People Influencing Nazi Beliefs

Volkish Anthropologist

Born in 1842, Otto Ammon became one of the most reknown racial anthropologists of his day, greatly influencing the move towards "social Darwinism". According to Ammon, the physical and the the cognitive social realm operate by the same principle, and are of the same 'material', hence his association with the "Monist League" who held the same ideology. Ammon states, "the laws of nature are laws of society". Much of his writing lends towards support of the tenet of 'biological superiority', or the idea that a race or biological group could indeed be superior over others. As with his contemporaries, he felt this was the white, aryan, nordic peoples of northern Europe. He also saw the parallel in social class level: he felt that ability correlated highly with class level, i.e. the higher classes were superior in skill and intelligence to the lower classes. [Racial Anthropologists seldom address common causality]. With the University of Jena group, such as Haeckel, he saw the application of Darwinian principles of survival of the fittest and general adaptation syndrome to the social venue: the most 'fit' humans would climb to the top socially and survive, just as the most genetically fit would. He felt Darwinism must become "the new religion of Germany", and he saw the contention between races as necessary to the 'betterment' and amelioration of the species. His 'optimally-functioning' person, though is a rather brutal character with ruthless traits.

Fritsch was the publisher/editor of Hammer Verlag an anti-semitic publication which promoted the philosophies prevalent at the time of racial purity, the re-introduction of Nordic Mysticism and mythology and the possibility of a Utopian society through racial control and rule of a Superior, or Master Race. Fritsch is best known for his headship and founding role in the group called Artamarzen or Artamarnen named after the god 'Artam'. It was a youth group promoting the ideals stated above. (Artamarnen)

Grimm, the author of numerous and famous fairy tales, legends and stories, hardly seems a candidate for someone influencing Nazi beliefs, but Grimm, did more to 're-mythologize' European and German Culture than perhaps any other author. Both brothers, Wilhelm and Jacob were born between 1785 and 1786, and went on to write copiously. Both brothers studied law, but by 1806, began to collect folktales and legends in northern Europe. In addition to collating and re-introducing and establishing German and Nordic archetype, both men went on to University positions as linguists, and worked to establish the sense of the Volk and German Nationalism and language in such works as Deutsche Rechtsaltertümer (German Legal Antiquities), 1828, Deutsche Mythologie (German Mythology -- also translated as Teutonic Mythology), 1835, and Geschichte der deutschen Sprache (History of the German Language), 2 volumes, 1848. They did seminal work also in the area of Runes and german heroic legend. Although living and working 100 years before the advent of the Third Reich, their work in the preceding generation helped to set the 'zeitgeist' of the Reich and a return to Volkische mysticism and German Nationalism, in the same way Wagner's music did.

It has already been established that every social order is founded upon three original classes, each of which represents a racial variety: the nobility, a more or less accurate reflection of the conquering race; the bourgeoisie composed of mixed stock coming close to the chief race; and the common people who live in servitude or at least in a very depressed position. These last belong to a lower race which came about in the south through miscegenation with the Negroes and in the north with the Finns. ”Gobineau : Essays on the Inequality of Races (1853-55)

The essay was foundational in establishing a science and philosophy of Genetic Engineering or Genetics, aimed at breeding racial purity^gobineau

Haeckel was the Chair of Zoology at the University of Jena, an institution which by his influence became known as the breeding ground of 'Racial Science' and Social Darwinism. (See Ammon, Hentschel) Haeckel, a philosophical anti-semite, is credited with bringing the "Jewish Question" into the realm of Biology: it is his and his student's foundation that colored the Nazis' Racial Policies, Laws and "Final Solution", i.e. the genocide of the Jews and what the Nazis saw as 'racial inferiors'. He belonged with Hentzchel and others to Diederich's Monist group, which was deeply involved in Volkische Mysticism and the re-introduction of pagan nature-religion archetypes into German thinking. Haeckel saw Jesus Christ as having to have been at least 1/2 Aryan, or he reasoned he could not have had the high-level traits that he had: the myth of Christ coming from Mary and a Roman Soldier appears to have originated here, although it still appears mentioned in modern, secularized theology. While the 'aryanization' of Christ was not new, the efforts of the National Socialist to erase His "jewishness" found fruitful ground here: Christ was re-interpreted later as an Aryan 'Super-man'.

Founder of "Geo-politics", which lead to the conceptual formation of "Lebensraum" . Haushofer, a great influence on the Third Reich came from and was eminent in an academic vein, but posited later in his career a theory based partly on political theory and partly on occultic or volkish understandings of the rise and fall of nations. He suggested that 'Ocean' nations were different in essence from 'Land' nations, and that history could only be understood when one understood the juxtaposition between these types of nations, which according to Haushofer had a pattern of sequential and intermittent rise and fall. Geo-politics was influential in the concept of 'living space' or "lebensraum" because he believed in the essential spirit of the German people being tied to the land.

