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168-412: The roots of Esoteric Nazism can be traced back to early 20th-century occult movements and figures who sought to combine racial theories with mysticism. Key figures such as Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels played significant roles in this development, with their ideas laying the groundwork for what would later become the esoteric underpinnings of Nazi ideology. These early esotericists promoted

336-745: A cataract from his eye, after which he was left blind for eleven months. During this period of rest and recuperation, he contemplated questions surrounding the origins of the German language and the use of runes . He subsequently produced a manuscript detailing what he deemed to be a proto-language of the Aryan race, in which he claimed that occult insight had enabled him to interpret the letters and sounds of both runes and emblems and glyphs found on ancient inscriptions. Terming it "a monumental pseudo-science", Goodrick-Clarke also noted that it constituted "the masterpiece of his occult-nationalist researches". List sent

504-467: A pagan deity. He claimed that on an 1862 visit to the catacombs with his father, he knelt before a ruined altar and swore that when an adult he would construct a temple to the ancient god Wotan . Although List wanted to become an artist and scholar, he reluctantly agreed to his father's insistence that he enter the family's leather goods business. During his leisure time he devoted himself to writing and sketching as well as rambling, riding, or rowing in

672-471: A "Collective Aryan Unconscious" is central to Esoteric Nazism, drawing on Carl Jung 's theory of the collective unconscious . However, in Esoteric Nazi thought, this unconscious is specifically linked to the Aryan race, believed to carry a shared racial memory or spiritual heritage. This idea posits that Aryans possess innate, inherited wisdom and knowledge that connect them to their divine origins and

840-589: A 1992 paper, contends that the swastika-like comet on the Han-dynasty manuscript was labelled a "long tailed pheasant star" ( dixing ) because of its resemblance to a bird's foot or footprint. Similar comparisons had been made by J.   F. Hewitt in 1907, as well as a 1908 article in Good Housekeeping . Kobres goes on to suggest an association of mythological birds and comets also outside of China. In Native American culture , particularly among

1008-743: A celebrity within the Austrian Pan-German movement, with the editors of the Ostdeutsche Rundschau convening a Guido List evening in April 1895 and South Vienna's Wieden Singers' Club holding a List festival in April 1897. Having divorced his previous wife, in August 1899 List married Anna Wittek, who was from Stecky in Bohemia . Despite List's modern Pagan faith, the wedding was held in an evangelical Protestant church, reflecting

1176-450: A chiral irregular icosagon (20-sided polygon ) with fourfold (90°) rotational symmetry . Such a swastika proportioned on a 5   ×   5 square grid and with the broken portions of its legs shortened by one unit can tile the plane by translation alone. The main Nazi flag swastika used a 5   ×   5 diagonal grid, but with the legs unshortened. The swastika was adopted as

1344-420: A clear boundary between neopagan spirituality and racist ideologies. Many neopagan groups engage in educational initiatives to promote a positive and inclusive image of their traditions. This includes workshops, public statements, and community events that emphasize the spiritual and cultural aspects of neopaganism without the racist overtones of Esoteric Nazism. These efforts aim to educate both their members and

1512-400: A close identification between the racial group – the volk or folk – and the natural world. List believed that human beings had an immortal soul, and that it would be reincarnated according to the laws of karma until eventually uniting with divinity. In the 1890s, List initially devised the idea that ancient German society had been led by a hierarchical system of initiates,

1680-432: A conflict that would bring about the defeat of Germany's enemies and the establishment of a golden age for the new Ario-German Empire. Toward the war's end, he believed that the German war dead would be reincarnated as a generation who would push through with a national revolution and establish this new, better society. For List, this better future would be intricately connected to the ancient past, reflecting his belief in

1848-649: A copy to the Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna, but they declined to publish it. In 1903 List published an article in Die Gnosis magazine, which reflected a clear influence from the ideas of the Theosophical Society . List had occasionally used the title of von in his name from 1903 onward, but began using it permanently in 1907. The term was used to denote that an individual was

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2016-624: A crucial role in shaping the ideological underpinnings of the Nazi Party, particularly through the influence of the Thule Society. He emphasizes that while these ideas were not the sole cause of Nazi ideology, they provided a mystical and racial framework that supported and justified the more extreme aspects of Nazism. In his later work, Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity (2002), Goodrick-Clarke explores

2184-421: A cult figure on the eastern edge of the German world. He was regarded by his readers and followers as a bearded old patriarch and a mystical nationalist guru whose clairvoyant gaze had lifted the glorious Aryan and Germanic past of Austria into full view from beneath the debris of foreign influences and Christian culture. In his books and lectures List invited true Germans to behold the clearly discernible remains of

2352-668: A desire to revive pre-Christian religion. It was through the Armanen-Order that Thorsson, who joined it, learned about List's work. Thorsson then spearheaded "the post-war runic revival", founding an initiatory organisation known as the Rune Gild in 1980. Thorsson was responsible for translating a number of List's works into English, alongside those of other völkisch mystics like Siegfried Adolf Kummer . These publications brought awareness of List to an English-speaking readership, with his 1988 translation of List's The Secret of

2520-538: A divine right to rule over other races, which are considered spiritually inferior or degenerate. Within this framework, the leaders and initiates of Esoteric Nazism see themselves as the custodians of hidden knowledge and spiritual power. This belief in a cosmic order reinforces the hierarchical and authoritarian nature of Esoteric Nazi ideology, where only a select few are deemed worthy of accessing and wielding this knowledge. A central belief in Esoteric Nazism

2688-420: A form of " Ariosophy ", a term which was coined by Lanz von Liebenfels in 1915. Goodrick-Clarke considered List's ideas to be a "unique amalgam of nationalist mythology and esotericism". Religious studies scholar Olav Hammer noted that List's Wotanism "increasingly came to consist of an original synthesis of his reading of Germanic mythology with Theosophy". List's early Theosophical influence came largely from

2856-646: A hybrid ideology that merges occultism with white supremacist goals. This confluence of beliefs helps these groups to attract members who are drawn to both the mystical and the political aspects of their ideology. Mainstream neopagan organizations actively denounce racism and white supremacy, striving to distance themselves from the ideologies of Esoteric Nazism. For example, groups such as the Asatru Folk Assembly have issued public statements rejecting racial exclusivity and promoting inclusivity within their communities. These actions are crucial in maintaining

3024-472: A large interest in racialism . According to Charroux, Hyperborea was situated between Iceland and Greenland and was the home of a Nordic white race with blonde hair and blue eyes . Charroux wrote that this race was extraterrestrial in origin and had originally come from a cold planet situated far from the sun. Charroux also wrote that the white race of the Hyperboreans and their descendants,

3192-475: A late paleolithic figurine of a bird, carved from mammoth ivory, found in Mezine , Ukraine. However, the age of 10,000 BCE is a conservative estimate, and the true age may be as old as 17,000 BCE. It has been suggested that this swastika may be a stylised picture of a stork in flight. As the carving was found near phallic objects, this may also support the idea that the pattern was a fertility symbol. In

3360-401: A letter from Max Müller that quotes Burnouf. The term sauwastika is used in the sense of 'backward swastika' by Eugène Goblet d'Alviella (1894): "In India it [the gammadion ] bears the name of swastika , when its arms are bent towards the right, and sauwastika when they are turned in the other direction." Other names for the symbol include: In various European languages, it

3528-469: A living tribute to the value of the Aryan caste system. Savitri Devi integrated Nazism into a broader cyclical framework of Hindu history. She considered Hitler to be the ninth Avatar of Vishnu , and called him "the god-like Individual of our times; the Man against Time; the greatest European of all times", having an ideal vision of returning his Aryan people to an earlier, more perfect time, and also having

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3696-624: A lung inflammation his health deteriorated quickly, and he died in a Berlin guesthouse on the morning of 17 May 1919. He was cremated in Leipzig and his ashes laid in an urn and then buried at the Vienna Central Cemetery, Zentralfriedhof . An obituary of List authored by Berlin journalist Philipp Stauff then appeared in the Münchener Beobachter . List promoted a religion termed "Wotanism", which he saw as

