How did Jacob Grimm use folklore to study pre-Christian Germanic beliefs?

Jacob Grimm utilized his extensive research into folklore, fairy tales, and folkloristic elements to reconstruct the pre-Christian faith and superstitions of the Germanic people. In his influential work Deutsche Mythologie, he analyzed these cultural materials to trace early Germanic beliefs, often contrasting them with the traditions of Christianity and classical mythology.12

Beyond his work on mythology, Jacob expanded his investigation into ancient Germanic folk culture by studying historical law practices and beliefs in his publication Deutsche Rechtsaltertümer (1828). This systematic approach to gathering source material helped provide a scholarly foundation for understanding the early social and religious structures of the Germanic people. His efforts were deeply rooted in his broader commitment to historical linguistics and philology, which allowed him to examine the development of meaning and relationships within Germanic languages as a means of uncovering the foundations of antiquity.345