Otto Rahn - some questions

[mty]

Hi!

Do photographs of Dr. Otto Rahn in SS uniform exist? I think there should be at least some. An interview of Gabriele Winkler-Dechend (a close associate of Karl Maria Wiligut) mentions him sometimes wearing a uniform but disliking the habit. I think there was also something of him being photographed while lecturing Allgemeine-SS members about Lucifer as a lightbringer.

Another question about Rahn: where was he buried and did he receive official SS burial ceremony - there were at the time of his death some rumours of his homosexual background but I have read that Himmler mourned his loss deeply.

[Phil Nix]

I can find no record of Rahn as a member of the SS
Phil Nix

[Georg_S]

Here is one evidence that he belonged to the SS before his suicide.

//Georg

Source: http://www.dergral.de/historie/rahn.htm

[mty]

And another, although not as credible as the death notice above:

After first joining the SS heritage bureau, the *Ahnenerbe*, as a civilian, his talents were soon recognised by his superiors. Pursuaded to formally join the SS in 1936, within a matter of weeks Otto Rahn was promoted to SS-Unterscharfuhrer.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/6824/otto.htm

Also various books where he is mentioned have a sidenote that he was an SS member.

[jv]

In Himmler als Ideologe by Josef Ackermann (1970), Otto Rahn is mentioned as an SS member. In the same publication Josef Ackermann describes Otto Rahn as "indulging in homosexual vices, in pursuit of which he died in 1939". Himmler considered this as "very tragic" and referred to Rahn as "one of ours". Of course, Otto Rahn was well-known for the books he wrote on the history of Christianity which made a big impact on Himmler, particularly "Luzifers Hofgesind" 1937. After Rahn's death Himmler ordered a re-print of the book in 10.000 copies and even had the paper supplied to have it printed. There is an extensive correspondence on this between Dr Rudolf Brandt and SS-Brigadefuehrer Dr Naumann (Ministerialdirektor im Reichspropagandaministerium). jv

[mty]

What was the cause of the correspondence? Were they worried about Himmler's too close interest towards Rahn? I have read a theory that it was actually Himmler who - being in pressure - forced Rahn to take his life due to his homosexual habits. Some articles about Rahn instead portray him as a "pacifist writer forced to SS uniform killing himself on moral grounds, having been working for the evil". I think the truth is somewhere between these two extremes. At least to me, Rahn saw Himmler connection and the SS important to his research work but never was politically very active.

[jv]

What was the cause of the correspondence? Were they worried about Himmler's too close interest towards Rahn? I have read a theory that it was actually Himmler who - being in pressure - forced Rahn to take his life due to his homosexual habits. Some articles about Rahn instead portray him as a "pacifist writer forced to SS uniform killing himself on moral grounds, having been working for the evil". I think the truth is somewhere between these two extremes. At least to me, Rahn saw Himmler connection and the SS important to his research work but never was politically very active.

Josef Ackermann also implies that Otto Rahn was driven to his suicide. In a letter to Naumann dated 2 November 1943, Dr Brandt wrote: "More than Rahn already did with his death to pay for his misconduct towards the SS he could not have done". So, his suicide was seen as an atonement in the eyes of the SS. The book Luzifers Hofgesind by Otto Rahn is in the form of a travel guide of the towns in Germany where the church persecuted Christian "rebels". Himmler was very impressed by this publication. Himmler ordered 100 copies for himself in April 1937. Five copies were bound in pigskin. Again, he had another five copies bound in parchment. A luxury copy of Rahn's book was given by Himmler to Hitler as a present (letter to Wolff on 17 April 1937). Other publications by Otto Rahn were also favoured by Himmler. Rahn's first book Kreuzzug gegen den Gral was re-printed in May 1944 on the order of Himmler. jv

[Einheriar]

Here a supposed photo of Otto Rahn in SS Uniform (at left) :

I suppose Rahn was a SS-member because he was an Ahnenerbe member and, in 1937, all the members of ahnerbe were incorporate ine the black corps due to the fascination of Himmler for the occult.

[Phil Nix]

There is an Otto Rahn in 1938 DAL born 18.2.1904 Party Nr 5499962 SS nr276208 Stab RFSS 1938Not listed as a Dr
Phil Nix

[Requin Marteau]

Bonjour,

See Christian BERNADAC's book "Montségur et le Graal, le mystère Otto Rahn"

Thierry

[mty]

Here a supposed photo of Otto Rahn in SS Uniform (at left) :

I suppose Rahn was a SS-member because he was an Ahnenerbe member and, in 1937, all the members of ahnerbe were incorporate ine the black corps due to the fascination of Himmler for the occult.

A truly interesting photograph! What is the source of the photo (seems to be digitized from a book)? Somehow I am not totally convinced that the man portrayed really is Rahn. There must be a better photo showing him in SS uniform, perhaps together with his SS file?

[mty]

There is an Otto Rahn in 1938 DAL born 18.2.1904 Party Nr 5499962 SS nr276208 Stab RFSS 1938Not listed as a Dr
Phil Nix

Once again I had to return to an old thread...

Could someone post Rahn's SS career (dates of promotions)? It would be of great help since I am working a study of him and other SS "occultists" and could not find a decent biography of him. His last rank seem to have been that of SS-Obersturmführer (according to a letter which he had supposedly written to Himmler and presents himself as such).

[tt1173]

Hi, I've been interested in Otto Rahn for a while too. A quick chronology is at http://shadowtheatre13.com/pdfs/tsg-tim ... meline.pdf I have no idea of the source but the dates check out for the most part with my other research. The problem with a reliable biography about Rahn is that he attracts a very particular occultist element, which tends to insert its own theorizing in its research. The book by Nigel Graddon is the only one in English I've found. It is very incoherent but collects a great deal of research not otherwise available to laypersons. The Christian Bernadac bio is much better, reproducing a number of primary sources (letters, etc.), but it also has a very specific agenda towards Rahn (and proposes that he faked his own death). The best resource is Hans-Jurgen Lange's biography, but it appears to be long out of print and hard to find.

Are folks positive that Rahn was affiliated with the Ahnenerbe? My research has not turned up any official connection. Rather, he seemed to be working under Weisthor/Wiligut in SS-RuSHA - something called the Pre- and Early History Dep't, but I've had trouble finding any reference to this department. His research was Ahnenerbe material, no question, so I've long been curious as to why he wouldn't have been on Ahnenerbe staff.

[J. Duncan]

There is also this biography in english language (link):

http://www.amazon.com/Otto-Rahn-Quest-G ... 765&sr=1-1

Rahn's two books are also available in english:

http://www.amazon.com/Crusade-Against-G ... 979&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Lucifers-Court-He ... 059&sr=1-1