3864-658: A mapping in the original Big5 character set, but the former does not (although it is in Big5+ ). In Unicode 5.2, two swastika symbols and two swastikas were added to the Tibetan block : swastika U+0FD5 ࿕ RIGHT-FACING SVASTI SIGN , U+0FD7 ࿗ RIGHT-FACING SVASTI SIGN WITH DOTS , and swastikas U+0FD6 ࿖ LEFT-FACING SVASTI SIGN , U+0FD8 ࿘ LEFT-FACING SVASTI SIGN WITH DOTS . European uses of swastikas are often treated in conjunction with cross symbols in general, such as

4032-460: A member of the nobility, and when the nobility archive ordered an official enquiry into List's use of the term, he was called before magistrates in October 1907. He defended his usage of the term with the claim that he was the descendant of aristocrats from Lower Austria and Styria , and that his great-grandfather had abandoned the title to become an inn keeper. Goodrick-Clarke noted that whatever

4200-565: A milieu which sought the integration of Austria into the German Empire . During an 11-month period of blindness in 1902, List became increasingly interested in occultism, in particular coming under the influence of the Theosophical Society , resulting in an expansion of his Wotanic beliefs to incorporate Runology and the Armanen Futharkh . The popularity of his work among the völkisch and nationalist communities resulted in

4368-593: A mythical Aryan homeland. The society's anti-Semitic and nationalist ideas influenced many who would become Nazi leaders, blending occultism, mythology, and political ideology to form the foundation of Esoteric Nazism. Heinrich Himmler , head of the SS , deeply integrated mysticism into Nazi ideology, viewing the SS as a spiritual order. He established the SS's ideological center at Wewelsburg Castle , where various esoteric and occult practices were conducted. Himmler's fascination with

4536-496: A mythical northern Aryan homeland, suggested that Hyperboreans were divine beings who once ruled the earth. The Nazis adopted several symbols with esoteric meanings. The swastika , an ancient symbol found in various cultures, became the Nazi party emblem, symbolizing Aryan identity and cosmic order. Other symbols, such as the Black Sun , signified occult power and the esoteric knowledge of the Aryan race. Greek writer Savitri Devi

4704-493: A number of works being specifically dedicated to him. The editor of Prana , Johannes Balzli , authored a biography of List that was published in 1917. During World War I , List erroneously proclaimed that there would be victory for the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary, claiming to have learned this information from a vision that he experienced in 1917. By 1918, List was in declining health, furthered by

4872-484: A prominent figure in the völkisch movement, created Ariosophy , combining Germanic paganism with racial theories. Lanz von Liebenfels expanded these ideas through his publication Ostara , promoting Aryan superiority and anti-Semitic views through occultism and mysticism . The Thule Society , established in 1918, played a significant role in the formation of Nazi ideology. This occultist group believed in Thule ,

5040-832: A result, they strive to create inclusive communities that celebrate diversity . Esoteric Nazism intertwines its mystical and esoteric beliefs with a fascist and far-right political agenda. It seeks to revive Nazi ideology through an occult framework, advocating the implementation of authoritarian and supremacist policies. Conversely, many neopagan groups are either apolitical or politically diverse, emphasizing spiritual practices and community building rather than political activism. This fundamental difference in political orientation further separates Esoteric Nazism from mainstream neopaganism. Esoteric Nazism and neopaganism both draw upon ancient symbols and mythologies, but their interpretations and applications of those symbols and mythologies diverge significantly. Esoteric Nazis use symbols like

5208-454: A series of interviews between 1936 and 1939, Jung characterized Hitler as an archetype, often manifesting itself to the complete exclusion of his own personality. " 'Hitler is a spiritual vessel, a demi-divinity; even better, a myth. Benito Mussolini is a man' ... the messiah of Germany who teaches the virtue of the sword. 'The voice he hears is that of the collective unconscious of his race ' ". Jung's suggestion that Hitler personified

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5376-619: A severe strain on the city's resources. A staunch monarchist, he opposed all forms of democracy , feminism , and modern trends in the arts, such as those of the Vienna Secessionists . Influenced by the Pan-Germanist politician Georg Ritter von Schönerer and his Away from Rome! movement, List decried the growing influence of linguistically Slavic communities within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He

5544-674: A simultaneously racial and mystical meaning for Serrano. He believes that Hitler was in Shambhala , an underground centre in Antarctica (formerly at the North Pole and Tibet), where he was in contact with the Hyperborean gods and whence he would someday emerge with a fleet of UFOs to lead the forces of light (the Hyperboreans, sometimes associated with Vril ) over the forces of darkness (inevitably including, for Serrano, those of

5712-442: A single one of the enemies of the divine Cause: not a single one of its outspoken opponents but also not a single one of the lukewarm, of the opportunists , of the ideologically heretical , of the racially bastardised, of the unhealthy, of the hesitating, of the all-too-human; not a single one of those who, in body or in character or mind, bear the stamp of the fallen Ages. Unlike most ancient astronaut writers, Robert Charroux took

5880-608: A standard character in Chinese , " 卍 " ( pinyin : wàn ) and as such entered various other East Asian languages , including Chinese script . In Japanese the symbol is called " 卍 " ( Hepburn : manji ) or " 卍字 " ( manji ) . The swastika is included in the Unicode character sets of two languages. In the Chinese block it is U+534D 卍 (left-facing) and U+5350 for the swastika 卐 (right-facing); The latter has

6048-521: A symbol of good luck and prosperity in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain countries such as Nepal, India, Thailand, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, China and Japan, and carries various other meanings for peoples around the world, such as the Akan , Hopi , Navajo , and Tlingit peoples. It is also commonly used in Hindu marriage ceremonies and Dipavali celebrations. With well-being ( swasti ) we would follow along our path, like

6216-466: A wonderful theocratic Ario-German state, wisely governed by priest-kings and gnostic initiates, in the archaeology, folklore, and landscape of his homeland." — Historian of esotericism Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke. According to the historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke , 1902 marked "a fundamental change in the character of [List's] ideas: occult ideas now entered his fantasy of the ancient Germanic faith." This began when he received an operation to remove

6384-520: A young Teuton living in the fifth century who has been forcefully converted to Christianity but who returns to his original solar cult. The second was Pipara , a two-volume story published in 1895 which told the story of an eponymous Quadi maiden who escaped captivity from the Romans to become an empress. In 1898, he then authored a catechism exhibiting a form of pagan deism titled Der Unbesiegbare ("The Invincible"). List's activities had made him

6552-619: Is a swastika symbol used to decorate objects, traditional clothing and in archaeological excavations . According to painter Stanisław Jakubowski, the "little sun" (Polish: słoneczko ) is an Early Slavic pagan symbol of the Sun; he claimed it was engraved on wooden monuments built near the final resting places of fallen Slavs to represent eternal life. The symbol was first seen in his collection of Early Slavic symbols and architectural features, which he named Prasłowiańskie motywy architektoniczne (Polish: Early Slavic Architectural Motifs ). His work

6720-536: Is called yung drung . All swastikas are bent crosses based on a chiral symmetry, but they appear with different geometric details: as compact crosses with short legs, as crosses with large arms and as motifs in a pattern of unbroken lines. Chirality describes an absence of reflective symmetry , with the existence of two versions that are mirror images of each other. The mirror-image forms are typically described as left-facing or left-hand (卍) and right-facing or right-hand (卐). The compact swastika can be seen as

6888-533: Is clearly marked on a hilt and sword belt found at Bifrons in Kent, in a grave of about the 6th century. Hilda Ellis Davidson theorised that the swastika symbol was associated with Thor , possibly representing his Mjolnir  – symbolic of thunder – and possibly being connected to the Bronze Age sun cross. Davidson cites "many examples" of swastika symbols from Anglo-Saxon graves of

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7056-582: Is depicted among the magical symbols on the drums of Sami noaidi , used in their religious ceremonies before Christianity was established. The name of the Sami thunder god was Horagalles , thought to derive from "Old Man Thor" ( Þórr karl ). Sometimes on the drums, a male figure with a hammer-like object in either hand is shown, and sometimes it is more like a cross with crooked ends, or a swastika. The icon has been of spiritual significance to Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The swastika

