really basic question: why the swastika?

[Yedith]

Why did Guido von List choose the swastika, (G: Hakenkreuz, correct?) for anti-semitic organizations? Because of its symbolism for Thor's Hammer, its symbolism regarding the sun (which I forget now?)? I believe the swastika was also an early Christian cross ("gammadion cross - 4 gammas). Graphically, it makes a striking design, but does anyone know why it was chosen?

[Yedith]

Amending myself (or shoving my foot further down my throat) , I found the following information (and didn't copy the url, will find it again upon request...)

"The most widely accepted explanation of how Adolf Hitler adopted the swastika as a symbol of the Nazi movement is found in his Mein Kampf. The connction, he claimed, came through Dr. Friedrich Krohn, a dentist, and member of the Nazi party."

Any clarification would be gladly recieved

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

It is also a good luck symbol, that could be part of the explanation.

If you ever come to Copenhagen, go to the Carlsberg brewery. There are two elephats that have been there since the brewery started (don't remember when, but about the change of the century). On them are two swastikas, and whenever the japanese tourists go there to take pictures, they are very much shocked by what they see.

Christian

[Erik E]

You should try the "Swastika homepage" It is not what it sounds like, but a page with loads of links telling the truth about this ancient symbol.
http://www.geocities.com/swastika_webring/links.htm


It has a lot of strange items too

[Yedith]

Eric and Ferdinand, thanks for the referenences.

Ferdinand, I wonder if the logo in Copenhagen (where I will be, at least in the airport, later this summer) has swastikas and elephants as some reference to Hinduism? Only a thought...

On the Coke image.. did the KkK ever use the swastika as a symbol? I know those good ole boys (my ancestry, sorry to say) chugged down a lot of "southern champagne"

[Christian Ankerstjerne]

That is possible, but considering the early date, I think it is merely meant as a good luck symbol. I don't know, however.

Good link Erik!

[Marcus]

Carlsberg elephant:

No, they weren't Nazi sympathizers. They used the symbol long before the Nazi party did. The original meaning of the Swastika symbol was "good luck and harmony". See, you learn something new every day!

http://www.carlbasile.com/carel.html

[Erik E]

How about this?

[Marcus]

My favourite is the shoulder patch used by the US 45th Infantry Division (Thunderbird)


(the shoulder patch is the replacement)
(from http://www.45thdivisionmuseum.com )

/Marcus

[Marcus]

Edmonton Girls Hockey Team (1916)


President of Finland

[Yedith]

My personal favorite

The photo above is of Jackie Bouvier (Later First Lady Jackie Kennedy) as a young girl dressed in Native American Indian clothing. (Most likely a Campfire Girls outing.)

http://www.geocities.com/angryindian/page5.html

[Erik E]

Here is another one.
Old roadsigns from Arizona......

[pdhinkle36ID]

American indians used it for good luck, the 45th ID used it before WW II as they were Oklahoma indians. It was dropped when Hitler started to use it. You can find it both left and right settings.
It was used on an iron gate into a Catholic Church in Hitlers home area of Austria and may have given him the idea to use something like it.
Note the per WW II 45th ID patch can bring several hundred dollars for one on the collectors market. Also this is the same division that killed the guards at Dachua in April-may 1945

[Kephra]

A study on the origins of the adoption of the swastika
by Adolf Hitler as a symbol of the Nazi movement.
by Servando González.

http://www.intelinet.org/swastika/index.html

[Bret van Sant]

MY MOTHER AGE 70 REMEMBERS SEEING THE SWASTICA ON MANY THINGS AS A CHILD.POSTCARDS,GREETING CARDS,POSTERS,CHARMS...THE LIST GOES ON.I STARTED COLLECTING POSTCARDS ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.AND HAVE A FEW WITH THIS MARK.ALL FOR GOODLUCK.