Historyoftheswastika

Laffitte 1
Luis Laffitte
Period 2
World History
21 March 2016
The History of the Swastika
Throughout history, there have been many groups, each with their own infamous
symbols. But none of these stands up to the universal hatred of the Nazis and their Swastika, and
it stands to reason, with Hitlers regime performing mass genocide on anybody deemed
unworthy. The Nazi Party of Germany adopted the Swastika (known then as the Hakenkreuz) in
1920 to make a bold impression on the German people. Little did they know the reputation the
symbol would gain, and how it would be forever known as the symbol for hatred.
While Hitlers Nazi Party gave the Swastika its reputation in the western world, they
were far from the first people to use the symbol. In fact, the oldest example of a Swastika was
found in Mezine, Ukraine, carved on an ivory figurine, which dates an incredible 12,000 years,
(Black 1). As well as being an old symbol, it is widespread as well. The Swastika has been used
in many different cultures around the world. In Buddhism, the swastika is a symbol of good
fortune, prosperity, abundance and eternity, (Black 1). On top of this, Buddhists also believe
that the symbol directly relates to Buddha, and even contains his mind. The symbol is also found
in Christian catacombs in Rome, and other old churches around the world. (Black 1). The
Swastika is also found in other cultures, such as the Norse and Native American people. Along
with the symbol being used prior to Nazi Germany, the name Swastika has its own origin as well.
The word swastika is a Sanskrit word meaning It is, Well Being, Good Existence, and
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Good Luck, and has different names and meanings in other countries (Black 1). It is ironic
that a symbol that was generally related to prosperity descended to the point that it lies now.
In the early 1920s, the Nazi Party was just beginning to take off, with a brilliant new
leader named Adolf Hitler poised to come to power. With all this in place, Hitler the party
needed a vivid symbol to distinguish it from rival groups. He sought a design, therefore, that
would attract the masses. Hitler selected the swastika as the emblem of racial purity, (Holocaust
Teacher Resource Center 1). Hitlers claims of how the Aryans used the Swastika drew the
masses in. He was also able to claim the Swastika was anti-Semitic. Out of this the Nazi flag was
born, black Swastika on a white circle on a red background. Hitler concluded in the meaning of
the flag in his book Mein Kampf: In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the
Nationalist idea, and in the swastika the vision of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan
man, (Holocaust Teacher Resource Center 1). This very novel idea appealed to the German
people, and thus they were drawn into the clutches of the soon to be Fhrer. With his climbing
power, Hitler was able to further his agenda via the means of his famous symbol. The Swastika
Flags use as the National Flag was a symbol of the acceleration of the Nazis anti-Semitic
agenda, (Holocaust Teacher Resource Center 1).This can be summed up as what ultimately gave
the Swastika its reputation as the symbol of racism and hate. Hitler rallied people around his
racist ideas using the Swastika, which is why it is considered a racist symbol. This has led to
much controversy post-WWII and in the modern age.
With Hitlers prominent use of the Swastika to advertise racism and anti-Semitism, it is
obvious why many would hate the symbol. This has led to much worldwide banning of the
Swastika and other Nazi-related elements. The German and Austrian postwar criminal code
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makes the public showing of the Hakenkreuz (the swastika) illegal, (Wikipedia 1). Of all
nations, these are the most understandable, considering they were the ones that were most
ravaged by the Hitler and the Nazis. The Germans are so paranoid that anything resembling a
Swastika is often destroyed in order to avoid prosecution. There are regulations in other
European nations as well, such as Hungary, Lithuania, and Poland. Many attempts have been
made to completely ban the Swastika, but have failed due to Buddhist, Hindu, and other religious
groups using the symbol religiously.
It is ironic and a great shame that a symbol often regarded as peaceful and prosperous
was turned into the most hateful symbol people know, all because one man decided to use it as
the main emblem of his hateful regime. And while it is still widely used in Asia, western society
will probably always regard the Swastika with the same hate and disrespect that it now
symbolizes.

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