Weschcke, Carl Llewellyn (1930-)

Prominent American astrologer, occultist, publisher, and owner-president of Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, Minnesota, originally founded as Llewellyn Publishing Company by Llewellyn George in 1905 in Portland, Oregon. Weschcke was born on September 10, 1930, in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was educated at the St. Paul Academy; the Babson Institute, Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts; and the University of Minnesota.

He purchased the Llewellyn Publishing Company of Los Angeles, California, in 1960 and moved the business to St. Paul, Minnesota. For a number of years the Llewellyn enterprise also included Gnostica, a large retail bookstore housed in a 12,000-square-foot former mortuary in St. Paul. In addition to publishing a number of popular occult books, Llewellyn also issued Gnostica magazine (now superseded by Llewellyn's New Worlds of Mind and Spirit ) and Astrology Now magazine (dis-continued). Among the company's prominent publications are the annual Moon Sign Book (established by Llewellyn George in 1905) and Daily Planetary Guide. It is now one of the largest wholesale dealers in occult books and products in the United States.

Weschcke was editor-in-chief of Gnostica magazine, and his own writings included articles on lunar astrology, gardening, tantra, and witchcraft. He is a practicing witch and has chaired the Council of American Witches. In addition to many appearances on radio and television interview programs, he was responsible for a half-hour commercial television program on Halloween and prepared a videotape on witchcraft for the University of Wisconsin.

Sources:

Weschcke, Carl L. The Occult Renaissance. St. Paul, Minn.: Llewellyn Publishing, 1972.

——. The Science of Feeling Fine. St. Paul, Minn.: Chester-Kent, 1954.