Nazi Germany was known for its propaganda genius, especially symbols and signs. What you might not know is that its most effective signs and slogans were not Nazi inventions; they were copied.
In this post, we’ll discuss the Nazis’ most powerful symbols and where they all came from, their effectiveness, and their legacy.
So, on y va!
Sign and Symbol in a Glance
1. The Swastika
The swastika is the most popular Nazi symbol, and it is the logo that they are most known for. But where did the symbol come from? its Nazi adaptation and legacy?
Origin of the Swastika
The Swastika logo and name were Hindu in origin, and the first sighting was dated back to 2500 BC. The word “swastika” itself was Sanskrit and associated with good fortune. Across the world and beyond the continent, the swastika before Hitler was a sign of well-being. But Hitler saw something else. What would motivate him to use the swastika for a racial struggle was unclear, but his intention about the logo was clear.
Hitler and the Swastika
Hitler chose the swastika for no particular reason, only for its simplicity. In 1919 he designed the flag that would become the official German flag, but it wouldn’t be until 1921 before he added the swastika. His interpretation of the Swastika was Aryan supremacy; the Jews, Sinti, Arabs, and Blacks had to be eliminated. Only the Aryans are the superior race. The swastika really became popular as an evil symbol only after Hitler started World War II.
Adaptation into Nazi Germany
The swastika appeared in everything the Nazi touched and mixed every German population’s everyday life with the swastika.
National flag: Soon after Hindenburg’s death, Hitler became the head of state and government, and he decreed the swastika flag the official German national flag on 15 September 1935.
Wehrmacht uniform: Effective on 17 February 1934, the commander-in-chief of the Wehrmacht ordered the swastika to be worn on all uniforms to welcome the army to the Third Reich.
World War II equipment: Planes, guns, tanks, and other German war machines had the swastika clearly visible on them.
Legacy of the Swastika
The swastika has been associated with the destruction of Europe, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. At the same time, various Asiatic cultures still uphold the good old meaning of the swastika and still see the symbol positively.
2. The Heil Hitler
“Heil Hitler” was the official greeting in the Third Reich until its ban by the Allies in 1945. But what was its origin? Where did Hitler steal it from?
The Origin
The term is not German like Hitler but rather Austrian, like Hitler. He came across the term in Austria during his youth years from the idealist Georg Ritter von Schönerer.
The idea “heil” was glued to Hitler’s mind from his time in Vienna. The term was influenced by the Austrian idealist and politician Schönerer.
Hitler and the Heil
After Hitler consolidated himself as the leader of the Nazi party, he introduced the “Heil” greeting, effectively the official greeting from 1926 onward.
How was it adopted in the Third Reich?
As soon as Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, the “Heil” greeting gained widespread popularity. But it was not until July 1933 that the head of the chancellery commenced its usage in the endings of official letters.
Before the end of 1933, the “Heil Hitler” greeting became compulsory in the length and breadth of Germany, accompanied by the right open palm stretched outward.
Civil servants now signed off letters with this greeting. Failure to adopt the greetings in public for normal Germans became a crime in Hitler’s Germany.
Legacy
The Heil Hitler was used thoroughly as long as the Third Reich lasted. But it was wiped out in Germany by the Allies’ denazification program after World War II.
3. The Führer
“The Führer” was the title by which Hitler was known throughout his tenure as the ruler of the Third Reich. Before and after Hitler, the word “Führer” was a neutral term that meant “guide” or “leader.”
The Origin of the Führer
The term “Führer” itself is German, but its usage for Hitler was copied from somewhere else. Italy
See, before Hitler rose to power, he adored everything about Rome and Italy. This is why he always looked for inspiration in the country.
In 1922, Mussolini seized power in Italy with his March on Rome; from then on, he was addressed as il Duce. Hitler loved the idea. Just early in 1923, the Nazi Party addressed Hitler as the “Führer,” meaning the absolute leader.
Hitler and the Führer
After Hindenburg’s death, Hitler merged the chancellor’s office with the president’s and formally acquired the official title of Führer und Reichskanzler in 1934.
From then on, all legal institutions had to swear absolute loyalty to Hitler. Quietly, “führer” became his sole title, granting him formal dictatorial power.
Fuhrer in the Third Reich
Every German, Nazi Party member, and member of the Wehrmacht addressed Hitler as “the Führer,” except for his opposition in the Third Reich.
It is also worth noting that Hitler took that title solely, and later in his political statement, he abolished the Führer title, splitting the chancellor’s office and the president’s.
Legacy
Modern usage of “führer” in German has been abolished totally in politics. No one wants to be associated with the word publicly in Germany, as it’s distinctively associated with Hitler. You’ll still find its usage in niche categories like mountain guide, which is “Bergführer” in German.
4. The Beer Hall Putsch
Hitler was an obscure figure in Germany before the Beer Hall Putsch. It was this failed event that catapulted him to the national stage in 1923-24.
Where did Hitler get the idea of a putsch?
Hitler drew almost unlimited inspiration from Italy during his early political years. Among these influences was the idea for the Beer Hall Putsch.
In October 1922, Mussolini and his fascist followers marched on Rome and, after this successful action, Mussolini became Italy’s leader. Witnessing these events inspired Hitler, who began to see himself as the “German Mussolini” and aspired to replicate the Italian fascists’ actions in Germany.
Hitler and the Beer Hall Putsch
The Beer Hall Putsch happened between 8 and 9 November 1923. Hitler and others march on the government house to seize power, but meet with resistance from the government. Men died on both Hitler’s and the government’s side. It was a complete failure. Hitler had failed to replicate Mussolini.
Beer Hall Putsch in the Third Reich
When Hitler took power in 1933, all of the people who were with him at the beer hall event were important to him. Propaganda kept the memories of those who died alive throughout the Third Reich.
In the 1934 Nuremberg rally, Rudolf Hess mentions the names of Nazi members who died in the putsch.
Legacy
Hitler’s attempt to seize power failed. It led to Hitler’s imprisonment, during which he wrote Mein Kampf. The event received national attention and influenced his decision to pursue legal means to gain power.
Finale…..
Now, we’ve seen where the most important Nazi symbols came from and how well they were woven into the fabrics of the Third Reich.
What others did you know, and how were they used to sway people’s thinking?
Sources
- Evans, R. J. (2003). The Coming of the Third Reich. Penguin Books.
- Hoffmann, H. (1996). The triumph of propaganda: Film and national socialism, 1933–1945. Berghahn Books.
- Kershaw, I. (1998). Hitler: Hubris. Allen Lane / Penguin Press.
1 thought on “4 Most Powerful Nazi Symbols: Where Were They From?”
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