7224-791: Is known as the fylfot , gammadion , tetraskelion , or cross cramponnée (a term in Anglo-Norman heraldry ); German: Hakenkreuz ; French: croix gammée ; Italian: croce uncinata ; Latvian : ugunskrusts . In Mongolian it is called [хас] Error: {{Lang}}: Non-latn text/Latn script subtag mismatch ( help ) ( khas ) and mainly used in seals. In Chinese it is called 卍字 ( wànzì ), pronounced manji in Japanese, manja (만자) in Korean and vạn tự or chữ vạn in Vietnamese . In Balti / Tibetan language it

7392-467: Is linked to the ability to access higher esoteric knowledge and maintain a connection with divine forces. The concept of a "spiritual aristocracy" is often emphasized, with the Aryan race considered the chosen people destined to lead humanity. The notion of racial purity in Esoteric Nazism is often linked to an idealized past, where Aryans supposedly lived in harmony with cosmic laws before being corrupted by external influences. Maintaining this racial purity

7560-621: Is noted for its scholarly approach and examination of many sources currently unavailable elsewhere in English-language translations. Esoteric Nazism incorporates elements of Gnostic dualism , particularly the belief in a cosmic struggle between forces of light and darkness . In this worldview, the material world is seen as the creation of a malevolent demiurge , often identified with the Judeo-Christian God, who seeks to enslave humanity. Aryans, in contrast, are viewed as

7728-458: Is now referred to as Esoteric Hitlerism. These post-war esotericists expanded on the idea of Hitler as a messianic figure, often deifying him as an avatar of divine forces. Savitri Devi, for example, integrated Nazi ideology with Hinduism, portraying Hitler as the ninth avatar of Vishnu and aligning Aryan supremacy with Hindu concepts of cosmic order. Similarly, Miguel Serrano introduced extraterrestrial elements into Esoteric Hitlerism, claiming that

7896-547: Is one of a number of Nazi esotericists who regard the "Aryan blood" as originally extraterrestrial : Serrano finds mythological evidence for the extraterrestrial origins of man in the Nephilim [fallen angels] of the Book of Genesis ... Serrano suggests that the sudden appearance of Cro-Magnon Man with his high artistic and cultural achievements in prehistoric Europe records the passage of one such divya -descended race alongside

8064-472: Is seen as essential for the Aryan race to fulfill its divine mission on earth. Esoteric Nazism incorporates the concept of spiritual hierarchies, wherein different races and beings occupy different levels of spiritual advancement. Aryans are placed at the top of this hierarchy, believed to be closer to divine or cosmic forces that govern the universe. This spiritual hierarchy justifies the supremacist ideology inherent in Esoteric Nazism, asserting that Aryans have

8232-502: Is the pursuit and preservation of esoteric knowledge, considered key to unlocking the spiritual and racial potential of the Aryan race. This knowledge is believed to be hidden or occult, accessible only to those who are racially pure and spiritually advanced. Esoteric Nazis often claim that this knowledge has been passed down through secret societies or mystical traditions that have preserved it since ancient times. The content of this esoteric knowledge varies but often includes teachings on

8400-775: The Abrahamic religions who worship the Abrahamic god ) in a last battle and thus inaugurating a Fourth Reich . Serrano follows the Gnostic tradition of the Cathars ( fl. 1025–1244) by identifying the evil demiurge as Jehovah , the God of the Old Testament. As medieval dualists, these eleventh-century heretics had repudiated Jehovah as a false god and mere artificer opposed to the real God far beyond our earthly realm. This Gnostic doctrine clearly carried dangerous implications for

8568-610: The Armanenschaft , an idea which had developed into a key part of his thinking by 1908. List's image of the Armanenschaft's structure was based largely on his knowledge of Freemasonry . He claimed that the ancient brotherhood had consisted of three degrees, each with their own secret signs, grips, and passwords. He believed that the Armanenschaft had societal control over the ancient German people, acting as teachers, priests, and judges. In List's interpretation of history,

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8736-544: The Austrian Empire . Born to a prosperous middle-class family, he was the eldest son of Karl Anton List, a leather goods dealer who was the son of Karl List, a publican and vintner. Guido's mother, Marian List, was the daughter of builder's merchant Franz Anton Killian. List was raised in the city's second bezirk , on the eastern side of the Danube canal. Like most Austrians at the time, his family were members of

8904-502: The Avar khans depicted a wolf with a standard with a double-spiral swastika. Petroglyphs with swastikas were depicted on medieval Vainakh tower architecture (see sketches by scholar Bruno Plaetschke from the 1920s). Thus, a rectangular swastika was made in engraved form on the entrance of a residential tower in the settlement Khimoy , Chechnya . Iron Age attestations of swastikas can be associated with Indo-European cultures such as

9072-575: The Aztec myth of Quetzalcoatl descending from Venus . He also cites the hypothesis of Bal Gangadhar Tilak on the Arctic homeland of the Indo-Aryans, as his authority for identifying the earthly centre of the Aryan migrations with the 'lost' Arctic continent of Hyperborea . Thus, Serrano's extraterrestrial gods are also identified as Hyperboreans. In attempting to raise the spiritual development of

9240-511: The Celts , had dominated the whole world in the ancient past. Some of these claims of Charroux have influenced the beliefs of Esoteric Nazism such as the work of Miguel Serrano . Miguel Serrano, a former Chilean diplomat, is a major figure in Esoteric Nazism. Author of numerous books including The Golden Ribbon: Esoteric Hitlerism (1978) and Adolf Hitler, the Last Avatar (1984), Serrano

9408-637: The Hisarlik mound near the Aegean Sea coast for the history of Troy. Schliemann linked his findings to the Sanskrit swastika . By the 19th century, the term swastika was adopted into the English lexicon, replacing the previous gammadion from Greek γαμμάδιον . In 1878, Irish scholar Charles Graves used swastika as the common English name for the symbol, after defining it as equivalent to

9576-653: The Holy Grail and King Arthur myths aimed to inspire the SS with a higher spiritual purpose. Ariosophy , developed by List and Liebenfels, significantly shaped Nazi racial ideology. Combining Theosophy , Germanic mythology , and racial theories, Ariosophy promoted Aryan superiority by positing Aryans as descendants of a divine, ancient race. This concept was used by the Nazis to justify their racial purity and anti-Semitic policies. Mythological and mystical beliefs were integral to Nazi ideology. The concept of Hyperborea ,

9744-540: The Illyrians , Indo-Iranians , Celts , Greeks , Germanic peoples and Slavs . In Sintashta culture 's " Country of Towns ", ancient Indo-European settlements in southern Russia, it has been found a great concentration of some of the oldest swastika patterns. Swastika shapes have been found on numerous artefacts from Iron Age Europe. The swastika shape (also called a fylfot ) appears on various Germanic Migration Period and Viking Age artifacts, such as

9912-629: The Neue Deutsche Alpenzeitung ("New German Alpine Newspaper"), with his articles being devoted to the Austrian countryside and the folk customs of its inhabitants. His interpretations emphasised what he believed were the pagan origins of Austrian place-names, customs, and legends, describing the landscape as being embodied by genius loci , and expressing clear German nationalist and völkisch sentiment. In 1888, he published his first novel, Carnuntum , in two volumes. Set in

10080-652: The Pima people of Arizona , the swastika is a symbol of the four winds. Anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing noted that among the Pima the symbol of the four winds is made from a cross with the four curved arms (similar to a broken sun cross ) and concludes "the right-angle swastika is primarily a representation of the circle of the four wind gods standing at the head of their trails, or directions." The earliest known swastikas are from 10,000 BCE – part of "an intricate meander pattern of joined-up swastikas" found on

10248-480: The Roman Catholic denomination of Christianity, with List being christened into this faith at St Peter's Church in Vienna. Reflecting the family's wealth and bourgeoisie status, in 1851 a watercolour portrait of List was painted by the artist Anton von Anreiter. Accounts suggest that List had a happy childhood. Developing a preference for rural areas rather than urban ones, he enjoyed family visits to

