They are the only surviving pagan incantations in Germany: the Merseburg spells. They were written down by a monk more than 1000 years ago and were only rediscovered in 1841 in a theological anthology from the 9th and 10th centuries in the Merseburg Cathedral Abbey Library. The two spells have survived in Old High German and reproduce magical incantations from pre-Christian times. The first spell was used to free a prisoner, the second to heal an injured horse's foot.

This unique written document not only reveals the special sonority of the Old High German language and records pagan Germanic customs, it is also the only known Old High German linguistic record in which figures from the world of the Germanic gods (Wodan, Balder, Friia, Volla, Sunna, Phol, Sinhtgunt) appear. Together with Dr Wolfgang Beck from the Institute of German Literature at the University of Jena, the Vereinigte Domstifter have now completed an application to have the Merseburg spells inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This application was made possible by funding from the State Chancellery and the Ministry of Culture and was approved for submission today.

"The Merseburg Magic Spells are an irreplaceable key document and an integral part of German and international cultural heritage. Their value for the study of religion, language, literature and magic can hardly be overestimated," writes Dr Beck in the application. "As one of the few surviving autochthonous sources of Germanic, pre-Christian religion and culture, they are highly significant not only for the Germanic religion itself, but also for the era of cultural change brought about by the Christianisation of Europe. As a relic of an oral tradition that overcame the critical transition to writing, they stand at the beginning of the written history of the German language and literature. In formal terms, they are not only an example of the aesthetics of magical speech, but also a prototypical representative of the genre of 'magic spells' in general."

"The preservation and further development of our special cultural heritage is a matter close to our hearts," said Rainer Robra, Minister of State and Culture of Saxony-Anhalt. "The Merseburg Magic Spells are a unique document that fits well into the canon of our world heritage. As a state, we therefore support the application for the spells to be recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

The Lord Mayor of Merseburg, Jens Bühligen, emphasises the supra-regional significance of the spells: "The Merseburg spells, which are known far beyond our borders, are part of the extensive cultural heritage of the cathedral and university town of Merseburg. Inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List gives us a great opportunity to raise the profile of our historic town among interested visitors."

Abbey director Dr Holger Kunde is well aware of the magic of the spells. "Our visitors are deeply moved when they see the spells for the first time or even hear them during a guided tour. Their magic goes far beyond the actual incantations. The spells give us a direct insight into the world of life and language in our region 1000 years ago."

The application for inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register will now first be submitted to Prof Dr Joachim-Felix Leonhard from the German UNESCO Commission with an accompanying letter from the Minister of State and Culture, Rainer Robra. If the application is approved, it will be handed over to the Federal Foreign Office. Every two years, two proposals per country can be submitted for inclusion in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. An International Committee then decides on the inclusion in the World Documentary Heritage. This could probably take place in 2024 or 2025. Germany has 24 entries so far, including the Nebra Sky Disc, the Song of the Nibelungs and the autograph of Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B minor.