What does the German swastika in the form of a cross mean? What does Hitler's swastika mean?

Yesterday's arrangement brought an indescribable feeling of Unity.
Already in my second arrangement archetypes and sacred symbols are shown.
The swastika symbol is a manifestation of my attitude towards the Great Patriotic War(war is the price of life) and the Indian sacred meaning of the swastika symbol - managed to be combined.
The swastika symbol appeared in the way the 4 deputy figures stood.
The sacred meaning of the arrangement shone through for me through the ordinary phrases and words of the substitutes. And I didn't need words!

Yesterday was the 19th Lunar day.
Symbol of the 19th lunar day- Indian swastika (Zervan), a sign of all manifested and unmanifested worlds.

Light and Darkness, which through their struggle form the existence of the real world.

This symbol has many meanings - not only the sun, but also samsara, the wheel of reincarnation. The four rays symbolize the four elements, as well as the four segments of human life. The first is growth and learning. The second is marriage and raising children. The third is training young people. The fourth is serving God.

The swastika also implies the idea of ​​​​moving in two directions: clockwise and
counterclock-wise. Like "Yin" and "Yang", a dual sign: rotating along
clockwise symbolizes masculine energy, counterclockwise symbolizes feminine energy.

In addition, the swastika has the meaning of royal power.
IN Lately this symbol is completely associated with Ganesha and Lakshmi.

The swastika symbolizes all gods and goddesses, and that all gods have one
source - in this case, a symbol is added to the line of intersection of the lines (cross)
Ohm.
Swastika卐(Sanskrit. svasti, greeting, good luck) - a cross with curved ends (“rotating”), directed either clockwise or counterclockwise. The swastika is one of the most ancient and widespread graphic symbols. For most ancient peoples, it was a symbol of the movement of life, the Sun, light, and prosperity.

Swastika reflects rotational movement with its derivative - progressive and capable of symbolizing philosophical categories.

The word "swastika" is a composite of two Sanskrit roots: su, “good, good” and asti, “life, existence,” that is, “well-being” or “well-being.”

The swastika is considered not only as a solar symbol, but also as a symbol of the fertility of the earth. This is one of the ancient and archaic solar signs - an indicator of the visible movement of the Sun around the Earth and the division of the year into four parts - four seasons. The sign records two solstices: summer and winter - and the annual movement of the Sun. Has an idea four sides Sveta. A symbolic cross-shaped sign consisting of four letters G of the Greek alphabet, interconnected by their bases or four human legs emanating from one, common center.
The swastika in India has traditionally been seen as solar sign- a symbol of life, light, generosity and abundance.

Was made in the shape of a swastika wooden instrument to produce sacred fire. They laid him flat on the ground; the depression in the middle served for a rod, which was rotated until a fire appeared, lit on the altar of the deity.

Also a symbol of esoteric Buddhism. In this aspect it is called the “Seal of the Heart” and, according to legend, was imprinted on the heart of the Buddha.

According to one theory, a special type of swastika symbolizing rising Sun, the victory of Light over Darkness, Eternal life above death, was called Kolovrat ( Old Slavonic shape, letters "wheel rotation"; Old Russian form - kolovorot, which had the meaning “spindle”). In general, one can give many more examples that inextricably link the swastika and Rus'.

To the old ones good times The Russian people got married under the swastika.

Swastika - the sleeve insignia of Kalmyk formations is designated by the word “lyungtn”, that is, the Buddhist “Lungta”, meaning “whirlwind”, “vital energy”.

In pre-Buddhist ancient Indian and some other cultures, the swastika is usually interpreted as a sign of favorable destinies, a symbol of the sun. This symbol is still widely used in India and South Korea, and most weddings, holidays and celebrations are not complete without it.

In Buddhism, the swastika is also one of the sacred symbols - the sacred knowledge and teachings of the Buddha and His heart.

Later it became a symbol of the German Nazis, after they came to power - the state symbol of Germany (depicted on the coat of arms and flag).

In the mind of Hitler himself, it symbolized the “struggle for the triumph of the Aryan race.” This choice combined both the mystical occult meaning of the swastika and the idea of ​​the swastika as an “Aryan” symbol (due to its prevalence in India).

