29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hitler's Occult Reich., January 7, 2005
_The Occult History of the Third Reich_ consists of two DVDs featuring original footage from Nazi Germany and telling the tale of the occult origins of National Socialism. There are four separate programs: "The Enigma of the Swastika", "The SS: Blood and Soil", "Himmler: The Mystic", and "Adolf Hitler", as well as a separate special feature "Ask the experts". In total the DVD runs for over 3 hours.
"The Enigma of the Swastika" tells the tale of the origins of the swastika as symbol of National Socialism. It begins by noting a period of decline in traditional hierarchy, authority, and religion, and a rise in industry and finance at the beginning of the twentieth century. This decline was not greeted warmly by all those who lived at the time. To compensate, various counter-myths and restorationist schemes were proposed. In Tibet for example, the swastika had long been used as a traditional symbol for good luck. The Russian seer who allegedly visited Tibet, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky proposed that the swastika was the symbol of the Aryan root race. Later, Guido von List, a Germanic mystic, influenced by the ideas of Blavatsky wrote of the lost Teutonic race who worshipped Wotan and referred to them as Aryans. List also was to make use of the swastika as symbol of the Aryans. In the Great War, the swastika became a talisman worn by soldiers. Various secret societies such as the Thule Society, which operated behind the NSDAP, run by Rudolph von Sebottendorf, also made use of the swastika. When Hitler came to power he incorporated a straight-armed and anti-clockwise swastika as the symbol of National Socialism. Also, Alfred Rosenberg, a Nazi philosopher, and the SS were to use the swastika as their own special symbol.
"The SS: Blood and Soil" tells the story of the SS guard, an Aryan elite and supposed "brotherhood of Templars". The SS was commanded by Heinrich Himmler who developed a profound nostalgia for a lost aristocratic elite. Other figures who believed in a hidden elite or hidden masters included Blavatsky, Aleister Crowley, and List. Various secret societies including freemasons, the Rosicrucians, the Jesuits, and the Templars served as models for the SS. The SS wore a special "death's head" insignia. A system of racial hygiene and eugenics was instated in Nazi Germany so as to breed the Aryan superman.
"Himmler: The Mystic" tells the tale of Heinrich Himmler's infatuation with the occult. Himmler began his career as an agriculturalist leading him to stress the importance of the myth of "Blood and Soil" as well as the necessity of Lebensreform. Himmler also was involved in astrology, spiritualism, and herbalism. Himmler commissioned a special bureau of SS archeology, which sought to rediscover lost Aryan civilizations. Karl Maria Wiligut served an important role as an occultist for Himmler's SS. In addition, Himmler sought out Wewelsburg castle as the spiritual center of the SS order.
"Adolf Hitler" reveals the secret history of Adolf Hitler and his involvement with the occult. Hitler read the writings of Jorg Lanz who published Ostara and advocated a system of theozoology. In addition, Hitler was also influenced by the Englishman who praised Germanic culture Houston Stewart Chamberlain and the composer Richard Wagner. Alfred Rosenberg, the Nazi philosopher, made popular the notorious "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" which influenced Hitler's rabid antisemitism. This program shows the destruction wrought by the Third Reich, the use of eugenics, and the death camps.
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26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Important Work: Don't Be Fooled by Scott & Cragg, March 10, 2005
The wise will avoid the self-appointed "experts" such as Candace Scott and Daniel J. Cragg who understand very little about Nazi Germany or Adolf Hitler, but who spend their time writing dozens and dozens of Amazon.com reviews, thrashing the work of anyone who presents the public with factual details which conflict with their shallow misconceptions. Hitler's interest in the occult has been documented by numerous scholars. Hitler's personal library contained dozens of volumes on the occult. In Mein Kampf Hitler states that his life was saved by a "voice" and he admits to hearing a voice and having visions, e.g. a "vision of the utmost clarity" which convinced him to go into politics (see Mein Kampf). Hitler emphasized that the Nazi-movement was a "religious movement" and he went on to say that those who claim otherwise, know nothing about it. Hitler could have been describing Ms. Scott and Mr. Cragg. Maybe if Ms. Scott and Mr. Cragg (who pretends to be an expert on Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, WWII, the Korean war, the Viet Nam war, etc., etc., etc., but who has published nothing in these areas) actually spent the time to do a little research on these subjects, they would not repeatedly embarass themselves by writing negative reviews about topics they know nothing about. This film is an important work on an important subject.
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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The roots of a volatile belief system, September 5, 2000
This is an amazing collection of recently discovered archival footage that is old and extremely valuable in terms of our understanding history so that we are *not* condemned to repeat it...that is, any more than we already have, and continue to. I have a *much* better understanding of the belief systems that underpinned the logic of Hitler's Germany, and understand that a) he was not alone in his fanatacism and b) that these belief systems did not originate in Germany nor did they end there. This is important information to know, to understand and to share. I highly recommend this series to anyone who wants to better understand the world around them, yesterday, today and tomorrow. I felt like I was there.
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