The Schutzstaffel was another organization led by Heinrich Himmler and their goal was to “guard Adolf Hitler’s life with their own” and to carry “out all those tasks that Adolf Hitler deemed most important, including the preservation of his own power, the persecution and destruction of the regime's opponents— whether real or imagined— and the execution of Lebensraum,” or living room - the space Nazi Germany believed they needed for the Aryan people to live a comfortable life (Ziegler 4). There were also supposed occult mechanisms of the SS which were believed to be closely linked to the Ahnenerbe (Strube 341). As it was closely linked to the Ahnenerbe, the SS also appropriated Norse runes as symbols for their organization. The flags of multiples …show more content…
divisions of the SS used renditions of the “Odal rune,” which belongs to the Futhark Old Norse rune alphabet and means “homeland” or “ancestral lot,” and relates to property, heritability or nobility (“Othala Rune”). The divisions of the SS used the symbol in various renditions, the most common adding serifs to the bottom of the rune to become the emblem of Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans) (“Othala Rune”). Himmler also turned “to the racial discourse of Darré, who linked the Germanic Odal principle,” related to the rune, “to the mythic Viking spirit,” allowing Himmler to use it in his Pagan ritual practices, further appropriating Norse culture and history (Emberland 119). The symbol that Himmler chose to represent the SS (ϟϟ) was two Elder Futhark “Sowilo” runes placed side by side (“SS Bolts”). The Siegesrune, or Sig “ϟ” symbol was already used in the Volk circles prior to Nazism, where the interpretation of the name became used more as “victory,” than the “s” sound the Norse rune represented (“SS Bolts”). During the period of Nazism, the name “Sig” was officially replaced by the term “Sieg”, German for “victory,” because this name seemed to be much more appropriate to the Nazi ideology (“SS Bolts”). When the Siegesrune officially became the symbol of the SS, it became the second most recognizable symbol of Nazi Germany, after the Swastika (“SS Bolts”). Another reason this symbol was chosen to represent the “protection squadron” was to attempt to recruit the Norse people, using Norse history and culture as propaganda to get Norse people to join the SS and Nazism (“SS Bolts”). The Siegesrune was used as a symbol of the SS and is presently used as a white supremacy and neo-Nazi symbol, which is one of the many impacts today of the Nazi abuse of Viking and Norse history and culture (“SS Bolts”). Other impacts seen today of the Nazi abuse of Viking and Norse history and culture are seen in popular culture, such as movies and comic books.
A first example of this is the movie Blood Creek. Blood Creek is a horror film which was released on September 18, 2009 and was directed by Joel Schumacher. The plot of the movie follows a German professor by the name of Wirth, who was sent to a farm in West Virginia by Himmler to find a Viking runestone buried on the property to get power from it (Blood Creek). Wirth would receive power by drinking blood and soaking the power from the ancient Viking runes, showing that the Nazi abuse of Viking and Norse history and culture appears in popular culture in current day society (Blood Creek). In addition to films being an impact of the Nazi appropriation of Viking history, many comic books are impacts as well. The 1980s DC Comics series written by Roy Thomas used Viking history and culture to explain why the Justice League of America was unable to defeat the Nazis. According to the comic books, Hitler possessed Odin’s spear, named Gungnir, called the Spear of Destiny in the books, which allowed him to control any superheros who entered his “territory,” so the Justice League was unable to touch him (Tridle …show more content…
6). Marvel Comics also came out with a comic series, called “The Invaders,” which was written between 1975 and 1979 (Thomas, Roy, et al.). In this comic series, Hitler summoned Thor and other Asgardians for help in winning the Second World War, but as soon as the Norse gods realized that they were being used by Hitler, he returned to Asgard (Thomas, Roy, et al.). Another comic book example is the “Danger Girl” comic book series, which features a group of female secret service agents trying to stop a modern-day Nazi group (Campbell, J. Scott, et al.). “The Hammer,” the Nazi group, intends to establish a Fourth Reich using Viking artifacts from Atlantis - this series was started in 1998 and continues to be published and be an impact today (Campbell, J. Scott, et al.). All of these popular culture media uses of the Vikings are an impact seen today of the Nazi abuse of Viking and Norse history and culture. In addition to the Nazi abuse of Viking and Norse history and culture having an impact on popular culture today, it has an impact on white supremacy movements and academia today as well.
