Were Hitler and the Nazis obsessed with the occult?

Question

The claim that Hitler and the Nazis were obsessed with the occult is embedded in our pop culture now, and often repeated in documentaries as if it is an established fact. (At least in the kinds of documentaries that run on the History Channel.)

I am familiar with Otto Rahn, the German medievalist who was inducted into the SS and instructed to do research on the connection between German and French Grail traditions. What I've never seen any proof that Rahn's research was funded because of a belief in the occult, as opposed to the more political aim of proving some sort of territorial claim over France, however tenuous. I'd love some sort of primary reference as to Himmler's exact motives.

Is there any truth to the larger Nazi/occult claim? Do we have writings by Hitler or other high ranking Nazi officials on the subject of the occult? Is there good evidence that the Nazis actually expended significant manpower and money to find the Holy Grail or the Spear of Destiny? Obviously, I mean beyond the usual looting of museums that goes on in any conquest.

Answer 1

Hitler had a personal astrologer by some claims (Karl Ernst Krafft - though that claim is disputed elsewhere).

Also, he had an interest in Numerology - which may or may not be occultic.

The source referenced by the previous link:

"Interest in astrology being as intense, in Germany, as it was - Ellic Howe, in Urania's children, 1967, estimates that during the twenty years after 1921 at least four hundred specialist books and pamphlets were published in that country - it was inevitable that it should be suspected that Hitler and the Nazi party made use of astrology for their own purposes"

and

"Dr Karl-Gunther Heimoth, for instance, a doctor and psychologist who published an astrological study of homosexuality and through it became a friend of Ernst Rohm, the chief of the Sturm-Abteilung (Hitler's private army), was murdered by the Fuhrer with Rohm and others in June 1934. The Astrological Society in Germany, on the other hand, managed to stay out of trouble, integrating with the establishment and providing a certain amount of protection for astrologers even after 1934, when the Nazis banned all 'fortune-telling', making the publication of almanacs and astrological journals illegal."

Which sounds like the practice was banned. Does that mean Hitler wasn't participating? Who knows for sure - the guy who committed suicide before the Allies got to him in 1945.

There is certainly evidence that occult practices were investigated for propagandic purposes.

"Krafft was summoned to Berlin by Goebbels to look through the prophesies of Nostradamus and translate any of them that could be used as propaganda against the Allies. It was felt that these, if dropped into unoccupied areas, might well do something to persuade the people that government by the Nazis was in the natural order of things"

Answer 2

Wikipedia - 1939 German expedition to Tibet

Himmler was fascinated by Asian mysticism and therefore wished to send such an expedition under the auspices of the SS Ahnenerbe (SS Ancestral Heritage Society), and desired that Schäfer perform research based on Hans Hörbiger’s pseudo-scientific theory of “Glacial Cosmogony” promoted by the Ahnenerbe.

^ a b Isrun Engelhardt, The Ernst-Schaefer-Tibet-Expedition (1938-1939) : new light on the political history of Tibet in the first half of the 20th century in McKay Alex (ed.)

Answer 3

Ernie, and all,

The primary sources that Himmler and other top Nazis [mainly Hess] were involved in the occult, or what we deem 'the occult' are listed in Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke's books. However, to answer Ernie's concerns - it is well known that Himmler was an avid occultist. The SS was, in his opinion, a 'sacred order of Aryan knights'. Furthermore, the expedition to Tibet in 1938 and the Antarctic in 1937 were attempts by Himmler to not only investigate various cultural exchanges [in the case of Tibet] but also attempts to prove some of the theories that he was interested in [such as the Welteislehre, the existence of Thule, and the Hollow Earth theory].

The Nazis in general had a different perspective on what we call 'history' and 'science'. This is well known and documented. All one has to do is download 'Ostara' [which is a primary source from the period] to see the ideas that influenced the Nazis. Also, look at any of the biographies of Himmler, i.e. by Padfield, and one can see how he was influenced by certain occult ideas. Also, the Nazi interest in alternative science might be something of interest here as well. Viktor Schauberger and other 'alternative' scientists were very instrumental in advancing Nazi ideas about science [whether willing or unwilling].

Answer 4

Himmler started a major operation called H-Sonderauftrag (H = Hexen = witches) or Hexenkartothek researching into the early-modern witch hunt in Europe. He interpreted the witch hunt as an attempt by the Catholic church to expunge some Germanic heritage. There was even a family legend that one of Himmlers ancestors had been burnt as a witch.

German Wikipedia - Hexkartothek