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Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThis two-sided paper currency shows the town hall of Geisa on the top half and a portrait of Athanasius Kircher on the bottom half. Kircher is depicted in his clerical habit within an octagonal frame, flanked by oak leaves and the denomination '1 Mark.' The text indicates the note was issued in Geisa, the scholar's birthplace, during the period of German hyperinflation.
Athanasius Kircher was a pivotal 17th-century figure whose works synthesized natural philosophy, Egyptology, and Hermeticism. This twentieth-century artifact demonstrates the enduring legacy of his intellectual contributions to the Western esoteric tradition and his status as a local hero in his German birthplace.
Gut-schein der Stadt Geisa Rhön 1 Mark Rathaus Dieser Gutschein verliert seine Gültigkeit 1 Monat nach erfolgter ortsüblicher Bekanntmachung Wert 75 Pfennig im Jahre 1921 der Stadtgemeindevorstand Hofmann DRUCK: J.A. SCHWARZ, LINDENBERG/ALLGÄU. ATHANASIUS KIRCHER 1602-1680 1 MARK Wert 75 Pfennig GEBOREN ZU GEISA
Translation
Voucher of the Town of Geisa, Rhön 1 Mark Town Hall This voucher loses its validity 1 month after the official local announcement Value 75 Pfennig in the year 1921 The Municipal Executive Board Hofmann PRINT: J.A. SCHWARZ, LINDENBERG/ALLGÄU. ATHANASIUS KIRCHER 1602-1680 1 MARK Value 75 Pfennig BORN IN GEISA
Athanasius Kircher
Kircher is the subject of the portrait and was a central figure in 17th-century natural philosophy and esoteric studies.
Object
Engraving
portrait
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Private archive
Public domain
1156 × 1679 px
603e274bad1ab7c5f0ce020cb05e523c4b6cb1d3
March 23, 2021
March 24, 2026
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on April 1, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.