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10416-1024: The Swastika Stone . Swastikas have also been found on pottery in archaeological digs in Africa, in the area of Kush and on pottery at the Jebel Barkal temples, in Iron Age designs of the northern Caucasus ( Koban culture ), and in Neolithic China in the Majiayao culture. Swastikas are also seen in Egypt during the Coptic period. Textile number T.231-1923 held at the V&;A Museum in London includes small swastikas in its design. This piece

10584-406: The exoteric , outer form of pre-Christian Germanic religion, while "Armanism" was the term he applied to what he believed were the esoteric, secret teachings of this ancient belief system. He believed that while Wotanism expounded polytheism for the wider population, those who were members of the Armanist elite were aware of the reality of monotheism . List's Armanism would later be classified as

10752-401: The sun cross of Bronze Age religion . Beyond its certain presence in the " proto-writing " symbol systems, such as the Vinča script , which appeared during the Neolithic . According to René Guénon , the swastika represents the north pole, and the rotational movement around a centre or immutable axis ( axis mundi ), and only secondly it represents the Sun as a reflected function of

10920-493: The swastika was an especially important symbol, as she felt it symbolized Aryan unity of Hindus and Germans. Savitri Devi, above all, was interested in the Indian caste system , which she regarded as the archetype of racial laws intended to govern the segregation of different races and to maintain the pure blood of the fair-complexioned Aryans. She regarded the survival of the minority of Brahmins among an enormous population of many different Indian races after sixty centuries as

11088-530: The swastika , runes , and the Black Sun to propagate their racial and mystical beliefs. Neopagans, on the other hand, use these symbols in a cultural or spiritual context, devoid of the racist connotations imposed by Esoteric Nazism. Mainstream neopaganism often reclaims these symbols to highlight their original, non-racist meanings. Certain fringe elements within the neopagan community have adopted Esoteric Nazi ideologies, blending them with their spiritual practices. These groups emphasize racial purity and draw on

11256-416: The "pagan past" as an "imaginative reconstruction". List's Wotanism was constructed largely on the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda , two Old Norse textual sources which had been composed in Iceland during the late Middle Ages; he nevertheless believed that they accurately reflected the belief systems of Germany, having been authored by "Wotanist" refugees fleeing Christianity. He believed that prior to

11424-455: The 1890s, although midway through that decade his work took on an explicitly anti-semitic nature with articles such as "Die Juden als Staat und Nation" ("The Jews as a State and Nation"). Other Austrian German nationalist newspapers which published his articles during this period included the Bote aus dem Waldviertel ("The Waldviertel Herald") and Kyffhäuser . List began lecturing on these subjects; for instance, in February 1893 he spoke to

11592-415: The 19th and early 20th century, such as suastika . It was derived from the Sanskrit term ( Devanagari स्वस्तिक ), which transliterates to svastika under the commonly used IAST transliteration system , but is pronounced closer to swastika when letters are used with their English values. The earliest known use of the word swastika is in Pāṇini 's Aṣṭādhyāyī , which uses it to explain one of

11760-467: The 3rd-century Værløse Fibula from Zealand, Denmark, the Gothic spearhead from Brest-Litovsk , today in Belarus, the 9th-century Snoldelev Stone from Ramsø , Denmark, and numerous Migration Period bracteates drawn left-facing or right-facing. The pagan Anglo-Saxon ship burial at Sutton Hoo , England, contained numerous items bearing swastikas, now housed in the collection of the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology . A swastika

11928-518: The Aryan population and opportunities for education and jobs in public service being restricted to those deemed racially pure. He envisioned this Empire following the Wotanic religion which he promoted. Writing in 2003, the historian of religion Mattias Gardell believed that List had become the "revered guru of Ariosophic paganism". Gardell considered the Austrian esotericist to have been "a legend in his lifetime", with List's ideas being embraced by many völkisch groups in Germany. German members of

12096-554: The Aryan race had divine origins linked to a race of god-like beings from Hyperborea. Esoteric Nazism has continued to influence various neo-Nazi and far-right groups in the post-war era, often merging with other esoteric and occult traditions. The concept of a "Collective Aryan Unconscious", inspired by Carl Jung 's theories, and the symbol of the Black Sun , representing hidden esoteric power, are central to these beliefs. These ideas have been perpetuated through various means, including literature, music, and digital media, contributing to

12264-464: The Austrian Pan-German parliamentary deputy Karl Wolf . In 1891, List anthologised many of the magazine articles that he had written over the previous decades in his book Deutsch-Mythologische Landschaftsbilder ("German Mythological Landscape Scenes"), extracts of which were then published in the Ostdeutsche Rundschau . Further völkisch articles on various topics pertaining to Austria's folk culture and to its ancient Germanic tribes followed during

12432-661: The Christian missionaries persecuted the Armanenschaft, resulting in many fleeing northward into Scandinavia and Iceland. He believed that they developed a secretive language for transmitting their teachings, known as kala . List claimed that after the Christianisation of Northern Europe, the Armanist teachings were passed down in secret, thus resulting in their transmission through later esoteric traditions such as Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism . He also claimed that

12600-639: The Danube before camping for the night at the site of the ancient Roman fortification of Carnuntum to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of the Battle of Carnuntum , in which Germanic tribes defeated the Roman Army. List later claimed that while his friends caroused, he celebrated the event with a fire and by burying eight bottles of wine in the shape of a swastika beneath the arch of the monument's Pagan Gate . In 1877, List's father died. List soon abandoned

12768-581: The Esoteric Nazi view of Aryans as a superior race with a divine destiny, linked to their ancient, mythical origins. Since 1945, neo-Nazi writers have also proposed Shambhala and the star Aldebaran as the original homeland of the Aryans. The book Arktos: The Polar Myth in Science, Symbolism, and Nazi Survival , by Hypnerotomachia Poliphili scholar Joscelyn Godwin , discusses pseudoscientific theories about surviving Nazi elements in Antarctica . Arktos

12936-616: The French term croix gammée  – a cross with arms shaped like the Greek letter gamma (Γ). Shortly thereafter, British antiquarians Edward Thomas and Robert Sewell separately published their studies about the symbol, using swastika as the common English term. The concept of a "reversed" swastika was probably first made among European scholars by Eugène Burnouf in 1852 and taken up by Schliemann in Ilios (1880), based on

13104-565: The German tribes of the Iron Age , as well as authoring several plays. During the 1890s he continued writing völkisch articles, now largely for the nationalist Ostdeutsche Rundschau newspaper, with his works taking on an anti-semitic dimension halfway through that decade. In 1893, he co-founded the Literarische Donaugesellschaft literary society, and involved himself in Austria's Pan-German nationalist movement,

13272-629: The Jews. As Jehovah was the tribal deity of the Jews, it followed that they were devil worshipers. By casting the Jews in the role of the children of Satan, the Cathar heresy can elevate anti-Semitism to the status of a theological doctrine backed by a vast cosmology. If the Hyperborean Aryans are the archetype and blood descendents of Serrano's divyas from the Black Sun, then the archetype of

13440-670: The List Society included Philipp Stauff , Eberhard von Brockhusen , Karl Hellwig, Georg Hauerstein, and Bernhard Koerner, who were founding members of the Reichshammerbund and Germanenorden ; through the Germanenorden's Munich offshoot, the Thule Society , a vague lineage can be drawn between the List Society and the early Nazi Party as it was established after World War I. List's ideas of Ariosophy and

13608-429: The List Society with whom he went on pilgrimages to various places that he believed had been ancient cultic sites associated with the worship of Wotan. He operated as leader of this group, using the title of Grand Master. The List Society also produced six booklets authored by List himself between 1908 and 1911. Titled "Ario-Germanic research reports", they covered List's opinions on the meaning and magical power of runes,

13776-563: The List Society, influenced later völkisch groups such as the Reichshammerbund and Germanenorden , and through those exerted an influence on both the burgeoning Nazi Party , the SS and the German Faith Movement . After World War II his work continued to influence an array of Ariosophic and Heathen practitioners in Europe, Australia, and North America. Guido Karl Anton List was born on 5 October 1848 in Vienna, then part of