However, strictly speaking, Nazi symbol there was not just any swastika, but a four-pointed one, with the ends directed towards right side, and rotated by 45°. Moreover, it should be in a white circle, which in turn is depicted on a red rectangle.

This is exactly the sign that was on the state banner of National Socialist Germany from 1933 to 1945.

Hitler started the war on the summer solstice.

In Hinduism, there are two ways to depict a swastika - left-handed and right-handed. Both of these symbols are two forms of Brahman, which symbolizes the development of the universe (pravriti) from brahman - clockwise and the folding of the universe (nivriti) into brahman - counterclockwise.
It also has the meaning of the manifestations of Brahman or God in the four cardinal directions - north, south, east, west.

Perhaps nowhere can you find so many symbols with different meanings as in Russia. The Slavic swastika (Vedic symbols) was actively used by the Russians during the construction of cities - it was depicted on the facades of houses, on household utensils and clothing. The swastika was especially often used for women's jewelry. Today, the meaning of swastika symbols remains controversial for many, due to the many negative factors that associate it with Nazi symbols, as well as negative stereotypes. All this happens only due to ignorance of one’s own history, language and elementary concepts about the difference between the swastika and Nazi symbols. Well, let's try to figure it out.

What does a swastika mean?

The very concept of “swastika” came about through the abbreviation of three forms “svasti”, “su” and “asti”, which means - I wish you good luck, good luck and be. As for the meaning, it is a symbol of the sun. Yes, this is exactly the opinion that the Slavs held, as well as Iranians, Buddhists and even some African tribes.

Since 1917, the solar (synonym - swastika) sign was supposed to become a symbol Russian Empire, complementing the double-headed eagle. However, after the Bolsheviks seized power, Russian culture was banned.

Now about the use of the swastika by the Nazis.

In the nineteenth century, Joseph Gobineau created the work “A Study on Inequality human races" It talked about the “Aryans” - representatives of the white race, who were considered as people of the highest level of civilization. A little later, German scientists, conducting research, concluded that the ancient Indians and Germans had common ancestors. As you may have guessed, they were Aryans.

This idea was quickly picked up and spread instantly. Let's talk about the sign itself - a black cross with curved ends. Yes, this particular symbol will forever be associated with all the crimes committed by the Nazis. For European people is a symbol of fear, absolute evil and hatred. However, it is worth knowing that archaeologists have found this sign in the most ancient times. The swastika was found in India, Ancient Greece, among the Celts and Anglo-Saxons. For example, in Kyiv there is kept the oldest Slavic swastika ornament, which was depicted 15 thousand years ago.

Differences between Nazi and Slavic swastikas

The Slavic swastika is a cross, where each end of the beam is still bent at a right angle. All rays are directed in one direction - to the right or left. The main difference between the Nazi and Slavic swastikas is the direction of the rays. For the Third Reich - to the right, for the Slavs - to the left (however, this is not always the case - more details later in the article). One more distinctive feature is the color and shape of the characters.

The lines of the German swastika are much wider than the Slavic ones. Be sure to use a background - a white circle on a red canvas. The Slavic swastika also differs in shape. As a rule, a cross with right angles at the ends is taken as a basis, and there is a very important “but”. Such a cross has not only four arms, but also six or eight. In addition, additional elements appear on the lines, as well as smooth lines. So, for example, our Kolovrat with the Star of Rus' is bright that example. The Kolovrat itself consists of eight rays, and is also complemented by the ornament of the Lada Star symbol. The Slavs depicted solar signs mainly on a white background, and the symbol itself was red, which is the personification of the sun.

We talked about obvious - external differences, but there are other factors: the time the sign appeared and its meaning. Many popular science publications were published in last years on the topic of the use of swastika symbols among the Slavs, as well as the destruction of ossified myths. Therefore, if you are really interested in this topic, we recommend that you read the book “Yarga-swastika - a sign of the Russian folk culture"Professor P.I. Kutenkov. He leads little known facts and interesting research.

The swastika can be used as a separate sign or as part of some more intricate symbol.

Swastika is good

The Slavic swastika has the meaning of wisdom, preservation of the hearth, self-improvement and spiritual development, as well as the protection of the gods. As you can see, there are no evil intentions; on the contrary, the meaning is noble and spiritually sublime. The Russian swastika was aimed solely at protecting people.

