Why did Hitler use the swastika...?

Question

Are there any links with the Romans?

Why did Hitler rotate the swastika?

What is the significance of Germany in Hitlers time being called the Third Reich and the Holy Roman Empire the First Reich?

Thank you for you help. Please can you try not to copy from websites and please can you quote your source.

By the way kittyrogers this is not my homework I was just interested. I have tried to find out using websites but I can't find out exactly what I was looking for so I wondered if anyone had a good thought.

Answer 1

Well, the Holy Roman Empire was the First Reich, the Prussian Empire of the 19th-early 20th century was the Second Reich, and of course, Hitler's so-called Thousand Year Reich was the Third Reich--hey, he was only off by about 988 years or so!

I know of no links with the Romans, but the swastika was known in ancient India as a symbol of the sun. Why Hitler chose to tilt it is not known, at least to me, but many people feel that in doing so, he perverted the whole meaning of the symbol from something positive to something so negative that even today it can inspire feelings of horror and disgust.

Answer 2

The Swastika originates, in the 5th millenium BC, with the Indo Aryan, Hittites, Celts and Greeks. The symbol is the sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainiam. It can be used either clockwise, for good luck or counter-clockwise, for evil.

The word swastika is derived from the Sanskrit 'svastika) and means good luck or well being. Almost every civilization, including the Romans, has used the swastika, the 45th Infantry Division or the US Army used the swastika as a unit symbol until the 1930's.

The 'First Reich', known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, lasted about 960 years until in was dissolved in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. The 'Second Reich' was created in 1871, with German Unification, by Otto von Bismarck, he had the desire to create a 'Third Reich'. The term 'Third Reich' was adopted by Hitler.

You can find more info here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Reich
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Reich
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_reich

Answer 3

Dalmatian Rescue is right on target, that's why I voted for him. Hitler was a big fan of Mussolini, and modeled his Reich, or reign, after Il Duce. That hero worship caused Hitler to adapt anything Roman into the trappings of his regime. One look at The Triumph of the Will will show how many symbols Hitler took from Ancient Rome. I believe 'swastika' is not a German word, more likely it came through Turkey from the Indus Valley. The symbol is revered as a sign of good luck--very old. The Holy Roman Empire was said to be the First Reich. I think Barbarossa ruled the Second Reich, making Hitler's the Third. If you are that interested, find a copy of The Triumph of the Will, or exerpts from it. The Library or a good school a/v library should have it. Check out the legends of Sigfried and the Volsung Saga--Hitler thought he was a virtual reincarnation of that hero, and had a special private auditorium built just to stage performances of Wagner's Ring Operas. B.

Answer 4

The swastika used to represent luck before Hitler gave it it's bad reputation.
Germany was united in 1870 under Prussia, the German Empire (not the Medieval confederation) was the first government. The second government was in the 1920's, between the wars. So the current regime might be called the fourth reich, or the fifth if you count the divided East/West Germany as a reich.
Just get a decent history book.

Answer 5

As usual, some of these answers include interesting comments and some are BS.

But to add to the mix, the "swastika" is a symbol that has been used in many different cultures, sometimes the same direction as the Nazis and sometime the opposite way. It was definitely used in Native American designs, and in my church (built around 1890 to a neo-Byzantine design) there are a whole series of swastikas prominently featured in the mosaics of the ceiling.... kind of embarassing!!! A couple years ago we had a Chinese ship anchored in a nearby harbor and some people objected to it because there was an insignia on the bow that included swastika... they agreed to put a canvas over the bow to hide out while they were tied up at the dock.

Answer 6

The swastika was used by the NAZI party due to its links to german mythology. The swastika was a sign of good luck in the old germanic tribes. Hitler wanted to establish a 1000 year Reich. This would be the 3rd such 'German Confederation' since the Holy Roman Empire. The straighten arms of the swastika was done to seperate it from the old rounded swastika of the germanic tribes. Also, he changed the direction from a left bend to a right bend.

(40 years of historical reasearch)

Answer 7

In Mein Kampf, Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic." (pg. 496-497). That's what Hitler wrote, anyway. No telling how or why he saw that symbolism.

Answer 8

I'm not as much of a historian as others, but one area you should look into is the ratio, phi. It is used in a number of art works by guys like Salvadore Dali and Leonardo DaVinci. It is also used in the ratio of forming the shape of the Great Pyramids. And, interestingly enough, it is the ratio of the sides of a leg on a swastika. Get a copy of The Pattern and the Prophecy by James Harrison - lots of interesting insights on the number phi, 1·61803... . Also, do a search on "phi value ratio."

Another idea woth looking into is a comparison of "solar wheels." A swastika fits that bill. Solar wheels are tied to the occult, as was much of the Nazi party. Look into occult symbology books such as Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated by Dr Cathy Burns

Answer 9

Hitler was believed that the germans are from the most pridefull race of ARYANS and the aryans used swastika as a holy sign.I really don't know that why he rotated swastika but I am an Indian an in indian culture the rotated swastika is sign of curse and evil and it brings bad for the one who keeps it.but i really don't know why he turned it .

Answer 10

Hitler believed that the Germans were they descendants of the Ayrian race. One symbol that was commonly used by the Ayrians was the swastika.