Anti-Semitism in Occultism and Nazism in Yad Vashem Studies, Volume XIII

On Racism and Anti-Semitism in Occultism and Nazism

Did racist, antisemitic, occult groups influence the formation of Nazi ideology? Theosophy, founded by the antisemitic Madame Blavatsky took root in Germany during the decades before World War II. The superiority of the Aryan race is a cornerstone of Theosophic beliefs. However, Aryans were not identified with Germans and violence was not advocated. Ariosophy, also extant in pre-Hitler Germany and Austria was closer to Nazi ideology. Only Aryan god-men possessed the occult spirit and soul to lead the spiritual hierarchy of society. Jews were the prototypes of lesser races and were identified as the animal men. Hitler may have met with Ariosophists during his years in Vienna. Similar to Theosophy, this movement was not militant. The occult, antisemitic Thule Society provided the missing militancy and acted as a crucible in combining racial superiority, militancy, and the occult, mythological antisemitism in the early days of Nazi ideology.