Many white supremacists and white supremacy movements, particularly in Germany and the Scandinavian countries extensively use Norse symbols and mythology in their practices (Strmiska 192). The Norse runic symbols that the Nazis appropriated are also still used today by neo-Nazi movements throughout the world, including in America (Strmiska 192). Other Norse and Viking culture is appropriated still today (because of the Nazis) by white supremacist movements and groups (“With Hate in their Hearts”). In 2015, three men from Virginia were charged with attempting to start a race war using firearms, silencers and explosives (Lentz 1). Two of the men ascribe to “Asatru, an offshoot of the racist Odinist religion that emphasizes the magical elements of pre-Christian European polytheism. It is officially recognized as a religion in Iceland, where its architects have avoided racist interpretations of its Eurocentric cosmology,” started by the Nazis, particularly Himmler (Lentz 3). There are a “growing number of Odinists, or white supremacist Norse pagans” in America today, many of whom are turning violent (“With Hate in their
Hearts”). Because of the Nazis appropriation of Norse culture and symbols, and the continued use of these in white supremacist movements today, runic letters and other symbols have become so tied to white supremacist groups that their use in any context has become suspect (Strmiska 192). Especially in Germany, anyone who shows an excessive interest in any form of Norse mythology is suspected as a Nazi and many people in Europe still associate Viking mythology with Nazism and racism, and although in the 80s and 90s Norse mythology finally lost some of its taboo, the association still stubbornly remains and is not helped by present-day neo-Nazis (Greer, 39). In academia, after the fall of the Third Reich, Norse mythology became a taboo subject and was avoided by scholars for many years, contributing to a list of impacts the Nazis abuse of Viking history and culture for propaganda purposes has today (Lehti, Marko, and Smith 143). In conclusion, the Nazis abused Viking history and culture for propaganda purposes during the Third Reich, and it still has an impact today on popular culture, white supremacy movements and academia. The Nazi ideals of the Volksgemeinschaft allowed them to hold the Norse people in the highest regard as they occupied the top position of racial superiority during the Third Reich. Because the Norse people occupied the highest position of the racial pyramid, the Nazis appropriated much of the Norse mythology and runes for use in rituals and other propaganda both in an attempt to win the Norse people over to their side of the war and to gain more support at home. The abuse of Viking history and culture by the Nazis has impacts today on popular culture, through movies and comic books, as well as through white supremacist/neo-Nazi movements. This impacts not only citizens but the stigma of Vikings being associated with Nazism and racism has impacted academia and continues to do so today.
It seems that in the 21st century and even during the colonizing of America, the interpretation of Native Americans is and had been that they were savages and live a barbaric lifestyle. That they had no order or way of life. When presented with the topic of Native Americans and Colonists in the New World, it is easy to assume warfare and bloodshed amongst the two parties. That the Colonists were constantly in mini battles with the Native Americans. It is also easy to assume that the land in the New World was unsettling to the eyes. This is due to records from the colonist times, calling the lands “wild” or “wildlands”. In Robbie Ethridge’s book Creek Country, she tries to debunk these interpretations mentioned above. She does so by using an
Blood on the River by Elisa Carbone is a historical novel that focuses on the uphill battle to build the first permanent English colony known as Jamestown. In order to survive the colonists had to find a way to trade with the Indians for recourses and battle against the common enemy, called death. Having a healthy, functioning society was by far the hardest thing to maintain.
Everything was great, every day was the same except that particular day when your life
Authors use literary elements throughout short stories to give an overall effect on the message they give in the story. In his short story, “Doe Season” by Michael Kaplan, illustrates a theme(s) of the hardships of not wanting to face the reality of death, losing of innocence and the initiation of growing up. Kaplans theme is contributed by symbolism, characterization, setting and foreshadowing.
There are two real conflicts in Jean Toomer's "Blood-Burning Moon." The first is racial, which can be referenced in the very first sentence, and the second is a gender conflict, that subtly unfolds with the main characters' development. In this essay, I will show how Toomer uses vivid descriptions and comparisons of nature to establish these conflicts, and also to offer an explanation of their origin. He writes to argue that these roles, like the earth, are natural and therefore irrefutable. A close reading of the opening paragraph will reveal the sharp contrast between white and black, as it is described in a metaphor of wood and stone.
To some this story might seem like a tragedy, but to Christians this is a beautiful story. Although young Harry dies at the end, he is accepted into the kingdom of God, which is far superior to anything on Earth. A non-religious family raises him and the first taste of Christianity he gets makes him want to pursue God. In Flannery O’Conner’s short story, The River, the allure of Gods grace and the repelling of sinful ways are shown heavily through Harry.
Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in Alabama during a crucial time in American history. The book is told from the point of view of Jean Louise “Scout” Finch, and revolves around her and her brother Jem while they are growing up. While they are growing up, they learn many life lessons that are shown by different milestones. Lee uses many symbols in the novel to represent the maturing of Jem and Scout.
There were a number of groups in germany that were attempting to take down the Nazis.
Mark Twain is one of the greatest prose writers in American history. He has written many famous novels such as, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain, in fact, was not his real name. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Mark Twain was more of a stage name for him. In, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck gets abused by his own father and fakes his own death. He then meets an escaped slave named Jim who travels around with him on his journey. Huck and Jim travel down the Missouri River on a raft and undergo many adventures. Jim is then captured and sold to the family of Huck’s childhood friend, Tom Sawyer. Tom then hatches a wild plan to free
From the summer of 1979 to the summer of 1981, at least twenty-eight people were abducted and killed during a murder spree in Atlanta, Georgia; these killings would come to be known as the Atlanta Child Murders. While the victims of the killings were people of all races and genders, most of the victims of the Atlanta Child Murders were young African-American males. These murders created great racial tension in the city of Atlanta, with its black population believing the murders to be the work of a white supremacist group. (Bardsley & Bell, n.d., p. l) However, when police finally apprehended a suspect in the case, they found it was neither a white supremacy group, nor a white person at all; it was a 23 year-old African-American man named Wayne Williams. (“What are”, n.d.)
Many individuals and groups attempted to resist Nazism in Germany, but were unsuccessful. The White Rose, The Red Orchestra and the Kreisau Circle all advocated non-violent resistance to oppose the Nazi regime and even with the high risk of getting caught and potentially killed, the courageous members of these groups went after what they believed was right despite the serious consequences. The White Rose was formed in Munich in 1942 by students at the University of Munich named Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, Willi Graf and Alexander Schmorell. These students constantly hear others discuss the atrocities of Hitler’s regime and the disturbing stories of over 200,000 Jewish people being murdered. Hans Scholl, the leader of the White Rose group, decided to take action as he could no longer stay silent while so many civilians were being murdered.
“Mockingbirds do nothing for us but sing all day. That’s why it’s a sin to kill one” (103). To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee tells of a small town life, disrupted by an unfair trial of a black man accused of rape.It has many underlying points, like the children trying to meet Boo Radley and new friends in the summer. As named in the title, the mockingbird is used several times to symbolize innocence destroyed by evil, the mockingbird is an innocent animal doing nothing but singing, while the one who shoots it down is the evil one destroying all innocence. The mockingbird represents certain characters throughout the story who have been metaphorically “shot down”.
In “The Flowers,” by Alice Walker, the flowers are used throughout the story to symbolize the beauty and naivety of childhood. In the beginning of the story the author shows the main character Myop walking down a path along the fence of her farm. Myop sees “an armful of strange blue flowers with velvety ridges…” The flowers are bright and colorful, reminding the reader of an innocent type of beauty often associated with them. This suggests the flowers were inserted in the story by Walker to reveal how young and innocent Myop appears to be. Later in the story, after Myop had discovered the dead body of a man who seemed to have been hung “Myop laid down her flowers,”. As Myop put down the flowers she was also putting down the last of her innocence.
Symbolism was a major literary element that is developed throughout The Color Purple. A model or image of God in the novel was a truly disturbing and yet a touching dedication to the female spirit and its search for equality, acceptance and independence. The meanings of names, clothes, quilting, occupations, power, and colors are only a few examples of the symbols used by the author to develop the characters of the story. No matter how hard and long Celies looks, it seems impossible to find love and happiness for herself. The purple color itself symbolized love while religion was often seen as offering a path of transformation-a way that leads through to happiness. In The Color Purple, Alice Walker used the symbolism of the letters to God,
Writers of all genres uses symbolism as a way to introduce objects or ideas that will expand and deepen the meaning of their writings. The title of Alice Walker’s novel “The Color Purple” could be considered a symbolism. Purple is the color that is said to represent imagination and spirituality. It helps the individual to get in touch with their deeper thoughts, feelings and inspires them to have high standards about themselves. Purple is said to be associated with the transformation of the soul. The main character of Walker’s novel was struggling with finding love and finding her purpose in life. The reader experience the transformation of Celie from a weak submissive young woman to an independent, businesswoman. The title was the perfect match for the context of the novel. Furthermore, the pants that Celie made, sold and eventually wore was a sign of liberation for