Okay, I know this sounds bad, but hear me out. This isn't a post comparing Nazis to Hindus, or Nazism to Hinduism, or anything like that; that would be ridiculous and hateful.
Now, then.
The Third Reich had a very interesting relationship to religion. While there were Christian Nazis, many felt the Christian establishment in Germany (including the Catholic and Lutheran Churches) were too independent, and that the Nazi Party ought to concern itself with spiritual policy (which it did, with the Kirchenkamf ("Church Struggle"), and the development of new religious movements like German Christians or Positive Christianity). There were others, of course, who felt Christianity itself was un-German or un-fascist, and sought to promote new religions based on Western esotericism, the Führer's cult of personality, or old Norse paganism.
Less discussed are figures like Savriti Devi, who saw Nazism in the tradition of Eastern religions, especially Hinduism. An French esotericist and fascist who converted to Hinduism, Devi believed Hitler was an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, and he would destroy all monotheism by killing all the Jews (Abraham's own seed), and thus restore the power of the old gods. And as Jews must be destroyed the world over, Christianity must be destroyed in the West and Islam must be destroyed in the East, for it is through monotheism that Jews control the Aryans. (see her book The Lightning And The Sun )
Now, the Nazis did appropriate a lot of Indian culture. They called themselves "Aryans," for example, and they marched under the Swastika (an Indian symbol).
So, what would a Nazism that was more invested in Hinduism look like?
Now, I'm sure anything the Nazis would pass off as "Hindu" would be far removed from anything known to actual Indians. It'd be that sort of Orientalist mysticism which Western theosophists found so fashionable at the time. That's what people like Devi were preaching, anyway. Still, I can imagine some Nazis attempting to justify their racial theories by some bastardised concept of casteism.
How would the British respond to Nazi Hindus? How would the Indian Independence Movement? I'm sure figures like Subhas Chandra Bose -- a Hindu fascist with ties to Japan and Germany (facilitated in part by Devi), and who was a key figure in the history of Hindutva -- would be very keen on this new Hindu Reich. Figures like Gandhi or Nehru might be less inclined. And the Muslim League would be even less so.
Now, then.
The Third Reich had a very interesting relationship to religion. While there were Christian Nazis, many felt the Christian establishment in Germany (including the Catholic and Lutheran Churches) were too independent, and that the Nazi Party ought to concern itself with spiritual policy (which it did, with the Kirchenkamf ("Church Struggle"), and the development of new religious movements like German Christians or Positive Christianity). There were others, of course, who felt Christianity itself was un-German or un-fascist, and sought to promote new religions based on Western esotericism, the Führer's cult of personality, or old Norse paganism.
Less discussed are figures like Savriti Devi, who saw Nazism in the tradition of Eastern religions, especially Hinduism. An French esotericist and fascist who converted to Hinduism, Devi believed Hitler was an incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu, and he would destroy all monotheism by killing all the Jews (Abraham's own seed), and thus restore the power of the old gods. And as Jews must be destroyed the world over, Christianity must be destroyed in the West and Islam must be destroyed in the East, for it is through monotheism that Jews control the Aryans. (see her book The Lightning And The Sun )
Now, the Nazis did appropriate a lot of Indian culture. They called themselves "Aryans," for example, and they marched under the Swastika (an Indian symbol).
So, what would a Nazism that was more invested in Hinduism look like?
Now, I'm sure anything the Nazis would pass off as "Hindu" would be far removed from anything known to actual Indians. It'd be that sort of Orientalist mysticism which Western theosophists found so fashionable at the time. That's what people like Devi were preaching, anyway. Still, I can imagine some Nazis attempting to justify their racial theories by some bastardised concept of casteism.
How would the British respond to Nazi Hindus? How would the Indian Independence Movement? I'm sure figures like Subhas Chandra Bose -- a Hindu fascist with ties to Japan and Germany (facilitated in part by Devi), and who was a key figure in the history of Hindutva -- would be very keen on this new Hindu Reich. Figures like Gandhi or Nehru might be less inclined. And the Muslim League would be even less so.
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