13944-606: The Lord of Darkness needed a counter-race. The demiurge sought and found the most fitting agent for its archetype in the Jews. As religious scholars Frederick C. Grant and Hyam Maccoby emphasize, in the view of the dualist Gnostics, "Jews were regarded as the special people of the Demiurge and as having the special historical role of obstructing the redemptive work of the High God's emissaries". Serrano thus considered Hitler as one of

14112-747: The Medieval Knights Templar had been keepers of these Armanist secrets, and that they had been persecuted by the Christian establishment as a result of this; he believed that the deity they were accused of worshiping, Baphomet , was actually a sigil of the Maltese Cross representing Armanist teachings. According to List, a number of prominent Renaissance humanists – including Giovanni Pico della Mirandola , Giordano Bruno , Johannes Trithemius , Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa , and Johann Reuchlin – were also aware of this ancient Armanist teaching, with List claiming that he

14280-560: The Old Norse Havamal . He claimed to have deciphered these secret meanings himself, translating them as statements such as "Know yourself, then you know everything", "Do not fear death, he cannot kill you", "Marriage is the root of the Aryan race!", and "Man is one with God!" List emphasised the importance of a mystical union between humans and the universe, viewing divinity as being immanent in nature, with all life being an emanation of it. Connected to this, he believed in

14448-604: The Pacific and even North America (especially Moundville ). In Armenia the swastika is called the " arevakhach " and "kerkhach" ( Armenian : կեռխաչ ) and is the ancient symbol of eternity and eternal light (i.e. God). Swastikas in Armenia were found on petroglyphs from the copper age, predating the Bronze Age. During the Bronze Age it was depicted on cauldrons , belts, medallions and other items. Swastikas can also be seen on early Medieval churches and fortresses, including

14616-738: The Pan-Germanist movement resulted in suggestions that a society devoted to the promotion of List's work be established. This materialised as the Guido-von-List-Gesellschaft in March 1908, which was largely funded by the Wannieck family but which also included many prominent figures from middle and upper-class Austrian and German society. At Midsummer 1911, List founded the High Armanen Order (Hoher Armanen-Ordem), or HAO, as an inner group of Armanist practitioners within

14784-799: The Runes initiating a surge of interest in Ariosophy among the Heathen community of the United States. List's runology also made an appearance in Stephan Grundy 's 1990 book Teutonic Magic . List's Armanist ideas have been cited as an inspiration for the American Odinist militant David Lane , with Wotansvolk , a group that List was involved in establishing, viewing their own activism as a continuation of that begun by List. List

14952-436: The Sanskrit grammar rules, in the context of a type of identifying mark on a cow's ear. Most scholarship suggests that Pāṇini lived in or before the 4th century BCE, possibly in 6th or 5th century BCE. An important early use of the word swastika in a European text was in 1871 with the publications of Heinrich Schliemann , who discovered more than 1,800 ancient samples of swastika symbols and variants thereof while digging

15120-538: The Sun and the Moon. May we meet up with one who gives in return, who does not smite (harm), with one who knows. — The Rigveda V.52.15 The word swastika is derived from the Sanskrit root swasti , which is composed of su 'good, well' and asti 'is; it is; there is'. The word swasti occurs frequently in the Vedas as well as in classical literature, meaning 'health, luck, success, prosperity', and it

15288-701: The Western world until the 1930s, when the German Nazi Party adopted the swastika as an emblem of the Aryan race . As a result of World War II and the Holocaust , in the West it continues to be strongly associated with Nazism , antisemitism , white supremacism , or simply evil . As a consequence, its use in some countries, including Germany , is prohibited by law . However, the swastika remains

15456-546: The Western world, it is more widely recognized as a symbol of the German Nazi Party who appropriated it for their party insignia starting in the early 20th century. The appropriation continues with its use by neo-Nazis around the world. The swastika was and continues to be used as a symbol of divinity and spirituality in Indian religions , including Hinduism , Buddhism , and Jainism . It generally takes

15624-461: The abysmal inferiority of Neanderthal Man , an abomination and manifest creation of the demiurge ... Of all the races on earth, the Aryans alone preserve the memory of their divine ancestors in their noble blood, which is still mingled with the light of the Black Sun . All other races are the progeny of the demiurge's beast-men, native to the planet. Serrano supports this idea from various myths which assign divine ancestry to 'Aryan' peoples, and even

15792-401: The ancestral homeland of the Aryan race. According to this belief, Hyperborea was a paradise inhabited by the original Aryan gods or god-men, who were later exiled or descended to earth. The concept of Hyperborea is tied to the idea of a lost Golden Age , where Aryans lived in harmony with cosmic laws before their decline and corruption by external influences. This mythological narrative supports

15960-429: The ancient Hyperborean homeland. This collective memory is thought to guide Aryans in their spiritual and racial mission, differentiating them from other races considered spiritually inferior. In the book Black Sun , Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke reports how Carl Gustav Jung described "Hitler as possessed by the archetype of the collective Aryan unconscious and could not help obeying the commands of an inner voice". In

16128-554: The ancient Wotanic priesthood, Austrian folklore and place-names, and the secret messages within heraldic devices. In 1914, the Society then published List's work on runes and language that the Imperial Academy had turned down. The first three of these publications furthered List's reputation across both the völkisch and nationalist subcultures within both Austria and Germany. Many other writers were inspired by List, with

16296-710: The archaeological record around 3000 BCE in the Indus Valley Civilisation. It also appears in the Bronze and Iron Age cultures around the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea . In all these cultures, swastika symbols do not appear to occupy any marked position or significance, appearing as just one form of a series of similar symbols of varying complexity. In the Zoroastrian religion of Persia ,

16464-444: The children of the divine light, destined to oppose the demiurge and his earthly agents, typically identified with Jews and other non-Aryans. This dualistic belief system reinforces the racial and spiritual hierarchy central to Esoteric Nazism, with Aryans positioned as the rightful rulers of the world, destined to lead the final battle against the forces of darkness. The Black Sun is a significant symbol in Esoteric Nazism, representing

16632-428: The collective Aryan unconscious deeply interested and influenced Miguel Serrano , who later concluded that Jung was merely psychologizing the ancient, sacred mystery of archetypal possession by the gods, independent metaphysical powers that rule over their respective races and occasionally possess their members. Hyperborea , a mythical land often associated with the Arctic region, is revered in Esoteric Nazi ideology as

16800-408: The core of Esoteric Nazism is the belief in the racial purity and superiority of the Aryan race. Adherents of this ideology view Aryans as descendants of a divine or mystical lineage, endowed with unique spiritual and racial qualities that distinguish them from other races. This belief in racial purity is not only seen as a physical attribute but also as a spiritual one, where the purity of the bloodline

16968-613: The coterie of prominent Nazi Heinrich Himmler and influencing the symbolism and rituals of the SS . He has also exerted an influence on the Australian Odinist and Ariosophist Alexander Rud Mills . Both Goodrick-Clarke and later the religious studies scholar Stefanie von Schnurbein described List as "the pioneer of völkisch rune occultism", with the latter adding that "the roots of modern esoteric runology are found in Guido List's visions." In 1984, Thorsson expressed

17136-602: The country's economic situation were not uncommon in Austria at the time, having become particularly widespread following the Panic of 1873 . The later Heathen and runologist Edred Thorsson noted that List's "theories were to some degree based on the anti-semitic dogmas of the day", while Hammer stated that the Ariosophic tradition promulgated by List and others was "unambiguously racist and anti-semitic". List believed that

17304-417: The countryside of Lower Austria and Moravia , and – encouraged by his father – he began to sketch and paint the castles, prehistoric monuments, and natural scenery of these areas. According to his later account, he developed an early interest in the pre-Christian religions of Austria, coming to believe that the catacombs beneath St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna had once been a shrine devoted to

17472-693: The countryside, becoming both a member of the Viennese rowing club Donauhort and the secretary of the Austrian Alpine Association (Österreichischer Alpenverein). He was involved in both solitary and group expeditions into the Austrian Alps, and it was on one of the latter journeys that he left his mountaineering group to spend Midsummer night alone atop the Geiselberg hillfort. On 24 June 1875 he and four friends rowed down

