There are no 'Adolfs' in Germany, Or: How the Nazi's Ruined Everything

Adolf has left the building

How many 'Adolfs' do you know?

Yeah, me neither.

The use of Adolf as a given name has drastically declined following the regime of Nazi Germany and its Führer, Adolf Hitler, and it has since been a widely avoided name for newborn boys due to this negative association. Even those born with the name before or during the Nazi Regime have often attempted to hide or sometimes change their name, which is why you find yourself wearing Adidas trainers and not 'Adolfdas' trainers.

But it wasn't just the Germans who were effected – even the French version, Adolphe, which was a common name in France, has virtually disappeared. Adolfo, the Italian version of the name, has suffered a similar fate.

Okay, maybe not a big deal. But it's related to my main point.

All eccentric arm gestures lead to Rome

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No, these children are not expressing their obedience to the Führer. They are in fact pledging their allegiance to a much more dangerous, blood thirsty and brutal entity – the Republic of the United States of America! This was the original salute that accompanied the American Pledge of Allegiance , adopted in 1892, it was called the Bellamy salute after it's inventor, Francis Bellamy. In 1942 President Franklin D. Roosevelt instituted the hand-over-the-heart gesture as the salute that would replace the Bellamy inspired one.

It can be argued that it was the Romans who started the trend...sort of. Jacques-Louis David's painting The Oath of the Horatii (1784) provided the starting point for the gesture that became later known as the Roman salute and eventually became the Bellamy salute/Nazi Salute.

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[The Roman salute]...is a well known symbol of fascism that is commonly perceived to be based on a custom in ancient Rome. However, no Roman text gives this description and the Roman works of art that display salutational gestures bear little resemblance to the modern "Roman salute".

Currently, use of this form of greeting constitutes a criminal offence in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic. Depending on the circumstances, the greeting might constitute a criminal offence in Sweden as a hate speech act.

Swasti-can or Swasti-cant?

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From: Odinism and the Swastika Controversy

Perhaps no symbol in the world is so denigrated and misunderstood as is this Holy Symbol.

To illustrate this, just look at your own reaction to the title of this article, or more precisely, your emotional and mental reaction to that one word SWASTIKA. What mental images came to your mind? What emotional response? What chain of thoughts arose? Look at these dispassionately and be totally honest.

The swastika is the ultimate example of how history, even ancient history, can be changed forever through negative connotation. As the article points out, it is very likely that some of you did experience some responses which could be considered negative or emotional, for there is no other symbol so misunderstood, or which triggers such an emotional reaction.

Hitler stated that “in the swastika,[he saw] 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." Hitler had borrowed the symbol from the Thule Society, who had incorporated it into their official logo somewhere between 1911 and 1919.

Of course, Hitler took the symbol and twisted it's meaning to fit his own racist ideology, but what of the swastika before this historical butchering?

Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient India as well as Classical Antiquity. One of the earliest examples of the swastika can be found on a pottery bowl attributed to the Samarra culture that flourished in Northern Mesopotamia, and is date to around 4000 BC.

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It's use can be found world-wide and there are a couple of really interesting theories as to why this is:

Carl Sagan in his book Comet (1985) reproduces Han period Chinese manuscript (the Book of Silk, 2nd century BC) that shows comet tail varieties: most are variations on simple comet tails, but the last shows the comet nucleus with four bent arms extending from it, recalling a swastika. Sagan suggests that in antiquity a comet could have approached so close to Earth that the jets of gas streaming from it, bent by the comet's rotation, became visible, leading to the adoption of the swastika as a symbol across the world.

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In Life's Other Secret (1999), Ian Stewart suggests the ubiquitous swastika pattern arises when parallel waves of neural activity sweep across the visual cortex during states of altered consciousness, producing a swirling swastika-like image, due to the way quadrants in the field of vision are mapped to opposite areas in the brain.

The word swastika itself came from the Sanskrit word svastika, meaning any lucky or auspicious object, and in particular a mark made on persons and things to denote good luck.

It is ironic, yet tremendously significant, that the swastika - this ancient spiritual symbol that symbolises spiritual victory and attainment of the goal of human existence - was appropriated by a force that used it for exactly the opposite reasons - to enslave and brutalise human beings.

Source

It was, and still is, being somewhat misused to this very day. A deliberate marketing/promotional technique is to place a Swastika upon the front cover of a book, such is the lure of the Swastika. In the 1980s a study found that by including a swastika in their cover illustration sales could rise by 10% - a very large margin. Very few of these cover designs depicted the real meaning; instead it was cynically used as a marketing ploy.

Rudyard Kipling is an example of someone who used the swastika on his books in a positive manner:

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(Covers of two of Kiplings books from 1919 (l) and 1930 (r))

Rudyard Kipling's books have a swastika printed on their covers associated with a picture of an elephant carrying a lotus flower. Since the 1930s this has raised the possibility of Kipling being mistaken for a Nazi-sympathiser, though the Nazi party did not adopt the swastika until 1920. Kipling ordered the engraver to remove it from the printing block so that he should not be thought of as supporting them.

