmál praises King Harald Fairhair’s Ulfhednar as shield-bearers reddening their spears in war, symbolizing both martial prowess and loyalty to their king. These wolf-warriors guarded the king’s ship at the prow, underscoring their elite status
“I’ll ask of the Berserks, you tasters of blood,
Those intrepid heroes, how they are treated,
Those who wade out into battle,
Wolf-skinned they are called.
In battle they bear bloody shields.
Red with blood are their spears when they come to fight.
They form a closed group
The prince in his wisdom puts trust in such men
Who hack through enemy shields.”
The Norse Viking champion on Stamford Bridge - 25 September 1066
“But, meanwhile, the Norwegians (led by King Harald Hardraada) who had not passed the Derwent (River) drew together to make a desperate defense; and the Saxons advanced to consummate their victory. This, however, proved no easy achievement. In fact, the strength and resolution of one man long kept the Saxons at bay.
At that time the Derwent was crossed by a wooden bridge. Long and furiously was this bridge contested; and when the Norwegians, yielding to overwhelming press of numbers, retreated, one warrior of tall stature and mighty strength, remained to defy, single-handed, the might of his foes. Armed with a battle-axe, which few men could have wielded, he struck down everyone who ventured within his reach; and, when forty men had fallen by his hand, the boldest Saxons recoiled in dismay from a foe who appeared armed with supernatural power.
But at length the Norwegian was taken unawares. Perceiving the certainty of death in attempting an encounter hand to hand, one of the Saxons seized a long spear, leaped into a boat, and floated quietly under the bridge. Availing himself of a favourable opportunity, the Saxon dexterously thrust his spear through the planks right into the Norwegian's body; and the huge champion, without even seeing his new adversary, fell mortally wounded. Harold (of England -the Saxon King) then became master of the bridge and led his soldiers to the Norwegian camp.”
Above is quoted rom “Danes, Saxons, and Normans; Stories of our Ancestors” by J. G. Edgar – 1863 – which was a retelling in a popular way of ancient archives. The Illustration is from the same work.
Social Role and Function:
Männerbünde operated at the fringe of settled society. Often composed of young males not yet married or responsible for land, they raided, hunted, or sought conquest. Such bands could be colonizing forces, sometimes founding new territories, and becoming aristocracies. In Germanic society, these bands evolved into the comitatus tradition: a leader surrounded by loyal warriors. Their motto was loyalty unto death, vividly illustrated in poems like Hrafnsmál. Over time, berserkers became seen as unruly or dangerous, with sagas like Grettis saga portraying them as lawless. By the Christianization of Scandinavia, berserkers were outlawed, though earlier they held honored roles under Odin and tribal leaders.
In Egil’s Saga, Egill Skallagrímsson is accompanied by a band of Ulfhednar and Berserkir who are described as “the hardest of men” and who many have “a touch of the uncanny” about them. This is one of the more understandable translations that have come to us from history. It is likely that Egill Skallagrímsson means that in addition to being supremely powerful, fearsome, trained, and resilient warriors (the hardest of men) the Ulfhednar and Berserkir that accompanied him also had a fervor, a Wód (intensity and passion bordering on madness), a mentality that was so intense it merited mentioning in the saga as unlike any other man’s disposition (uncanny). A more fantastical saga comes from the Saga of Hrólf Kraki and the story of Bödvar Bjarki, a Berserkr that actually changed into a fearsome bear, led the charge into battle, and “killed more men than the King’s champions could with but one swipe from his paw. The shamanistic shape changing aspect of the Berserkr and Ulfhednar legend contributes to the Old Norse spelling of their title Berserk, which is literally a conjunction of the Old Norse words for bear “Ber” and shirt “Serk.” This was a legendary reference to their purported shape changing ability and to the very real testament that Ulfhednar likely wore wolf skins and Berserkir likely wore bear skins into battle.
Martial and Magical Practices
Männerbünde training combined martial skill and esoteric knowledge. Warriors practiced stealth, endurance, and ritual warfare. Odin, God of wisdom skilled in battle magic, was believed to grant invulnerability. The berserkr’s fury may have been induced by shamanic means: drumming, herbs, breathwork. Myths such as Hrólfs saga kraka describe literal shape-shifting warriors like Böðvarr Bjarki. These practices framed battle as sacred drama, with slain warriors destined for Valhalla. In sum, Männerbünde united martial excellence, religious ecstasy, and social purpose.
This mask made of reddish felt with a shaggy surface was found in the harbor of Haithabu. Haithabu was an important Viking age harbor and trading venter in what is now Northern Germany.
The Jomsvikings: Discipline, Devotion, and the Männerbund Ideal
Among the most famous warrior brotherhoods in Viking history were the Jomsvikings, a semi-legendary order based at Jomsborg along the southern Baltic coast. Renowned for their strict discipline, martial prowess, and fierce loyalty, the Jomsvikings embody many of the defining characteristics of the Männerbünde. Like their Germanic forebears, the Jomsvikings were bound by a warrior code that required obedience to their leader, unwavering bravery, and exclusion of women and children from their fortress. Only proven warriors between the ages of 18 and 50 were permitted entry, and candidates had to pass severe tests of strength, skill, and courage. This initiatory and exclusive structure closely parallels the rites of passage and selective brotherhood found in ancient warbands.