17640-516: The cyclical nature of time, something which he had adopted both from a reading of Norse mythology and from Theosophy. Reflecting his monarchist beliefs, he envisioned this future state as being governed by the House of Habsburg , with a revived feudal system of land ownership being introduced through which land would be inherited by a man's eldest son. In List's opinion, this new empire would be highly hierarchical, with non-Aryans being subjugated under

17808-560: The degradation of modern Western society was as a result of a conspiracy orchestrated by a secret organisation known as the Great International Party, an idea influenced by anti-semitic conspiracy theories. Adopting a millenarianist perspective, he believed in the imminent defeat of this enemy and the establishment of a better future for the Ario-German race. In April 1915 he welcomed the start of World War I as

17976-465: The earthbound races, the Hyperborean divyas (a Sanskrit term for god-men) suffered a tragic setback. Expanding on a story from the Book of Enoch , Serrano laments that a renegade group among the gods committed miscegenation with the terrestrial races, thus diluting the light-bearing blood of their benefactors and diminishing the level of divine awareness on the planet. The concept of Hyperborea has

18144-409: The establishment of a List Society in 1908; attracting significant middle and upper-class support, the Society published List's writings and included an Ariosophist inner group, the High Armanen Order, over whom List presided as Grand Master. Through these ventures he promoted the millenarian view that modern society was degenerate, but that it would be cleansed through an apocalyptic event resulting in

18312-515: The establishment of a new Pan-German Empire that would embrace Wotanism. After having erroneously prophesied that this empire would be established by victory for the Central Powers in World War I, List died on a visit to Berlin in 1919. During his lifetime, List became a well-known figure among the nationalist and völkisch subcultures of Austria and Germany, influencing the work of many others operating in this milieu. His work, propagated through

18480-573: The event. Alongside his affiliation with the Bund, List was also a member of the Deutscher Turnverein (Germanic Gymnastic League), a strongly nationalistic group to whom he contributed literary works for their events. In 1893, List and Fanny Wschiansky founded a belletristic society devoted to encouraging German nationalist and neo-romantic literature in Vienna, the Literarische Donaugesellschaft ("Danubian Literary Society"). The group

18648-539: The food shortages experienced in Vienna as a result of the war. In the spring of 1919, at the age of 70, List and his wife set off to recuperate and meet followers at the manor house of Eberhard von Brockhusen , a List Society patron who lived at Langen in Brandenburg , Germany. On arrival at the Anhalter Station at Berlin , List felt too exhausted to continue the journey. After a doctor had diagnosed

18816-424: The form of a cross , the arms of which are of equal length and perpendicular to the adjacent arms, each bent midway at a right angle. The word swastika comes from Sanskrit : स्वस्तिक , romanized :  svastika , meaning 'conducive to well-being'. In Hinduism , the right-facing symbol (clockwise) ( 卐 ) is called swastika , symbolizing surya ('sun'), prosperity and good luck, while

18984-623: The goals of Esoteric Nazism. This detachment from traditional morality is used to justify the extremist and often violent actions associated with the movement. Esoteric Nazism is fundamentally based on the belief in Aryan racial superiority and purity, incorporating racist doctrines that promote the dominance of the Aryan race. This ideology distorts ancient myths and symbols to support its racist agenda. In stark contrast, mainstream neopaganism generally rejects racial exclusivity, instead, it focuses on spirituality, cultural heritage, and inclusivity. Many neopagan groups explicitly denounce racism and as

19152-725: The greatest emissaries of this High God, rejected and crucified by the tyranny of the Judaicized rabble like previous revolutionary light-bringers. Serrano had a special place in his ideology for the SS , who, in their quest to recreate the ancient race of Aryan god-men, he thought were above morality and therefore justified. In the 1980s and 1990s, David Myatt developed an interpretation—or revisionist version—of Nazism which, although based on Savitri Devi's three principles of "above", "against", and "in time" individuals, did not involve either ancient mythology or extraterrestrial beings. Instead, Myatt, described as "most commonly associated with

19320-508: The growing popularity of Protestantism among Austria's Pan-German community, who perceived it as a more authentically German form of Christianity than the Catholicism that was popular among Austria-Hungary's other ethnic and linguistic communities. Wittek had previously appeared in a performance of List's Der Wala Erweckung and had publicly recited some of his poetry. Following their marriage, List devoted himself fully to drama, authoring

19488-399: The harmful narratives propagated by Esoteric Nazi groups. The study of Esoteric Nazism has attracted significant attention from scholars, particularly those interested in the intersections of occultism, political extremism, and modern mythology. These scholars have explored the origins, development, and influence of Esoteric Nazism, offering critical analyses of its ideological foundations and

19656-563: The hidden Shambhala and Agartha civilizations, and underground UFO bases, as well as Hitler's and the SS 's supposed survival in underground Antarctic bases in New Swabia , or in alliance with Hyperboreans from the subterranean world. Esoteric Nazism is built on a foundation of core beliefs that combine mystical, racial, and occult ideologies. These beliefs form the central tenets of the tradition, distinguishing it from other esoteric movements and intertwining it with Nazi ideology. At

19824-437: The hidden, esoteric power believed to guide the Aryan race. Often depicted as a mystical, inner sun, the Black Sun symbolizes the source of Aryan spiritual strength and the cosmic forces that support their racial mission. This concept is closely linked to various extraterrestrial theories within Esoteric Nazism, which suggest that the Aryan race has divine or extraterrestrial origins. Figures like Miguel Serrano have popularized

19992-609: The idea of an ancient Aryan race, endowed with divine qualities, which they believed was destined to rule over other races. This notion of Aryan supremacy was further developed by the Thule Society , an occult group that heavily influenced the early Nazi movement, blending nationalism with mystical beliefs in a mythical Aryan homeland known as Hyperborea . After the fall of the Third Reich, Esoteric Nazism evolved and adapted to new contexts, with figures such as Savitri Devi and Miguel Serrano emerging as prominent proponents of what

20160-440: The idea that Aryans are descendants of an ancient extraterrestrial race, who once ruled Hyperborea and will return to lead humanity into a new Golden Age . These beliefs combine occult symbolism with pseudo-historical and mythological narratives to create a mystical foundation for Aryan supremacy. Godwin and other writers such as Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke have discussed the connections between Esoteric Nazism and Vril energy,

20328-508: The largely Czech population of South Moravia . List and Wannieck began corresponding, resulting in a lifelong friendship between the two men. The Verein 'Deutsches Haus' subsequently published three of List's works in its series on German nationalist studies of history and literature. List began regularly writing for a weekly newspaper, the Ostdeutsche Rundschau ("East German Review"), which had been established in 1890 by

20496-532: The late fourth century CE , the narrative focused on a romance set against the background of the conflict between Germanic tribes and the Roman Empire around the area of the eponymous Roman fort. The novel established List as a recognised figure within Austria's Pan-German community , a movement of individuals unified in their belief that the majority German-speaking areas of the multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic Austro-Hungarian state should cede and join with

20664-401: The leather goods business that he inherited, intent on devoting himself to literary endeavours as a journalist, even if this meant a significant reduction in his income. On 26 September 1878 he married his first wife, Helene Förster-Peters. From 1877 to 1887 he wrote for the nationalist magazines Neue Welt ("New World"), Heimat ("Homeland"), Deutsche Zeitung ("German Newspaper"), and

20832-516: The left-facing symbol (counter-clockwise) ( 卍 ) is called sauvastika , symbolising night or tantric aspects of Kali . In Jain symbolism , it represents Suparshvanatha  – the seventh of 24 Tirthankaras ( spiritual teachers and saviours ), while in Buddhist symbolism it represents the auspicious footprints of the Buddha . In the different Indo-European traditions,

21000-442: The legitimacy of List's unproven claims, claiming the title of von was "an integral part of [List's] religious fantasy" because in his mind it connected him to the ancient Wotanist priesthood, from whom he believed Austria's aristocrats were descended. It is possible that List decided to adopt the usage of the term after his friend, the fellow prominent Ariosophist Lanz von Liebenfels , had done so in 1903. List's popularity among

