National Socialism and occultism

The association of National Socialism with occultism occurs in a wide range of theories, speculation, and research into the origins of National Socialism. The term's Third Reich occultism or "Nazi occultism" is often used with this.

The speculation of "Nazi occultism" originated from some weird "post-war fascination with National Socialism". People that is into such ideas are interested in the early origins of the NSDAP, or, in particular, beliefs and spiritual interests of some National Socialist leaders, like Alfred Rosenberg and Heinrich Himmler.

Especially in fictional depictions, National Socialism is often linked to occultism and pre-Christian/pagan traditions, usually in politically correct media in a way that creates negative impressions. There are various criticisms of such politically correct views. See the "External links" section.

Popularity in the entertainment media

Especially strongly is this image presented in entertainment media. The subject of National Socialist occultism comes over and over again in various novels, films, and computer games. Typical for this are the first (Raiders of the Lost Ark) and third (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) Indiana Jones films directed by Steven Spielberg. Another example is the computer game "Return to Castle Wolfenstein". The 1998 documentary Nazis: The Occult Conspiracy claims that "The Nazi's used occult mind control techniques to brainwash Germans to perceive themselves as the master-race". The 1974 book The Occult Reich is subtitled "How Hitler harnessed the powers of Satan and practiced Black Magic in his plan to conquer the world!".

Hitler on occultism

Hitler's Nuremberg speech of 6 September 1938 on his disapproval of occultism:

Hence the National Socialist Movement will not tolerate subversion by occult mystics in search of an afterlife. They are not National Socialists but something different, and in any event, they represent something that has nothing to do with us. At the heart of our program you will not find any mysterious presentiments, rather you will find succinct realization and hence open avowal. Since we place the sustenance and securing of a creature created by God at the center of this realization and avowal, we sustain God’s creation, and it is in this manner that we serve this will. We do not do so at a new cult site bathed in mysterious twilight, but rather, in the open, for the Lord to see.

Esoteric Hitlerism

Esoteric Hitlerism was developed after WWII and is associated with the writings of Savitri Devi, Miguel Serrano, and others.

Hermann Rauschning

"Since Hitler’s National Socialism has been regarded as “the ultimate in evil,” linking Hitlerism with black magic and Satanism is a logical development. [...] Much of this can be traced to a piece of wartime propaganda, Hitler Speaks, by Hermann Rauschning, who claimed to be one of Hitler’s “inner circle.” In this book there are many references to Hitler’s dealing with black magic and dark powers, and to the presence of an early NSDAP member, Marthe Kuntzel, who was also both a theosophist and a leading German follower of the British occultist Aleister Crowley. Rauchning was taken seriously by historians until quite recently. Mark Weber writes that in 1983 a Swiss historian exposed the hoax".

Kerry R. Bolton

Kerry R. Bolton in the conclusion on an article on the "Occult Reich" states that

"Hitler ridiculed “superstition” but recognized the role it played on the psyche, and rejected the efficacy of prophecies and of astrology. The National Socialist party, so far from being neo-heathen, as is often contended, while reviving many old Germanic customs and festivals, from the start had a wide Christian base, particularly of Lutherans, and many Lutheran pastors were officers of the SA. They held early party meetings in their parsonages. Hitler became disillusioned with the failure of the Christian denominations to unite as a German national church, however he also remained dismissive of attempts at reviving paganism. The latter remained a peripheral influence within an inner core of the SS.

Himmler sought to create the SS as a neo-heathen order with its own marriage, birth and death ceremonies outside the Christian churches, and with SS officers serving as the priests. The Feast of Midsummer was substituted for Christmas. However, these measures that Himmler attempted to impose were so unpopular and disregarded among the SS that by November 1940 he was obliged to abrogate previous punishments for disobeying regulations on religion. Himmler was also unsuccessful in weaning his SS away from Christianity. “Two thirds of the Allgemeine–SS remained in the Church – 54.2 percent Evangelicals and 23.7 percent Catholics.”"

See also

• Ahnenerbe
• Armanism and Ariosophy
• Esoteric Hitlerism
• Landig Group
• Runes
• The Bell
• Thule Society
• The Catholic Church and the Holocaust
• Völkisch movement
• Third Reich Occultism after 1945

Personalities

• Guido von List
• Karl Maria Wiligut
• Miguel Serrano
• Otto Rahn
• Savitri Devi

External links

• The Occult Roots of Nazism: Book Review
• Religion, Mysticism and the Myth of the “Occult Reich”
• Saturday Afternoon: Roots of the myth of National-Socialism's "occult roots"