Alfred Witte

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Alfred Witte 1878-1941

Alfred Witte (2 March 1878, 21:12 LMT, Hamburg -- 4 August 1941, 4:01 MET, Hamburg) was a German astrologer and the founder of the Hamburg School of Astrology. Witte revived and further developed the use of astrological midpoints for precision in astrological analysis and prediction. He was also an avid independent student of astronomy.

In his early writings in the 1920s, he experimented with numerous historical astrology techniques, including the astrological houses, planetary formulae similar to 'Arabic parts', and a new scheme of planetary rulerships. His approach to astrology was to verify assumptions by current reality checks rather than historical validation. As a result, his astrology was exceptionally precise and detailed in descriptions, and shook up the astrology world.

Witte proposed the existence of several hypothetical trans-Neptunian planets, which was considered a product of delusion in the early and mid-twentieth century. Although recent space telescope technology has verified the existence of several Trans-Neptunian objects, the specific Trans-Neptunian objects that are used by the Hamburg School and Uranian astrology have yet to be discovered.

Witte was considered an enemy of the German Third Reich and his main book the Rulebook for Planetary Pictures was banned and burned by the Nazis. He committed suicide before being interned in a Nazi concentration camp, in 1941.

In the 1960's, Witte’s system came to be known in the English speaking world as Uranian astrology.