Fact from history:The man who suggested that Adolf Hitler use the swastika as a symbol suggested a cross that faced left, but he insisted on right-handed.

The meaning of the fascist swastika is radically opposite to the Slavic one. The cross symbolized the victory of the Aryan race and the extermination of other nations. Here we can use the Holocaust as an example.

Now, having learned the basic facts, we can conclude that the swastika of the Nazis and the Slavs has enormous differences. This applies to both external factors, and internal content. The Slavs carried good, bright, high things in their ornaments, while the Nazis carried death. Therefore, when considering our signs, forget about fascism and associate these signs exclusively with bright side.

Slavic swastika, its types and meaning

There are 144 in total solar symbol and many modified ones.

As for the main amulet symbols, there are only 40 of them. Let us give a few examples. If you want to get more detailed information, then we recommend that you go to the main page of the amulet.

Swastika - photo

The wedding party is the main family talisman, uniting two Clans.

A symbol of sacred fire, which bestows the protection of higher powers.

Or Perunov's color - has healing powers, helps to reveal spiritual powers.

What is a swastika? Many will answer without hesitation - the fascists used the swastika symbol. Someone will say - this is an ancient Slavic amulet, and both will be right and wrong at the same time. How many legends and myths are there around this sign? They say that on the very shield that Prophetic Oleg A swastika was nailed to the doors of Constantinople.

What is a swastika?

The swastika is ancient symbol, which appeared before our era and has rich history. Many nations dispute each other's right to invent it. Images of swastikas were found in China and India. This is a very significant symbol. What does the swastika mean - creation, sun, prosperity. The translation of the word “swastika” from Sanskrit means a wish for good and good luck.

Swastika - origin of the symbol

The swastika symbol is a solar sign. The main meaning is movement. The earth moves around the sun, the four seasons constantly replace each other - it is easy to see that the main meaning of the symbol is not just movement, but the eternal movement of the universe. Some researchers declare the swastika to be a reflection of the eternal rotation of the galaxy. The swastika is a symbol of the sun, all ancient peoples have references to it: at excavations of Inca settlements, fabrics with the image of a swastika were found, it is on ancient Greek coins, even on the stone idols of Easter Island there are swastika signs.

The original drawing of the sun is a circle. Then, noticing the four-part picture of existence, people began to draw a cross with four rays to the circle. However, the picture turned out to be static - and the universe is eternally in dynamics, and then the ends of the rays bent - the cross turned out to be moving. These rays also symbolize four days of the year that were significant for our ancestors - the days of the summer/winter solstice, the spring and autumn equinox. These days determine the astronomical change of seasons and served as signs when to engage in farming, construction and other important matters for society.

Swastika left and right

We see how comprehensive this sign is. It is very difficult to explain in monosyllables what a swastika means. It is multifaceted and multi-valued, it is a sign of the fundamental principle of existence with all its manifestations, and among other things, the swastika is dynamic. It can rotate both right and left. Many people confuse and consider the direction where the ends of the rays point to be the side of rotation. It is not right. The side of rotation is determined by the bending angles. Let's compare it with a human leg - the movement is directed where the bent knee is directed, and not the heel at all.

Left-handed swastika

There is a theory that says that clockwise rotation is the correct swastika, and counterclockwise is a bad, dark swastika, the opposite. However, this would be too banal - right and left, black and white. In nature, everything is justified - day gives way to night, summer - winter, there is no division into good and bad - everything that exists is needed for something. So it is with the swastika - there is no good or bad, there is left-handed and right-handed.

Left-handed swastika - rotates counterclockwise. This is the meaning of cleansing, restoration. Sometimes it is called the sign of destruction - in order to build something light, you need to destroy the old and dark. The swastika could be worn in a left rotation; it was called the “Heavenly Cross” and was a symbol of clan unity, an offering to the one who wears it, the help of all the ancestors of the clan and protection heavenly powers. The left-sided swastika was considered a collective sign of the autumn sun.

