Book Review: Nazis and the Occult by Paul Roland

Nazis and the Occult by Paul Roland is a nonfiction book about the major influence the dark arts played throughout Hitler's regime.  Hitler was not the only one who dabbled spirits, astrology, ancient relics, seances, and the paranormal.  He filled his party with plenty of like-minded individuals such as Himmler, Bormann, Goebbels, Goering, and Hess. 

Roland started at the beginning, not Hitler's beginning, but the beginning of the modern day notion that the Aryan race was the superior race of the world.  Guido von List (1848-1919) kicked it off by claiming to be a descendant of a Nordic warrior with blonde hair and blue eyes who drove the Romans out of Germany.  His faith lied in the Wotan religion, a pagan religion.  He eventually incorporated God into this religion by claiming that the Aryan race was ordained to rule.  
List also claimed he channelled wisdom from the ancients through the Akashic Records (an invisible matrix of mental energy).  List was a scam artist.  He misused the "von" in his name to give off the illusion of aristocracy, but was a son of a tradesman.  List and then Madame Blavatsky played their parts in creating the Theosophical Society.  
Another phony aristocrat, Baron Rudolf von Sebottendorf, helped shape Nazi ideology as well.  He made Germans prove their purity by tracing their ancestry three generations and then even measured their skulls.  He organized a study for the lost continent of Thule which was thought of a the Nordic Atlantis.  
One of the most interesting parts of the book was Hitler's obsession with ancient relics.  He came into possession of the Spear of Destiny (the spear that punctured Jesus at the cross by the guard).  The Spear was on display in an Austrian museum.  Once Hitler rose to power, he seized the Spear, believing it gave the owner power.

My Review: This was a fascinating read.  The author admits he doesn't have 'hard' proof of some of the accusations, but does have witness accounts and plenty of research to suggest that the book is true.  Not sure if I believe every word, but enjoyed reading it.  It's very hard to picture a handful of insane people who are about to rule the world involved in all of this Woton/pagan stuff.  I learned a great deal of the craziness that was going on behind the scenes.  Hitler and his cronies seemed to pattern their Nazi regime off of Freemason pageantry and regalia.  
The theosophy link was especially interesting.  I used to live right by a Theosophy Society in Wheaton, Illinois, and always wondered what went on there.  Apparently this 'religion' is still thriving.  There website had something about reading tarot cards.

I highly recommend this book to history lovers fascinated with Hitler.  It was well-written, organized, and filled with history and conspiracy.  Loved it!

5/5 Stars