Martin Heidegger lived well into the 70s before passing away at his home in the Black Forest of Germany. In his later years, the philosopher and author of the seminal work, Being and Time became a center of controversy for his membership in the Nazi Party and certain planks of his philosophical platform which lent themselves to philosophies of the day. His supporters claim that his Nazi Party membership was only nominal: in that day, one lost their job or went to jail or worse if they refused to join the Party. He did renonunce his membership at a later point, although his comments at the time are now and forever a point of debate as to whether the favorable support of the Reich was forced or not. Heidegger is considered one of the pillars and foundation of modern existentialism and phenomenology: the concept of the creation of meaning was its hallmark and the pronounced philosophical vacuum proposed lent itself to the new 'social darwinism'. One of Heidegger's concepts which lent itself to Nazi thinking or at least favor was the role of the existential choice and the 'will to power' which may take place in a moral vacuum. Extending the concept which Nietzche had cornerstoned, Heidegger gave more practical and personal extensions to the idea, in which power and choice are equated, and remain within the venue of the individual.
While Heidegger denies much Nazi involvement, his letters refer positively to National Socialism as an applied example of his ontological point. Also, his early writings of the time make constant mention of battles and struggle, the existential, amoral hero against a blank canvas, creating destiny. As Hitler came to Power in 1933-4, Heidegger was appointed 'Rector' or Chancellor of Freiburg University. He claimed as did his supporters that his academic interests far outweighed political interests, but doubt is now cast on that assumption. Said Heidegger,

The stuff which is now being bandied about as the philosophy of National Socialism but which has not the least to do with the inner truth and greatness of this movement (namely the encounter between global technology and modern man) is casting its net in these troubled waters of ‘values' and ‘totalities'.”¹

Born in 1858, [Hentschel] studied Zoologie under Haeckel (cf. Uschmann, history of the Zootogie and the zoo-logical Anstatten in Jena), however the offer of an academic place [was] rejected in order to work freely with the Voelkisch [movement] and [other] anti-Semitic [endeavors]. Theodor Fritsch worked closely with the antisemtic journalist. [He aided in ] refining [and planning] a project colony: the scientifically-based breeding of aryan humans to work in the event of a renewed Germany. Became the ideological founder of the Artamanen .

Himmler and Hoess, while not 'foundational philosophers' did much to enhance the incorporation of Racial Science, Social Darwinism, Mysticism and the occult into Nazi thinking and policy. Both were raised in the Roman Catholic Church, and Himmler as an adult while dismissing much of his upbringing, introducted the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola into Gestapo training. Hoess continued throughout his stint as Commandant of Auschwitz as a 'practicing' Catholic, although he intermixed it with astrology, occultism and other forms of 'readings' and predictions. His 'defection' at the end of the war into the British Isles was planned in accordance with such a reading. Himmler believed he was the reincarnation of Heinrich I, who lead the first 'Reich' or Millenium, and that the mystical leadership of the Teutonic Knights could be re-introduced. While many characterized the Nazis as uninterested in the occult, writings are replete with examples, and their associations with instrumental occultists is widely known.

Guido von List was an occultist who brought back Volkische mysticism, runes, and a form of animism-pantheism mixed with Nordic mythic archetypes. He claims to have had a vision or dream in which great power emanated from "Wotan", an ancient Warrior-God and in which he was instructed to regain a forgotten "priesthood". From the turn of the century he introduced a 'Neo-Paganism' and pantheism in which the trees, flora and fauna, and geographic features were enlivened with 'spirits'---a throwback to early German myth. He saw his new paganism as a 'new age' in which his beliefs would spread and replace Christianity. While the Swastika had been around for centuries as a Sanskrit symbol of power, others adopted it as a symbol of thunder, again referencing 'Wotan'. Von List preferred the word 'swastika' from Hinduism, which he referred to as

The twice high holy secret of constant generation,the Swastika is the Fire Wheel,the very act of Creation,of the creation of life,of the cosmos itself." ". The German Nazis however adopted it as the 'hakenkreuz' or broken cross: while they referred to its traditional meaning of luck, life and power, it was also meant to symbolize a new era replacing Christian belief. He also re-introduced such practices as the wearing of crystals and amulets which has continued today in the New Age movement.^{von list}

"The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) also emphasized the concept of the Übermensch (superman) and began his final work, Der Antichrist (The Antichrist) (1895) with the line, Let us see ourselves for what we are. We are Hyperboreans. We know well enough how we are living off that track. Although Nietzsche never mentioned vril, yet in his posthumously published Der Wille zur Macht (The Will to Power), he emphasized the role of an internal force for superhuman development. He wrote that all people strive for creative Socratic power. Since most cannot have it, they settle for aggressive force" Nietzche also proved very influential in endorsements of concepts and ideas expressed at the time which led to the emerging Racial Science, which the 3rd Reich subsequently endorsed.³

While Wagner was at one point years after his death, investigated by Hitler for Racial purity, Wagner was known during his lifetime for anti-semitic views and the re-introduction of Volkish myth into Classical Music. Considered Hitler's favorite musician, the grand piece, Der Valkyries, portrayed the female-toned spirits which aided and strengthened soldiers in battle and spirited away the dead in battle to a resting place at the feet of Nordic Gods. Wagner's Music was so incorporated into Nazi thinking and usage, that it was the hallmark of Rallies, Speeches, propaganda, and cruelty, and the grand music of Wagner was forced on Jewish orchestras and ensembles in the Lagers, to be played as family members were marched to death and as slave-labors were sent to exhausting work in the quarries. A controversy now still exists in Israel as to whether Wagner, the music of bondage should be played. (See Editiorial on Wagner).