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| "On the Jews And Their Lies", Martin Luther |
Siegfried did not post this article on his blog because, in his own words, "I'm trying to keep my blog Hitler-free!" While such a desire is perfectly understandable, I believe that ultimately it is misguided. The Big Lie that the Nazis were somehow influenced by Paganism is ubiquitous in popular culture and even finds its way into scholarly publications. The only way to counter this drumbeat of propaganda is by responding to it head-on, in as direct and straightforward a manner as possible.
I also think it is important to explain that not only is there no real connection between Nazism and Heathenism, but that there is most undoubtedly a strong and clear connection between Nazism and Christianity. In fact, the whole "Nazi Pagan" meme is really nothing more than a fairly transparent effort to distract attention away from the real religion of the Nazis: Christianity.
And now without further preamble, below is the entire text of what Dr. Seigfried posted on facebook (and also look to the bottom of this post for other links of possible interest):
HITLER HATED HEATHENS
Monday's CNN article about the disgusting hate crimes of last Sunday quotes a 1998 Southern Poverty Law Center article stating that Odinism "was a bedrock belief for key Third Reich leaders, and it was an integral part of the initiation rites and cosmology of the elite Schutzstaffel (SS), which supervised Adolf Hitler's network of death camps."
The man arrested & accused of committing these awful murders is a great fan of Adolf Hitler. I wonder if this avowed white supremacist knows that (even as the Nazis used Nordic imagery for propaganda purposes) his hero Hitler thought those interested in the Old Way were moronic left-wing peaceniks?
In his memoirs, Nazi architect Albert Speer quotes Hitler on his disdain for SS leader Heinrich Himmler's interest in pagan mysticism & his own support for Christian Charlemagne's butchering of heathen Saxons:
"What nonsense! Here we have at last reached an age that has left all mysticism behind it, and now [Himmler] wants to start that all over again. We might just as well have stayed with the church. At least it had tradition. To think that I may some day be turned into an SS saint! Can you imagine it? I would turn over in my grave...
"Himmler has made another speech calling Charlemagne 'the butcher of the Saxons.' Killing all those Saxons was not a historical crime, as Himmler thinks. Charlemagne did a good thing subjugating Widukind and killing the Saxons out of hand. He thereby made possible the empire of the Franks and the entry of Western culture into what is now Germany."
Here are some key quotes from Hitler's "Mein Kampf" ("My Struggle," Hitler's autobiography & statement of beliefs), in which he clearly states what he thinks of those who follow the Old Gods.
On use of ancient terminology:
"It is entirely out of harmony with the spirit of the nation to keep harping on that far-off and forgotten nomenclature which belongs to the ancient Germanic times and does not awaken any distinct association in our age. This habit of borrowing words from the dead past tends to mislead the people into thinking that the external trappings of its vocabulary are the important feature of a movement. It is really a mischievous habit; but it is quite prevalent nowadays."
On scholars of mythology:
"I had to warn followers repeatedly against these wandering scholars who were peddling Germanic folk-lore and who never accomplished anything positive or practical, except to cultivate their own superabundant self-conceit. "
On those more interested in peacefully studying ancient practice than joining his anti-Communist fight:
"It is typical of such persons that they rant about ancient Teutonic heroes of the dim and distant ages, stone axes, battle spears and shields, whereas in reality they themselves are the woefullest poltroons imaginable. For those very same people who brandish Teutonic tin swords that have been fashioned carefully according to ancient models and wear padded bear-skins, with the horns of oxen mounted over their bearded faces, proclaim that all contemporary conflicts must be decided by the weapons of the mind alone. And thus they skedaddle when the first communist cudgel appears. Posterity will have little occasion to write a new epic on these heroic gladiators."
On those who study folk-lore vs. those who fight for his vision of a German State:
"I have seen too much of that kind of people not to feel a profound contempt for their miserable play-acting. To the masses of the nation they are just an object of ridicule; but the Jew finds it to his own interest to treat these folk-lore comedians with respect and to prefer them to real men who are fighting to establish a German State. And yet these comedians are extremely proud of themselves. Notwithstanding their complete fecklessness, which is an established fact, they pretend to know everything better than other people; so much so that they make themselves a veritable nuisance to all sincere and honest patriots, to whom not only the heroism of the past is worthy of honour but who also feel bound to leave examples of their own work for the inspiration of the coming generation."
Other relevant posts from this blog:
- Joseph Campbell on "Permanent Human Values" (3/18/14)
- "Inextricably Interwoven": Christianity, Modernity, and Racism (11/23/13)
- Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's 1997 Speech at the New York Open Center (9/6/12)
- "We need to start dismantling this notion of 'Tradition.'" (4/13/12)
- Traditionalism & Anti-Modernism: A Guide For The Perplexed Pagan (1/24/12)
- The Not-So-Occult Foundations of Nazism (11/10/11)
- C. G. Jung and the Nazis: notes on two specific allegations (10/28/11)
- Carl Jung & the Cowardly Blood Sport of Nazi-Baiting (10/6/11)
- Yet more on Pagans, Christians, and White Supremacists in the 21st Century (10/3/11)
- "And if we occasionally speak of Baldur ..." (9/29/11)
- The Wild Hunt versus Radical Traditionalism (9/28/11)
- Religion, Racism & the Right (4/14/10)
- What Kind of Religion is Buddhism?, Continued (3/28/10)
- The Western Mystery Tradition(s): Factions and Fault Lines (1/13/10)