However, many forget that the symbol is still used to this very day and in it's original context. It remains widely used in Indian Religions, specifically in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.

Putting it into Perspective - The Crusades

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Looks harmless, doesn't it?

It should also look somewhat familiar, for, in your daily coming and goings, you wont go long without seeing one. Be it hanging on a chain around somebodys neck, stood atop a church spire or even tattoed into someones flesh – odds are you have seen one at some point today.

The Christian Cross is not shunned, not so denigrated - yet for centuries it has been used as a device by organisations bent on slaughter. The Crusades are a perfect example of this - a series of religiously sanctioned military campaigns, called by the Pope and with the main goal of restoring Christian control of the Holy Land. Not only did those who fought in the crusades carry the cross upon their garments they also physically carried the cross into battle. Some historians claim that 9 million people died during the crusades, others place the number closer to 1 million, but hey...what's 8 million deaths between friends?

An even more prudent example is the Ku Klux Klan. Very similar to the Nazi's, they hijacked a religious symbol, the Christian cross - a symbol of healing, sacrifice, reconciliation, hope, love – and turned it into a symbol of white supremacy and a tool for the intimidation and harassment of racial minorities, Catholics, Jews, Communists, and any other groups hated by the Klan.

And yet the Christian Cross is not shunned? It becomes even more illogical when you consider that the millions of deaths that resulted from the Crusades were dealt in the name of the cross. The cross and everything it stood for. The millions of deaths that came as a result of the Nazi's ideology had next to nothing to do with the Swastika, no matter how much Hitler tried to twist the truth to make it seem so.

Reclaiming The Swastika

Of course, the name Adolf is an individuals personal choice, and lets be honest, there are plenty of other names to choose from. Even without the negative connotations it would probably have died out. Like the name Alfred or Ethel, it was never going to compete with the little Brads and Angelina's that are running around today.

The arm gesture, too, is something that we can go without. And thanks to a certain Charlie Chaplin the gesture itself has become something far more harmless...silly even...than it used to be.

The same approach has been attempted for the Swastika. A book featuring "120 Funny Swastika Cartoons" was published in 2008 by New York Cartoonist Sam Gross. The author said he created the cartoons in response to excessive news coverage given to swastika vandals, that his intent "...is to reduce the swastika to something humorous."

But in this instance it is the wrong approach to take. Making the Swastika humorous is just as bad as making it hated and completely demeans the original meaning and spiritual importance of it. It is not something to be feared and it is not something to be laughed at. It is a symbol we should respect.

It has history. It has a deep, spiritual meaning. And no matter what horrific acts of violence and oppression the Nazi's did under it's banner, the Swastika is innocent on all counts.

Which is why I find it absolutely ridiculous that the EU wanted to ban the Swastika. It's even more ironic when you consider how they themselves have been called Nazis.

Thankfully, it failed.

In the computer game Call of Duty: Black Ops players are allowed to customize their name tags to represent, essentially, whatever they want. The swastika can be created and used. The people at Microsoft stated that players with the symbol on their name tag will be banned (if someone reports as inappropriate) from Xbox Live. I wonder if I would be banned for using the Hindu version of the Swastika I have in my avatar as my game tag?

Are we really going to let 6 years of madness ruin 6000 years of history? I say the Swastika needs to be revived, we need to reclaim it as the symbol of good luck and grace that it once stood for.

All people need to do is let go of the recent past and delve into the distant past. A new understanding of it's origins and meanings needs to be taught. Ignoring it in the childish hope it will go away is counter productive and only serves those who still use it wrongly today.

After all, it's only as offensive as you let it be.

Contrary to what most american and british posters on here claim

reply to post by JennaDarling


Thanks for taking absolutely no time to read the OP.

It's much appreciated

Originally posted by LiveForever8
reply to post by JennaDarling

 

Thanks for taking absolutely no time to read the OP.

It's much appreciated

I was just saying lol.. I am reading it.

Nazi Germany is not only example of regime "hijacking" positive symbols and traditions and turning them in something completely else. Same happened in Croatia during WW2 when right winged Ustaše took over Croatia and collaborated with Nazi Germany. They used historical Coat of Arms and added "U" on it.

So some Croats will wrongly say that historical coat of arms that starts with white field instead of todays first red field is symbol of fascist regime in past.



Of course that is far from truth. Its sad how bad politics can ruin things and leave marks for centuries to follow.
S&F

reply to post by JennaDarling


Ah, okay, fair enough.

It's just that the practice of replying within about 10 seconds of posting a thread is one of my pet hates

Anyway, hope you enjoy it.

It should be noted that the mustache Hitler sported has also declined in popularity since ww2.

He certainly had an impact.

Interesting thread

With regards to the swastika and the cross for example is the swastika shunned in its region of origin? I wonder how many countries view the swastika in such a negative light? I suspect that the cross is seen in a very negative light in the countries that the Knights Templer did the worst damage....

Also I think its rather more unfair that the name Fanny is no longer used because its a pretty name and I don't think Fannys hurt anyone

funny that the Nazi uniform didn't suffer the same fate though.....

