1839 – Pennsylvania Dutch, Folk Healing Charms | Hohman, Lange verborgene Freund

Der lange verborgene Freund, known in English as The Long Lost Friend, is one of the most commonly cited manuals of folk practice printed for the Pennsylvania German population. This 1839 printing, produced in Pennsylvania and issued directly for buyers, contains spells, prayers, and healing remedies designed for rural life. The text addresses both people and livestock, with entries for illness, injury, misfortune, and daily care. Its presence in farm households was widespread among German-speaking communities during the early 19th century.

Its use was practical. The volume contains short entries, each prescribing a cure or protective rite. Remedies often rely on herbs and spoken words. Some use scriptural passages. Others repeat older European charms passed between generations. The book went through several issues under different titles, some falsely linking it to Albertus Magnus to attract wider attention. Those versions continued the same contents with minor wording changes.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Der lange verborgene Freund, oder, Getreuer und Christlicher Unterricht für jedermann
• Author(s): Johann Georg Hohman
• Publisher: Pennsylvanien, Gedruckt für den Käufer
• Edition: undated, [1839].
• Format: 16mo, single volume
• Binding: modern, professional rebinding
• Size:  6.5 x 5 in (16.5 x 12.7 cm)
• Collation: 95pp
  • 81-82, 85-92 lacking; loose gatherings
• Contents Include:
  • Household spells and blessings
  • Sickroom recipes for animals and humans
  • Short invocations drawn from scripture
  • Protective charms for home and travel

Condition:

Very Good. Professional, modern leather binding. Several leaves are missing (81–82, 85–92). Textblock is loose throughout. Pages bear marks from heavy use, with edge fraying and creasing. Tooling on covers make for a fine display.

Why Collect This?

• Early Pennsylvania German imprint related to folk practices
• Rare example of 19th-century Christian-magical literature in the United States
• Includes herbal remedies and verbal charms still referenced today
• Printed for functional use in working households