Right-hand swastika

The right-hand swastika rotates clockwise and denotes the beginning of all things - birth, development. This is a symbol spring sun- creative energy. He was also called Novorodnik or Solar cross. It symbolized the power of the sun and the prosperity of the family. The sun sign and the swastika in this case are equal. It was believed that it gave the greatest power to priests. The prophetic Oleg, who was talked about at the beginning, had the right to wear this sign on his shield, since he was in charge, that is, he knew Ancient Wisdom. From these beliefs came theories proving the ancient Slavic origin of the swastika.

Slavic swastika

The left-sided and right-sided swastika of the Slavs is called – and Posolon. The swastika fills the Kolovrat with light, protects from darkness, Salting gives hard work and spiritual perseverance, the sign serves as a reminder that man was created for development. These names are just two of the large group Slavic swastika signs. What they had in common were crosses with curved arms. There could be six or eight rays, they were bent both to the right and to the left, each sign had its own name and was responsible for a specific security function. The Slavs had 144 main swastika symbols. In addition to the above, the Slavs had:

• Solstice;
• England;
• Svarozhich;
• Wedding Party;
• Perunov light;
• Heavenly boar and many other types of variations based on the solar elements of the swastika.

Swastika of the Slavs and the Nazis - differences

Unlike the fascist, the Slavs did not have strict canons in the image of this sign. There could be any number of rays, they could be broken at different angles, they could also be rounded. The symbol of the swastika among the Slavs is a greeting, a wish for good luck, while at the Nazi congress in 1923, Hitler convinced supporters that the swastika meant the fight against Jews and communists for the purity of blood and the superiority of the Aryan race. The fascist swastika has its own strict requirements. This and only this image - German swastika:

1. The ends of the cross should be bent to the right;
2. All lines intersect strictly at an angle of 90°;
3. The cross must be in a white circle on a red background.
4. The correct word to say is not “swastika”, but Hakkenkreyz

Swastika in Christianity

In early Christianity, they often resorted to the image of the swastika. It was called the “gamma cross” because of its similarity with the Greek letter gamma. The swastika was used to disguise the cross during the times of persecution of Christians - Catacomb Christianity. The swastika or Gammadion was the main emblem of Christ until the end of the Middle Ages. Some experts draw a direct parallel between the Christian and swastika crosses, calling the latter a “whirling cross.”

The swastika was actively used in Orthodoxy before the revolution: as part of the ornament of priestly vestments, in icon painting, in frescoes that painted the walls of churches. However, there is also the exact opposite opinion - the gammadion is a broken cross, a pagan symbol that has nothing to do with Orthodoxy.

Swastika in Buddhism

The swastika can be encountered wherever there are traces of Buddhist culture; it is the footprint of Buddha. The Buddhist swastika, or “manji,” denotes the versatility of the world order. The vertical line is opposed to the horizontal one, like the relationship between heaven and earth and the relationship between male and female. Turning the rays in one direction emphasizes the desire for kindness, gentleness, and in the opposite direction - for hardness and strength. This gives an understanding of the impossibility of the existence of force without compassion, and compassion without force, the denial of any one-sidedness as a violation of world harmony.

Indian swastika

The swastika is no less common in India. There are left- and right-handed swastikas. Rotation clockwise symbolizes the male energy “yin”, counter-clockwise - the female energy “yang”. Sometimes this sign denotes all the gods and goddesses in Hinduism, then, at the line of intersection of the rays, the sign “om” is added - a symbol of the fact that all gods have a common beginning.

1. Right rotation: denotes the sun, its movement from east to west - the development of the universe.
2. Left rotation represents the goddess Kali, magic, night - the folding of the universe.

Is the swastika prohibited?

The swastika was banned by the Nuremberg Tribunal. Ignorance has given rise to a lot of myths, for example, that the swastika stands for four connected letters “G” - Hitler, Himmler, Goering, Goebbels. However, this version turned out to be completely untenable. Hitler, Himmler, Göring, Goebbels - not a single surname begins with this letter. There are known cases when the most valuable specimens containing images of swastikas in embroidery, on jewelry, ancient Slavic and early Christian amulets were confiscated and destroyed from museums.

In many European countries there are laws that prohibit fascist symbols, however, the principle of freedom of speech is practically undeniable. Each case of the use of Nazi symbols or swastikas looks like a separate trial.

1. In 2015, Roskomnazor allowed the use of swastika images without propaganda purposes.
2. Germany has strict legislation regulating the depiction of swastikas. There are several court decisions banning or allowing images.
3. France has passed a law banning the public display of Nazi symbols.

