All-Father Wotan / Wodan / Odin - Poster, Art Print

He is the High God of the Aesir, the highest and first deity, the god of poetry, knowledge, magic, as well as the god of the heavens, war, and the dead. As a storm god, he is the leader of the Wild Hunt.

Odin, the finder of the runes, god of runic wisdom and patron god of the skalds. Odin, the All-Father, son of Burr and the giantess Bestla.

 

Together with his brothers Hönir and Lodur, Odin created the first pair of humans, Ask and Embla, and gave them their souls. He sits on his throne Hlidskjalf in the hall Valaskjalf in the divine fortress of Asgard and can observe the entire world from there. He is all-seeing of what is said and done. At Odin's side are the ravens Huginn (Thought) and Muninn (Memory), who return from their journey every morning to report news from the world to Odin. He is also accompanied by the two wolves Geri (the Greedy) and Freki (the Ravenous). With his eight-legged stallion Sleipnir, he rides against the forces of darkness!

Odin pledged his eye to his uncle Mimir in order to drink the mead Odrörir from the Well of Truth. He owes his wealth to his golden ring Draupnir, from which eight further rings drip every nine days.

In battle, he relies on the spear Gungnir, which never misses its mark.

Odin's mythical wife is Frigg, whose Old German name Frija is identical to the Norse name of the Vanir goddess Freyja. In the Edda, too, Frigg is identified with Freyja. His wife bore him the sons Thor, Balder, and Tyr.

Thus, Odin is not only the god of the fallen in Valhalla but generally the leader of the dead, as expressed by the older myth of the Wild Hunt, in which all the spirits of the dead ride through the night under Odin's leadership.

His retinue consists of 13 spirit warriors, the Valkyries (Valkyrjar), and the souls of the fallen warriors, the Einherjar, who dwell in Valhalla (Hall of the Fallen).

This gleaming hall stood in Gladsheim, in front of it the grove Glasir, whose trees bore golden leaves. Above the main door of the hall, which was so high that one could hardly see its gable, hung a wolf as a symbol of war, with an eagle above it. The hall itself, roofed with shields over spear shafts, had 540 doors, through each of which 800 Einherjar would march when the time came for the great battle with the Fenris wolf (the warriors gathered for Ragnarök).

It was for these brave ones who came to Odin on the battlefield after death that he was destined. Under Odin’s chairmanship, the Valkyries poured out the mead in abundance.