REMEMBERING THE URANIANS:
The Uranian System of Astrology, also called the Hamburg School, was established by Friederich Sieggrum (1877-1951) and Alfred Witte (1878-1943). Many of the leaders were German, and it is fitting that the symbol for Uranus used for this page border is the one generally used in Germany and other European countries.
The term Uranian in part refers to a specific set of highly useful techniques, like midpoints and the 90 degree dial. Over the years, these techniques have gained wider usage by people who would never call themselves Uranians, though the term Cosmobiology might appear.
For many dyed-in-the-wool Uranians, however, this system also involves eight hypothetical chart features--Cupido, Hades, Appollon, and others--complete with ephemerides. Four of these points were intuitively derived by Witte. The truly peculiar thing about these Transneptunian points is, they work--despite the fact that they have yet to be spotted by today's advanced telescopes and space probes. (For a fascinating account by a physicist on planets and objects once spotted that later "vanished," see this web page.) Charles Emerson's work on rectifying the US chart with the Uranian factors was remarkable.
Today, rather than having faded into history, the various offshoots of Uranian astrology are alive and well and as organized into groups as those ruled by the planet Uranus can stand to be. If you are interested in learning more, NCGR has a Uranian/Cosmobiology SIG (Special Interest Group) called The Uranian Society, led originally by Charles Emerson. For information about the SIG, email Arthur Blum, editor of their newsletter.
There is also an informative web site about this and related subjects at Symmetrical Astrology, where you will also find links and an e-mail list. Biographies of astrologers living and dead who made significant contributions to this specialty can be found at The Uranian Beacon. Also on that website is a chronology of developments in Uranian Astrology, including priceless historical photographs.
Karl Ambjornson: American professional astrologer in San Francisco, Ca, specializing in Uranian astrology. Author of "Delineation of Mundane Events," 1974 and "Uranian Astrology Handbook." His AstroDatabank record, rated A, says that according to his memory, given by the Astrological Pioneers of America, he was born on March 29, 1914 at 2:20 AM in San Francisco, CA. Died of cancer of the liver on September 18, 1981, in San Francisco.
Andrew Homer adds, "Karl Ambjornson was an electrical engineer with a thorough understanding of Johndro and geodetic charts. He taught Uranian Astrology at Fritzi Armstrong's Metaphysical Townhall."
Beth-Katherine Kaiman recalls, "My sister and I (both blondes) studied with Karl in 1971 or 72 who tolerated
our mathematical ineptitudes amusedly until the class I arrived with ALL of
my midpoints hand calculated and placed on the wheel in teeny tiny writing.
He took one look at that chart and smiled and said 'You're really interested,
aren't you?'. Yep."
RORY (RAPHAEL) MARCATO: Nona Gwynn Press, who knew him for years in the New York Chapter of the National Council for GeoCosmic Research, writes, "He gave us the information that he was born April 19, 1943, at 1:40 AM EST in Manhattan, NY. I believe he served in the armed forces, was married and had a son. After his service he became a motion picture projectionist. I met him in the early 1970's when he joined the NCGR and research commitee of which I was chair. He was involved with the NCGR NY chapter suicide research study and later became research chairman of the Uranian Society.
"On July 31, 1986, at 11:45 PM at the Thomas E. Starzel Transplant Institute in Pittsburgh, PA, Rory had a liver transplant. He continued his research and wrote a book about his findings. He suffered a stroke October 21, 1994, because of the medications he took for the transplant and died January 13, 1995, c. 3 or 4 AM, in the Austin Hospital in Austin, TX.
"According to Michelle McKee, his editor and an NCGR member, his book,
Patterns of Pathology: the Use of Astrology in the Diagnosis & Prognosis of
Personality Disorders, was essentially finished and she and Rory's second
wife, Cecile, hoped it would be published soon. To my knowledge, it has not
been published, which is unfortunate since it represents the fruits of a
life dedicated to the art and science of astrology."
HANS NIGGEMANN: AstrodataBank says he was a German-born astrologer, "credited with successfully introducing an American form
of the Uranian system. NCGR's first lifetime Honorary Member, he was also a gifted speaker." His
data is ranked AA, Steinbrecher having his birth certificate in hand.
AstrodataBank says he was born
on March 22, 1891, at 7:00 AM GMT in Paderborn, West Germany,
8E45; 51N43. He died at the age of 94 on September 1, 1985,
at 6:00 AM, in the Bronx, NY.
FRIEDRICH SIEGGRUEN: He was a nautical scientist,
professional astrologer, and author. Considered one of the founders of the Hamburg School, he
was a committed student and collaborator of Alfred Witte and did much to propagate Uranian Astrology.
He postulated the four additional hypothetical planets Apollon, Admetos, Vulcanus and Poseidon.
Co-editor of the book 'Die Hamburger Astrologenschule' (1925).
According to his record at the Taeger Research web site,
he was born December 20, 1877, at 8:41 AM LMT, in Luebeck, Germany,10° E 41' 53° N 52,
and died: May 4, 1951, 2:15 AM MET, Hamburg, Germany. (The Source: TAE via U. Rudolph (d) via personal statement)
DR. EDGARD R. WAGNER: An American astrologer of the Uranian school, he researched and taught the system for decades and was a member of the New York NCGR group. His AstrodataBank record gives this information out of the APA file, from his memory. He was born August 9, 1893, at 1:08 AM EST, in Manchester, NH, 71W28; 43N00. Growing increasingly frail and confused, the elderly Dr. Wagner disappeared from his New York apartment and was never found.
In June, 2000, Bill Meridian wrote for this memorial:
"I shall always remember Dr. Edgar Wagner as a very exacting astologer. He
was outspoken and never at a loss for words. I recall him saying, 'Don't
waste your time with that! I spent 5 years trying to get that to work.' He
was expert in Uranian, rectification, and predictive techniques. He was
fiercely proud of his profession as a chemist. Even in the 1970s, I was
concerned about his frailty, and was distressed to hear that no one knew of
his fate. He richly deserves to be remembered." Bill Meridian
ALFRED WITTE: Surely the father of Uranian astrology, Witte
founded the Hamburg School. His books included Rules for Planetary Pictures as well s
others not translated into English. His AstrodataBank record
rates his data rated A, from a variety of sources and rectifications too lengthy to go into here.
He was born on March 2, 1878, in Hamburg, Germany at either 7:54 PM or 9:00 PM, depending
on whose rectification you like. He died at 63 on August 4, 1941, in Hamburg. For a more detailed
biography, visit Witte's page at the Uranian Beacon.
To Memorials A-K
Memorials L-Z
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CREDITS: This background plus exciting mythological ones for all the planets can be seen at Fantasy Graphics. Biographical information for this memorial came from AstrodataBank and The Encyclopedia of Astrology. Witte's photo comes from the portrait gallery at the on-line Russian Encyclopedia of Astrology. Most book covers on this site are courtesy of AstroAmerica or the publishers. The animation of Uranus is from IBAND.