History of the Swastika Design Symbol – 12,000 Years and Counting
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What is the “Swastika”?
The term “swastika” refers to a symbol that has been used for thousands of years. Various cultures and religious traditions used it. It is a geometric shape with arms bent at right angles. It resembles a cross with its ends bent at 90-degree angles.
The swastika is a sacred symbol in many cultures. These include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Native American. In these cultures it represents positive concepts. Meanings include success, good fortune, prosperity and well-being.
Today, the symbol is linked to Adolf Hitler’s Nazi Party. The Nazis adopted a modified version of the swastika. They tilted it at an angle, as their emblem. This form of the swastika, is “Hakenkreuz” in German. It became a symbol of hate, intolerance and genocide. This is due to the atrocities committed by the Nazis.
The original symbol itself predates the Nazis by thousands of years. It holds other meanings in various cultural and religious contexts. Due to the vile Nazi regime, the swastika became a symbol of hate. Its public use either banned or regulated in many countries. This due to the association with Nazism and the Holocaust.
Why The Swastika Became A “Nazi symbol”?
When talk about ancient designs, “Nazi symbol” of the swastika will come up. Today, the symbol became a symbol of anti-Semitic hate. Only because of the evil regime: The National Socialist German Workers’ Party / “NAZIS” for short.
Adolf Hitler’s Nazis party, imposed their beliefs onto the swastika. They tainted it with vile notions. These include white supremacy, Antisemitism, hate, racism and bigotry. That is due to the symbol being the main “Nazi symbol”.
Hitler did not choose an arbitrary symbol to represent his party. The symbol is found in different contexts. Some go back thousands of years before the Nazi party existed. Hitler was well aware of the power of symbolism. He used it to create a sense of unity and support his ideology.
This type of change and co-opting does not happen overnight, though. That is why it is important to know its history.
Who fist suggested using the swastika as the Nazi party symbol?
The idea to use the swastika as the Nazi Party symbol is unknown. It is not attributed to a single person. We know that Adolf Hitler and other prominent Nazi members, were involved in the decision. Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels, likely played a part in adopting the symbol as the party’s emblem.
Adolf Hitler had an interest in symbolism and ancient history. He likely played a significant role in the decision to use it. Hitler, and other Nazi leaders, believed in the idea of an Aryan master race. They sought to create a connection between their ideology and ancient Aryan symbols. This included the swastika. Hitler’s personal involvement in selecting this symbol is apparent from his writings and speeches.
Why did the Nazis choose the swastika as their symbol?
The Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, adopted the symbol as their emblem in the early 1920s. Hitler, and other Nazi leaders, believed that the symbol had Aryan culture origins. They felt it could be used to represent their vision of a “pure and dominant” Aryan race. They saw the symbol as a way to evoke a sense of national pride and ideology.
The Nazis propagated their version of the symbol in various forms. They featured it in banners, armbands and other insignia. This symbol became linked with their radical ideology and actions. Including the Holocaust and other atrocities of World War II.
The Nazis’ use of the swastika is a classic cultural appropriation. It is a great example of the distortion of a symbol’s original meaning. The Nazi use of this design symbol has led to it’s association with hate, racism, and genocide. As a result, the original positive meanings, are eclipsed by the Nazi’s dark, historical use.
The Nazi flag
The Nazi flag is referred to as the “Nazi swastika flag”. It is the most recognized symbols connected with the Nazi regime. Its design is stark and simple. Yet, it carries a deep historical and doctrinal significance.
A detailed description of the Nazi flag:
- Design and Symbolism
- Background Color:
- The flag features a bright red background. The choice of red symbolizes the social extremism of the Nazi movement. It aligns with other socialist flags of the time.
- Background Color:
- Central Symbol (Swastika):
- At the center of the flag is a white circle.
- Within the white circle is a black swastika, tilted at a 45-degree angle. This means the arms of the symbol set in a diagonal orientation. It creates an “X” more than a cross.
- The symbol itself is an ancient symbol. The Nazis used it to represent their ideology of racial purity. It represented their political movement as well. Before this, it was in various cultures. Those cultures used it symbolize good fortune and future success.
- At the center of the flag is a white circle.
- Proportions:
- The symbol is centered within a white circle. The white circle is centered inside the red field.
- The flag’s dimensions follow the ratio of 3:5 or 2:3. This is common for many national flags. But exact proportions can vary in different uses.
- Usage and Historical Context
- Nazi Party Flag: The flag was the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) flag. It later became the national flag of Germany. This was after the Nazis came to power in 1933.
- Symbol of Oppression: The swastika flag is a symbol of hate, oppression, and the atrocities these days. This is because of its link to the horrific Nazi regime.
- Legal Restrictions: Some countries banned the flag because it is linked to the Nazi regime. Other countries place legal restrictions on using or displaying it in public.
- A detailed visual image of the Nazi flag:
Historical Evolution
- Pre-1935 Use: The Nazi Party used it from the early 1920s. It became a significant symbol as the party grew in influence.