The Jomsvikings are remembered not only for their exploits, such as participation in the Battle of Hjörungavágr and the Battle of Svolder, but for their mythic and cultic resonance. Their fortress, Jomsborg, has been described as both a strategic military base and a quasi-sacred space governed by laws that reflect Odinist and Heathen values of loyalty, valor, and fate. As an archetype, the Jomsvikings stood apart from mainstream society, often operating as mercenaries or shock troops for kings and jarls. Their fierce cohesion, sacred oaths, and readiness to face death recall the older Männerbünde, and modern Heathen warrior groups like Odin’s Warrior Tribe can look to the Jomsvikings as an example of disciplined martial fraternity rooted in Heathen spirituality.
The Varangian Guard: Norse Warriors in Imperial Service
The Varangian Guard, an elite unit of the Byzantine Empire, was composed largely of Norse and later Anglo-Saxon warriors who served as personal bodyguards to the emperor. Many of these Norse warriors came from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, and were reputed for their fearlessness and loyalty. Given the ferocity and dedication attributed to them, it is plausible that some among their ranks may have walked the path of the Berserkr or Ulfhedinn, especially in earlier contingents drawn from Scandinavia. These warriors were famed for their shock tactics and relentless valor, traits consistent with the mythic bear- and wolf-warriors of Odin’s cult.
Contemporary and later Byzantine sources describe the Varangians as fierce and unwavering in battle, often carrying massive axes and fighting at the front lines or in critical palace defense roles. Their oath-bound service and cultural retention of Old Norse customs made them stand apart from other imperial troops. As a warrior elite in foreign service, the Varangians embodied many Männerbund traits: cohesion, initiation, exclusivity, and loyalty above all. Their participation in significant military campaigns across the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe further illustrates how the Germanic warrior tradition endured and adapted far beyond the Scandinavian heartlands. There was a warrior dance associated with the Varangian Guard.
Others:
The Kóryos (Proto-Indo-European youth warbands): Rooted deep in Indo-European tradition. These were young, often pre-initiate males who lived in the wild and fought in liminal states—often associated with wolves, night, and rites of passage.
The Huscarls (Norse and Anglo-Saxon elite bodyguards): Fiercely loyal, highly trained, sworn to their chieftains. A kindred spirit to the Jomsborg Vikings and warrior cults of Odin.
The Companions of Alexander the Great: His closest cavalry unit. Loyal unto death, bonded by shared conquest and a mystical sense of destiny.
The Sacred Band of Thebes (Greece): An elite unit of 150 male couples. Their bonds were emotional and martial fighting with greater valor because they stood beside their beloved.
Medieval and Esoteric Männerbünde: Teutonic Knights / Livonian Brothers of the Sword
Germanic knightly orders with both military and religious goals, akin to the Templars but focused on converting the Baltic pagans—often by fire and blade.
Hashshashin (Nizari Ismaili Assassins): Highly disciplined, trained in secrecy and psychological warfare, often operating in cult-like cells. Their initiations were deeply spiritual and fanatical.
North America:
Cheyenne Dog Soldiers—Hotamétaneo'o in their own tongue—were one of the most fearsome and respected warrior societies of the Native American Plains tribes. They embodied a true Männerbund in every essential way: elite, oath-bound, deeply spiritual, and absolutely devoted to honor, courage, and tribal defense. The Dog Soldiers began as one of several Cheyenne warrior societies, but over time, especially in the 19th century—they evolved into a separate, semi-autonomous military elite. By the mid-1800s, they had become a de facto militant brotherhood of both Northern and Southern Cheyenne, serving as protectors of their people and enforcers of tribal law. They were not just warriors, they were sacred guardians, guided by deep spiritual codes, visions, and warrior medicine. Many held fast to Sun Dance vows, fasting, piercing, and praying for the survival of their people.
Mosby’s Rangers: Formed in 1863 in Confederate Virginia, Mosby’s Rangers were an elite partisan cavalry unit—not regular army, but an irregular, lightning-fast force operating behind Union lines. They became legendary for: ambushes, guerrilla raids, hit-and-run, tactics, and disappearing into the night like ghosts on horseback. They lived outside conventional war, just as ancient Germanic Kóryos or Norse Ulfhéðnar did—liminal warriors, between the wild and the world. The Männerbund Parallels: Like all true Männerbünde, Mosby’s Rangers were: Small, tightly knit – rarely exceeding a few hundred men. Highly selective – not just anyone could ride with Mosby. Bound by mutual oath and shared danger. Free to act – Mosby gave them decentralized autonomy; they chose their missions and melted back into civilian life afterward. Feared and admired – even Union generals acknowledged their effectiveness.
Légion Étrangère (French Foreign Legion): A haven for outcasts and warriors, remade through brutal training and oaths. A clear Männerbund structure—new identity, new name, loyalty to the Legion alone.