21168-524: The mountains of Iran , there are swastikas or spinning wheels inscribed on stone walls, which are estimated to be more than 7,000 years old. One instance is in Khorashad, Birjand , on the holy wall Lakh Mazar. Mirror-image swastikas (clockwise and counter-clockwise) have been found on ceramic pottery in the Devetashka cave , Bulgaria, dated to 6,000 BCE. In Asia, swastika symbols first appear in

21336-457: The nationalist Verein 'Deutsches Geschichte' ("'German History' Association) on the ancient priesthood of Wotan. He also worked as a playwright, and in December 1894 his play Der Wala Erweckung ("The Wala's Awakening") was premiered at an event organised by the Bund der Germanen (Germanic League) which was devoted to the German nationalist cause, with Jews being explicitly banned from attending

21504-620: The newly established German Empire . The book also brought him to the attention of Friedrich Wannieck , a wealthy industrialist who was the chairman of both the Prague Iron Company and the First Brno Engineering Company. Wannieck was also president of the Verein 'Deutsches Haus' ("'German House' Association"), a nationalist organisation of linguistically German inhabitants of Brno who felt encircled by

21672-584: The north pole. As such it is a symbol of life, of the vivifying role of the supreme principle of the universe, the absolute God, in relation to the cosmic order. It represents the activity (the Hellenic Logos , the Hindu Om , the Chinese Taiyi , 'Great One') of the principle of the universe in the formation of the world. According to Guénon, the swastika in its polar value has

21840-535: The occult influenced the beliefs of the German Faith Movement in Nazi Germany to revive pre-Christian Germanic spiritual traditions focused on Aryan racial purity. Goodrick-Clarke opined that "this channel of influence certainly carries most weight in any assessment of List's historical importance." Rudgley claimed that List's vision of a future German Empire constituted "a blueprint for the Nazi regime". Other German völkisch figures promoted Listian ideas to

22008-506: The occult wing of the National Socialist movement, focused—in pamphlets such as The Meaning of National Socialism , The Enlightenment of National Socialism and his The Religion of National Socialism —on what he described as "the numinous" aspects of Nazism, with Jeffrey Kaplan writing that Myatt described Nazism as "unambiguously a religion while Adolf Hitler is treated unashamedly as the saviour of mankind." The concept of

22176-604: The oldest examples of the symbol in Sintashta culture , the swastika symbolises the universe, representing the spinning constellations of the celestial north pole centred in α Ursae Minoris , specifically the Little and Big Dipper (or Chariots), or Ursa Minor and Ursa Major. Likewise, according to René Guénon-the swastika is drawn by visualising the Big Dipper/Great Bear in the four phases of revolution around

22344-472: The oppressive forces of the demiurge . Instead, it promotes a code of conduct that aligns with the perceived divine mission of the Aryan race. This includes the justification of violence, domination, and other actions deemed necessary to protect and advance the Aryan race and its spiritual goals. This belief system promotes a form of "might makes right" ideology, where actions are judged not by conventional ethical standards but by their effectiveness in achieving

22512-408: The origins of the Aryan race, the nature of the cosmos, and the laws governing spiritual and racial purity. This knowledge is seen as empowering the Aryan race to reclaim its rightful place as the spiritual and temporal leaders of the world, capable of ushering in a new Golden Age. Esoteric Nazism advocates for a detachment from conventional morality, which is viewed as a construct of inferior races or

22680-490: The pagan period, with particular prominence on cremation urns from the cemeteries of East Anglia. Some of the swastikas on the items, on display at the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, are depicted with such care and art that, according to Davidson, it must have possessed special significance as a funerary symbol . The runic inscription on the 8th-century Sæbø sword has been taken as evidence of

22848-474: The persistence of Esoteric Nazism in contemporary culture. Despite its fringe status, Esoteric Nazism remains a potent force within certain extremist circles, offering a mystical justification for racial and ideological supremacy. The roots of Esoteric Nazism lie in several early 20th-century movements and figures that sought to blend mysticism, racial theories, and nationalism . Guido von List and Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels were pivotal in this development. List,

23016-538: The plays König Vannius ("King Vannius") in 1899, Sommer-Sonnwend-Feuerzauber ("Summer Solstice Fire Magic") in 1901 and Das Goldstück ("The Gold Coin") in 1903. He also authored a pamphlet titled Der Wiederaufbau von Carnuntum ("The Reconstruction of Carnuntum") in 1900, in which he called for the reconstruction of the ancient Roman amphitheatre at Carnuntum as an open-air stage through which Wotanism could be promoted. "List... belonged to an older generation than most of his pre-war fellow ideologues and thus became

23184-471: The pole star. In their 1985 book Comet , Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan argue that the appearance of a rotating comet with a four-pronged tail as early as 2,000 years BCE could explain why the swastika is found in the cultures of both the Old World and the pre-Columbian Americas . The Han dynasty Book of Silk (2nd century BCE) depicts such a comet with a swastika-like symbol. Bob Kobres, in

23352-447: The post-war survival of Esoteric Nazi beliefs and their influence on various neo-Nazi and far-right groups. He discusses how these groups have adapted the mystical and occult elements of Nazism to contemporary contexts, often blending them with other esoteric traditions, conspiracy theories, and pseudo-historical narratives. Guido von List Guido Karl Anton List (5 October 1848 – 17 May 1919), better known as Guido von List ,

23520-554: The practical wherewithal to fight the destructive forces "in Time". She saw his defeat—and the forestalling of his vision from coming to fruition—as a result of him being "too magnanimous, too trusting, too good", of not being merciless enough, of having in his "psychological make-up, too much 'sun' [beneficence] and not enough 'lightning.' [practical ruthlessness]", unlike his coming incarnation: " Kalki " will act with unprecedented ruthlessness . Contrarily to Adolf Hitler, He will spare not

23688-568: The pre-Christian god Wotan . Spending much time in the Austrian countryside, he engaged in rowing, hiking, and sketching the landscape. From 1877 he began a career as a journalist, primarily authoring articles on the Austrian countryside for nationalist newspapers and magazines. In these he placed a völkisch emphasis on the folk culture and customs of rural people, believing that many of them were survivals of pre-Christian, pagan religion. He published three novels, Carnuntum (1888), Jung Diethers Heimkehr (1894), and Pipara (1895), each set among

23856-408: The principal tower in Armenia's historical capital city of Ani . The same symbol can be found on Armenian carpets , cross-stones ( khachkar ) and in medieval manuscripts, as well as on modern monuments as a symbol of eternity . Old petroglyphs of four-beam and other swastikas were recorded in Dagestan , in particular, among the Avars . According to Vakhushti of Kartli , the tribal banner of

24024-472: The public about the true nature of neopaganism and its rejection of extremist ideologies. Mainstream neopagan communities often celebrate cultural and ethnic diversity, integrating various traditions and practices into their spiritual framework. This inclusive approach directly counters the exclusivist and supremacist ideologies of Esoteric Nazism, fostering a more open and accepting spiritual environment. By embracing diversity, these communities work to dismantle

24192-485: The same distorted mythologies as Esoteric Nazism. Examples include specific factions within Odinism and Ásatrú that espouse white supremacist beliefs. These sects often face criticism and rejection from the broader neopagan community. Esoteric Nazi beliefs have influenced various far-right and neo-Nazi groups that incorporate elements of neopaganism into their ideologies. These groups use neopagan symbols and rituals to support their racial and political agendas, creating

24360-450: The same meaning of the yin and yang symbol of the Chinese tradition, and of other traditional symbols of the working of the universe, including the letters Γ ( gamma ) and G, symbolising the Great Architect of the Universe of Masonic thought. According to the scholar Reza Assasi, the swastika represents the north ecliptic north pole centred in ζ Draconis , with the constellation Draco as one of its beams. He argues that this symbol

24528-433: The spread of Christianity into Northern Europe, there had once been a culturally unified German civilisation that had been spread across much of Europe, which came to be degraded and divided under the impact of Christianity. He believed that the Danubian region of modern Austria had thus been part of this unified German civilisation before the growth of the Roman Empire, an idea in contrast to the view accepted by historians of

24696-402: The swastika as a symbol of Thor in Norse paganism . The bronze frontispiece of a ritual pre-Christian ( c.  350–50 BCE ) shield found in the River Thames near Battersea Bridge (hence " Battersea Shield ") is embossed with 27 swastikas in bronze and red enamel. An Ogham stone found in Aglish, County Kerry , Ireland ( CIIC 141) was modified into an early Christian gravestone, and

