Popped into the post office today to pick up a bundle of books I ordered from Esoterica Press. That bundle contained the following: Gottlob Heinrich Vogt’s Short Reservations upon those Official Relations on Account of Vampires or People- and Cattle- Suckers, W.S.G.E.’s Curious and very Wonderful Relation of those New Things in Servia presenting Bloodsuckers or Vampires, Johann Christoph Herenberg’s Sensible and Christian Thoughts upon those Vampires or Bloodsucking Dead and Michael Ranft’s Tractate on the Chewing and Smacking of the Dead in Graves.
If those titles ring a bell, it might be because they’re translations of eighteenth-century vampire texts—published in English for the first time. Yes, it has taken almost 300 years for that to happen.
Brett R. Warren, the mastermind behind the Historic Vampire Debate project, launched a crowdfunding campaign in 2022 to sponsor the publication of the translations (I am one of the backers) and absolutely smashed his targets. The works were first published in four leatherbound volumes, each representing a different category: alchemy, medicine, theology and occult philosophy. The second editions editions are available in paperbacks. That’s the bundle I purchased. You can also purchase them individually if you’re so inclined.
Warren project really resonates with me because it’s something I wanted to do myself. During the mid-2000s, I made multiple efforts at trying to get these works published. I honed in on Ranft’s Tractat and even lined up a translator, but that fell through as he seemingly vanished into thin air. Like Warren, I also tried to replicate the original “look” of the book. It’s bittersweet that someone else did it but I’m glad someone did. After all, these works are the origin of vampire studies itself. They were the first writings to seriously examine and explain the vampire phenomena. That’s what makes Warren’s project extra special. You’ve got to know your roots.
I’m in the midst of lining up a Q and A with Warren for the latest issue of the Journal of Vampire Studies. The journal’s first Q and A, in fact. And considering some of the topics that will be covered in the upcoming issue, he was the perfect candidate for it. Stay tuned.
To learn more about the project and to purchase copies of Warren’s translations, visit the Esoterica Press website at esoterica-press.com.