- Official National Flag: In 1935, the Nazis made it the national flag of Germany. It replaced the traditional black, red, and gold tricolor.
- End of Usage: The use of this flag ended with the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945. It was then banned and stigmatized in post-war Europe.
Learning about the Nazi flag provides insight into its political use. It explains the deep and enduring meanings. Both in the past and in culture.
So, what is the history of the swastika symbol?
The history of the symbol begins with the word itself: “swastika”. The word “swastika” has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language of India.
“Swastika” is a combination of two Sanskrit words:
- “Su” (सु): This means “good” or “well” in Sanskrit.
- “Asti” (अस्ति): This means “to be” or “is” in Sanskrit.
When these two words are combined, they form “Swasti” (स्वस्ति), which can be translated to “well-being” or “good fortune” in English. The symbol itself is an ancient symbol of auspiciousness and good luck in Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. So it was a symbol of good and not for evil.
The symbol itself has been a positive and revered symbol in many cultures for thousands of years. The “swastika” association with Nazi Germany during the 20th century has led to its prohibition in some countries as a symbol of hate and discrimination. As such, it is crucial to be aware of the context and historical significance when encountering this symbol.
The different names of the “swastika”
Despite the Sanskrit origin, though, there are many other cultures that have different names for the swastika symbol.
Here is how the symbol is referred to in different countries / languages:
There are different names for the design pattern itself. But the swastika is depicted in the same manner, no matter which culture it appears in.
P.R. Sarkar, the Sanskrit scholar, noted, in 1979, that there is an underlying meaning to the word. This is something that is not talked about usually. He claims, the word “swastika” is an analogy for a deep sense of victory. It is linked to long-lasting or permanent connotations. This definition does not mean that it serves a specific agenda. The design symbol has been used throughout history in different ways.
In Buddhism the swastika represents another type of prosperity. One focusing on personal abundance and eternal satisfaction. This meaning is ascribed to the belief system of the Buddha. Warranting its inclusion with the Buddha on statues and in paintings.
This thought of usage of the symbol is a prominent one. Especially when thinking about examples before Nazi ideology. But it is not the earliest usage of the symbol. In fact, the earliest swastika we know of, is about 12,000 years old. It was found in Mezine, Ukraine.. This example of the symbol is referred to as the “Mezine Swastika”. It is the earliest example of the symbol found so far.
The Mezine Swastika was reportedly used in cultures found in Southern Europe. It dates to ancient times within Neolithic cultures. These cultures existed in places we know as the Baltic’s.
The symbol used in mythology extends to Nordic traditions. It is featured in tales regarding the god Odin (the father of Thor). Here, the symbol is used to represent Odin while he is traveling through space. His body looking down on the mortals that inhabit the earth.
Around the same period of time, the symbol was being used in similar manners around the world. For example, the Greeks used the symbol as a way to link heaven and earth, showing the multiple arms as connecting the symbol just as much to the mortal world as the mythological one.
Indigenous populations in Northern USA have been known to have utilized the symbol in their ceremonies. In particular, this symbol appears in multiple facets of Native American Navajo culture.
No matter which instance you look at, though, the linking factor between these pre-Nazi uses of the swastika seems to be a sense of prosperity, prominence and good fortune. Basically a positive symbol that is associated with strength, the sun and the gods. Because of these associations, it makes sense as to why Hitler would misuse the symbol to perpetuate his ideology of white supremacy. This is due to the fact that most white supremacy circles focus on preserving some notion of identity in order to ensure strong communities around their beliefs.
After reading about the different uses for the symbol over the years, it is unfortunate to remember that the most prominent use of the swastika in contemporary society is its reputation as a hate symbol. Symbols are incredibly powerful artifacts in both modern culture and religion. They allow us to indicate when to use windshield wipers or how to spread harmful ideology. Understanding the specific nuance of the different symbols around us can help us learn about the culture we live in. Often times, the inflections and representation of certain patterns and design symbols can reflect the culture from which they come.
Learning about the history of the symbol and educating ourselves on how it got there, can help us recognize when this happens to other ideas, or symbols, in our culture. The purpose of learning about the symbol’s history is not to separate it from the genocidal ideology associated with it, but instead understand how it got that way and why the Nazis decided to co-opt it for their own devious intentions.
The Swastika Designs Symbol And Antique Rugs
We do see rugs and carpets that feature the Swastika design symbol. But at Nazmiyal we deal with antique carpets that predate the Nazi party. So naturally, the rug weavers did not have any reason not to incorporate this iconic and positive symbol (positive during their time at least).
That said, being Jewish, it’s not hard for us to empathize with those that feel a strong aversion to decorating with rugs that feature bear the swastika symbol. Though some antique rugs will suffer as result of the modern association with the design pattern, it’s important to note that these beautiful pieces pay the price through no fault of their own. While some may not want to live with a rug that has the symbol, we do hope that all people, across all cultures, can recognize the important and positive roll this design played for thousands of years and throughout so many cultures around the globe well before anyone ever heard of Hitler or is despicable Nazi party.