ETA pic

Black Leather Trench coats are if anything more popular now...

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I always find it funny that Americans and British people who claim to have the best education in the world, are also the most ignorant to their own history. In fact it takes somebody from outside their country to put them right.

They are always quick to blame Germany and / or Europe for their problems.

They are always quick to jump the "Nazi" word when it comes to socialism, or Europe.

That always annoys me. Then when you go to correct them just as this thread does, they start to throw other stones.

America and Britain are some of the most evil countries in the World.

Rome never went away, it just changed names. Just as the British Empire did, and the Queen of England did.

How is this for irony, I have MORE rights (without fighting for them) by being a resident in most European countries than I would in Britain and definatly more than in America.

reply to post by LiveForever8

Well, the Ontario town of Swastika has refused to play the name game:

During World War II the provincial government sought to change the town's name to Winston in honour of Winston Churchill, but the town refused, insisting that the town had held the name long before the Nazis co-opted the swastika symbol. Residents of Swastika used to tell the story of how the Ontario Department of Highways would erect new signs on the roads at the edge of the town. At night the residents would tear these signs down and put up their own signs proclaiming the town to be "Swastika".
Christopher Macaulay, a direct descendant of Thomas Babington Macaulay, was instrumental in fighting to keep the name of the town unchanged despite the association with National Socialism. Swastika has periodically been subject to derision for retaining the name . Even modern day residents, however, have continued to resist a change.en.wikipedia.org...

Thought provoking post...S&F to you.

We all know a lot of those in powerful positions are deep into the occult.

This is no supprise that alot of the symbols used are occult in nature.

Originally posted by JennaDarling
I always find it funny that Americans and British people who claim to have the best education in the world, are also the most ignorant to their own history. In fact it takes somebody from outside their country to put them right.

They are always quick to blame Germany and / or Europe for their problems.

They are always quick to jump the "Nazi" word when it comes to socialism, or Europe.

That always annoys me. Then when you go to correct them just as this thread does, they start to throw other stones.

America and Britain are some of the most evil countries in the World.

Rome never went away, it just changed names. Just as the British Empire did, and the Queen of England did.

How is this for irony, I have MORE rights (without fighting for them) by being a resident in most European countries than I would in Britain and definatly more than in America.

edit on 23-8-2011 by JennaDarling because: (no reason given)

The British governments are certainly corrupt and oppressive but I do take exception to referring to "British people"

If you say that it's the "British people" then by the same account Hitler was supported by the German people.

Originally posted by JennaDarling
I always find it funny that Americans and British people who claim to have the best education in the world, are also the most ignorant to their own history. In fact it takes somebody from outside their country to put them right.

To be fair there are ignorant people of all nationalities and tarring us all with the same brush is in its self a touch ignorant

Originally posted by Mister_Bit

Originally posted by JennaDarling
I always find it funny that Americans and British people who claim to have the best education in the world, are also the most ignorant to their own history. In fact it takes somebody from outside their country to put them right.

They are always quick to blame Germany and / or Europe for their problems.

They are always quick to jump the "Nazi" word when it comes to socialism, or Europe.

That always annoys me. Then when you go to correct them just as this thread does, they start to throw other stones.

America and Britain are some of the most evil countries in the World.

Rome never went away, it just changed names. Just as the British Empire did, and the Queen of England did.

How is this for irony, I have MORE rights (without fighting for them) by being a resident in most European countries than I would in Britain and definatly more than in America.

edit on 23-8-2011 by JennaDarling because: (no reason given)

The British governments are certainly corrupt and oppressive but I do take exception to referring to "British people"

If you say that it's the "British people" then by the same account Hitler was supported by the German people.

Sorry, "NOT British people" then

reply to post by kro32


Indeed.

I shall be sporting a toothbrush moustache soon enough. A social experiment of sorts.

Should be "interesting" to say the least.

Also known as the Fylfot in Scandanavian and European Celtic/Anglo Saxton art as well as in the UK's heraldry. I believe that it also is represented in early Jewish art. The 3rdC mosaic at Ein Geddi springs to mind

Ein Geddi 3rdC


English 5thC


Some more interesting images here

reply to post by dario86


Another example it seems.

I was hoping people would add some other examples from history.

Thanks

Originally posted by LiveForever8
reply to post by kro32

 

Indeed.

I shall be sporting a toothbrush moustache soon enough. A social experiment of sorts.

Should be "interesting" to say the least.

That would be a great social experiment, if you do go ahead with it how about carrying a hidden cam to capture some of the responses.

Let us know the results.

Thank you for the post. It was a good read.

A new understanding if its origins needs to be taught...?

This post was pretty much a recap of the syllabus of my
early school years. I had no Idea that children didn't learn
this in school throughout the world.

Well... now you got me interested, maybe its not taught
in schools around here anymore .... I'll check up on it !

Originally posted by JennaDarling


They are always quick to blame Germany and / or Europe for their problems.

They are always quick to jump the "Nazi" word when it comes to socialism, or Europe.

edit on 23-8-2011 by JennaDarling because: (no reason given)

Especially when Nazi Germany was Fascist. Not Socialist.