24864-403: The swastika include veterok ("breeze"), ognevtsi ("little flames"), "geese", "hares" (a towel with a swastika was called a towel with "hares"), or "little horses". The similar word " koleso " ("wheel") was used for rosette-shaped amulets, such as a hexafoil -thunder wheel [REDACTED] ) in folklore, particularly in the Russian North . An object very much like a hammer or a double axe

25032-437: The swastika symbolises fire , lightning bolts, and the sun . The symbol is found in the archaeological remains of the Indus Valley civilisation and Samarra , as well as in early Byzantine and Christian artwork . Although used for the first time as a symbol of international antisemitism by far-right Romanian politician A. C. Cuza prior to World War I , it was a symbol of auspiciousness and good luck for most of

25200-438: The swastika was a symbol of the revolving sun, infinity, or continuing creation. It is one of the most common symbols on Mesopotamian coins. Some researchers put forth the hypothesis that the swastika moved westward from the Indian subcontinent to Finland, Scandinavia , the Scottish Highlands and other parts of Europe. In England, neolithic or Bronze Age stone carvings of the symbol have been found on Ilkley Moor , such as

25368-406: The time that linguistically German communities only settled in the area during the reign of the Frankish king Charlemagne in the ninth century CE, pushing out the pre-existing linguistically Celtic groups. List believed that the basic teachings of Wotanism were found in the runic alphabet, believing that they could be deciphered by linking these letters with particular runic spells which appear in

25536-401: The view that List's impact was such that he was "able to shape the runic theories of German magicians (although not necessarily their political ones) from that time to the present day." In 1976, two longstanding activists in the völkisch and far-right milieu, Adolf and Sigrun Schleipfer, established the Armanen-Order in order to revive List's ideas, adopting a strong anti-modernist stance and

25704-433: The view that Norse mythology accorded with – and thus proved – the cosmogonical teachings of Theosophy. Much of List's understanding of the ancient past was based not on empirical research into historical, archaeological, and folkloric sources, but rather on ideas that he claimed to have received as a result of clairvoyant illumination. Later writer Richard Rudgley thus characterised List's understanding of

25872-496: The ways in which it has persisted and evolved in post-war contexts. Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke , one of the most prominent scholars in this field, has extensively studied the roots of Esoteric Nazism. His seminal work, The Occult Roots of Nazism (1985), traces the origins of Nazi occultism to early 20th-century Ariosophy and other Germanic mystical traditions that influenced figures like Guido von List and Lanz von Liebenfels . Goodrick-Clarke argues that these esoteric ideas played

26040-431: The wider public during and after the First World War. Further individuals — notably Rudolf John Gorsleben , Werner von Bülow , Friedrich Bernhard Marby , Herbert Reichstein, and Frodi Ingolfson Werhmann — took List's Ariosophical ideas alongside those of Liebenfels and built upon them further, resulting in a flourishing Ariosophical movement in the late 1920s and 1930s, with some of these individuals being within

26208-475: The writings of German Theosophist Max Ferdinand Sebaldt von Werth, who had combined Theosophical ideas with his own interpretations of Germanic mythology and emphasis on racial doctrines, thus anticipating Ariosophy. In later work, this Theosophical influence over List's thinking grew, and he began referencing works such as Helena Blavatsky 's Die Geheimlehre (" The Secret Doctrine ") and William Scott-Elliot 's The Lost Lemuria in his publications. He expressed

26376-468: Was actually the reincarnation of Reuchlin. In addition, List claimed that in the eighth century, Armanists had imparted their secret teachings to the Jewish rabbis of Cologne in the hope of preserving them from Christian persecution; he believed that these teachings became the Kabbalah , which he therefore reasoned was an ancient German and not Jewish innovation, thus legitimising its usage in his own teachings. Rudgley stated that this "tortuous argument"

26544-435: Was also of interest to the Heathen Michael Moynihan , who spent time visiting the places in Austria that are associated with List's life. A bibliography of List's published books is provided in Goodrick-Clarke's study The Occult Roots of Nazism . Swastika The swastika ( 卐 or 卍 ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, and it is also seen in some African and American ones. In

26712-466: Was an Austrian occultist , journalist, playwright, and novelist. He expounded a modern Pagan new religious movement known as Wotanism , which he claimed was the revival of the religion of the ancient German race, and which included an inner set of Ariosophical teachings that he termed Armanism. Born to a wealthy middle-class family in Vienna , List claimed that he abandoned his family's Roman Catholic faith in childhood, instead devoting himself to

26880-408: Was commonly used as a greeting. The final ka is a common suffix that could have multiple meanings. According to Monier-Williams , a majority of scholars consider the swastika to originally be a solar symbol . The sign implies well-being, something fortunate, lucky, or auspicious. It is alternatively spelled in contemporary texts as svastika , and other spellings were occasionally used in

27048-636: Was decorated with a cross pattée and two swastikas. The Book of Kells ( c.  800 CE ) contains swastika-shaped ornamentation. At the Northern edge of Ilkley Moor in West Yorkshire, there is a swastika-shaped pattern engraved in a stone known as the Swastika Stone . A number of swastikas have been found embossed in Galician metal pieces and carved in stones, mostly from the Castro culture period, although there also are contemporary examples (imitating old patterns for decorative purposes). The ancient Baltic thunder cross symbol ( pērkona krusts (cross of Perkons ); also fire cross, ugunskrusts )

27216-472: Was found at Qau-el-Kebir, near Asyut , and is dated between 300 and 600 CE. The Tierwirbel (the German for "animal whorl" or "whirl of animals" ) is a characteristic motif in Bronze Age Central Asia, the Eurasian Steppe , and later also in Iron Age Scythian and European ( Baltic and Germanic ) culture, showing rotational symmetric arrangement of an animal motif , often four birds' heads. Even wider diffusion of this "Asiatic" theme has been proposed to

27384-436: Was later attested as the four-horse chariot of Mithra in ancient Iranian culture. They believed the cosmos was pulled by four heavenly horses who revolved around a fixed centre in a clockwise direction. He suggests that this notion later flourished in Roman Mithraism , as the symbol appears in Mithraic iconography and astronomical representations. According to the Russian archaeologist Gennady Zdanovich , who studied some of

27552-431: Was opposed to laissez-faire capitalism and large-scale enterprise, instead favouring an economic system based on small-scale artisans and craftsmen, being particularly unhappy with the decline in tradesmen's guilds . He was similarly opposed to the modern banking sector and financial institutions, deeming it to be dominated by Jews; in criticising these institutions, he expressed anti-semitic sentiments. Such views of

27720-401: Was partly based upon the 15th-century Litteraria Sodalita Danubiana created by the Viennese humanist Conrad Celtes , about whom List authored a brief biography in 1893. He also authored two further novels during the 1890s, both of which were historical romances set in Iron Age Germany. The first appeared in 1894 as Jung Diethers Heimkehr ("Young Diether's Homecoming"), which told the story of

27888-451: Was published in 1923. The Boreyko coat of arms with a red swastika was used by several noble families in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . According to Boris Kuftin , the Russians often used swastikas as a decorative element and as the basis of the ornament on traditional weaving products. Many can be seen on a women's folk costume from the Meshchera Lowlands . According to some authors, Russian names popularly associated with

28056-411: Was the first major post-war exponent of what has since become known as Esoteric Hitlerism. According to that ideology, subsequent to the fall of the Third Reich and Hitler's suicide at the end of the war, Hitler himself could be deified . Devi connected Hitler's Aryanist ideology to that of the pan- Hindu part of the Indian independence movement , and activists such as Subhas Chandra Bose . For her,

28224-415: Was used to support List's anti-semitic agenda. List generally saw the world in which he was living as one of degeneration, comparing it with the societies of the Late Roman and Byzantine Empires. He bemoaned the decline of the rural peasantry through urbanisation, having witnessed how Vienna's population tripled between 1870 and 1890, resulting in overcrowding, a growth in diseases like tuberculosis , and

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