Certain WWII German military units’ oath bound with a structure like an Order.
US Army Special Forces / Rangers/Navy SEALs / SAS / Spetsnaz: Modern Männerbünde in structure. Elite, highly trained, bonded through hardship and mission, often operating in moral and psychological liminality.
Books: "Der Männerbund" – Otto Höfler (1934)
Perhaps the single most important book on the Männerbund. Höfler explores the warrior brotherhoods of early Indo-Europeans, Germanic tribes, and their mythic counterparts. He links ancient youth warbands (Kóryos, Herðmenn, Harii, etc.) to secret societies, ecstatic warriors (like Berserkir), and initiation rituals. Deeply influential in the study of Indo-European culture, myth, and Germanic warrior cults.
Modern Revival:
Odin’s Warrior Tribe and Society of Gungnir today, revives this archetype in a modern Heathen context. The Tribe blends historical inspiration with real-world application, emphasizing honor, loyalty, and spiritual calling. The Society of Gungnir, named for Odin’s spear, serves as the entry warrior brotherhood of the Tribe, composed of active and veteran military and first responders. Applicants are vetted and initiated, echoing the oath-bound warbands of old. Loyalty, courage, and service define the group.
The Odinic Shamanic Warrior Cult
Within OWT, the Odinic Shamanic Warrior Cult provides a structured path for those drawn to the Berserkr or Ulfheðinn archetypes. These paths involve rigorous physical training, spiritual development, and ritual ordeal. Access is restricted to Tribe and Society of Gunner members. The Cult is led by combat veterans and has consulted Norse scholars. Candidates take blood oaths and must meet high standards to advance through the four levels, culminating in the ritual recognition as a Berserkr or Ulfhedinn. Thosre who enter the cult must take a medical exam and clearance for extreme high adventure activities such as parachuting and Scuba diving are required.
Women in the Brotherhood
Unlike ancient Männerbünde, Odin’s Warrior Tribe is inclusive. Women serve as leaders, warriors, and spiritual guides within the Tribe. The path is open to all who embody the martial spirit. Norse literature supports this inclusion: Valkyries and shield-maidens are prominent figures. Recent archaeology, such as the Birka female warrior grave, also may affirm that women played martial roles. Thus, OWT’s inclusion of women is a modern evolution grounded in ancient precedent. They must meet the same standards.
Myth and Practice United
The Tribe integrates myth and practice. Members walk in the steps of Odin’s warriors not by mimicry, but through meaningful ritual, martial discipline, and community service. Berserkr and Ulfhedinn aspirants embody their totemic animals, undergo spiritual, physical, and knowledge quests and tests, and contribute to the life of the Tribe. Activities include ancient and modern weapons training, Norse wrestling, archery, sailing on a Viking longship, blacksmithing, swimming, horseback riding, First Aid/CPR, Wilderness First Aid, study of the lore and Old Norse, and ritual observance, such as Utiseta (sitting out). The Tribe honors the Gods with blóts and sumbls, and rewards service through the Noble Order of Týr. In the Cult, ancient legends become a lived experience.
This is an ancient warrior journey updated for our time. in the Faroëse song of Finnur hin friði, we have the following verse: --
“Hegar íð Finnur hetta sær. When this peril Finn saw,
Mannspell var at meini, That witchcraft did him harm,
Skapti hann seg í varglíki: Then he changed himself into a were-wolf:
Hann feldi allvæl fleiri. He slew many thus.”
Conclusion
The Männerbünde of the Germanic past served vital functions: they initiated youth, protected the folk, and channeled martiThe Tribe honours the Gods with blóts and sumbls, and rewards service via the Noble Order of Týr.al power for the good of the tribe. They evolved into Viking groups and boat crews for raiding and trading. Odin’s Warrior Tribe revives these roles in a modern Heathen context. Their Odinic Shamanic Warrior Cult is not fantasy but a demanding, honorable path of transformation, shaped by ancient tradition and modern discipline. It offers a sanctuary and purpose for veterans and warriors, reconnecting them with ancestral values and sacred duty. In doing so, it proves that the saga of Odin’s warriors is far from over.
"Ok gefinn Óðni”
Footnotes:
Kershaw, Priscilla K. The One-eyed God: Odin and the (Indo-)Germanic Männerbünde. JIES Monograph 36, 1997.
Hrafnsmál (Haraldskvæði), attributed to Þorbjörn Hornklofi, 9th century.
Sturluson, Snorri. Ynglinga Saga. 13th century.
Grettis saga, 14th century.
Odin’s Warrior Tribe. Official Site. www.odinswarriortribe.com
Hedenstierna-Jonson, C. et al. "A female Viking warrior confirmed by genomics," American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 2017.
Sæ Ulfr, the Viking ship of Odin’s Warrior Tribe, member resource material.
Noble Order of Týr recognition program, Odin’s Warrior Tribe documentation.
Personal interviews and notes from Odin’s Warrior Tribe leadership communications, 2023–2025.
Various Eddic poems including Hávamál and Sigrdrífumál (translations by Jackson Crawford, 2014–2020).