The swastika is the oldest and most common graphic sign in the world. The cross with its ends facing down decorated the facades of houses, coats of arms, weapons, jewelry, money and household items. The first mention of the swastika dates back to the eighth millennium BC.

This sign has a lot of meanings. Ancient peoples considered it a symbol of happiness, love, sun and life. Everything changed in the 20th century, when the swastika became a symbol of Hitler's rule and Nazism. Since then, people have forgotten about the primitive meaning, and only know what Hitler’s swastika means.

The swastika as an emblem of the fascist and Nazi movement

Even before the Nazis appeared on the German political scene, the swastika was used by paramilitary organizations as a symbol of nationalism. This badge was mainly worn by the soldiers of G. Erhardt’s detachment.

Hitler, as he himself wrote in a book called My Struggle, claimed that he intended the swastika to symbolize the superiority of the Aryan race. Already in 1923, at the Nazi congress, Hitler convinced his fellows that the black swastika on a white and red background symbolized the fight against Jews and communists. Everyone began to gradually forget its true meaning, and starting from 1933, people associated the swastika exclusively with Nazism.

It is also worth considering that not every swastika is the personification of Nazism. The lines should intersect at an angle of 90 degrees, and the edges should be bent to the right. The cross must be placed against the background of a white circle surrounded by a red background.

After the end of World War II, in 1946, the Nuremberg Tribunal equated the distribution of swastikas with a criminal offense. The swastika has become prohibited, as stated in paragraph 86a of the German criminal code.

As for the attitude of Russians towards the swastika, Roskomnadzor lifted the punishment for its distribution without propaganda purposes only on April 15, 2015. Now you know what Hitler's swastika means.

Various scientists put forward hypotheses related to the fact that the swastika means flowing water, female gender, fire, air, moon and worship of the gods. This sign also acted as a symbol of fertile land.

Left-handed or right-handed swastika?

Some scientists believe that it makes no difference which way the curves of the cross are directed, but there are also experts who have a different point of view. You can determine the direction of the swastika both at the edges and at the corners. And if two crosses are drawn next to each other, the ends of which are directed in different directions, it can be argued that this “set” personifies a man and a woman.

If speak about Slavic culture, then one swastika means movement with the sun, and the other - against it. In the first case, happiness is meant, in the other, unhappiness.

On the territory of Russia, swastikas have been repeatedly found in various designs (three, four and eight rays). It is assumed that this symbolism belongs to the Indo-Iranian tribes. A similar swastika was also found on the territory of such modern countries as Dagestan, Georgia, Chechnya... In Chechnya, the swastika is emblazoned on many historical monuments, at the entrance to the crypts. There she was considered a symbol of the Sun.

Another interesting fact is that the swastika that we are used to seeing was the favorite symbol of Empress Catherine. She drew it everywhere she lived.

When the revolution began, the swastika became popular among artists, but the People's Commissar quickly banished it, since this symbolism had already become a symbol of the fascist movement, which had just begun to exist.

Difference between fascist and Slavic swastikas

The most significant difference between the Slavic swastika and the German one is the direction of its rotation. For the Nazis it goes clockwise, and for the Slavs it goes against it. In fact, these are not all the differences.

The Aryan swastika differs from the Slavic one in the thickness of its lines and background. Number of ends Slavic cross maybe four or eight.

It is very difficult to name the exact time of the appearance of the Slavic swastika, but it was first discovered at the settlement sites of the ancient Scythians. Markings on the walls date back to the fourth millennium BC. The swastika had different designs, but similar outlines. In most cases it meant the following:

1. Worship of the gods.
2. Self-development.
3. Unity.
4. Home comfort.
5. Wisdom.
6. Fire.

From this we can conclude that Slavic swastika denoted highly spiritual, noble and positive things.

The German swastika appeared in the early 20s of the last century. It means completely opposite things compared to Slavic. The German swastika, according to one theory, symbolizes the purity of Aryan blood, because Hitler himself said that this symbolism is dedicated to the victory of the Aryans over all other races.

The fascist swastika adorned the captured buildings, uniforms and belt buckles, and the flag of the Third Reich.

To summarize, we can conclude that fascist swastika made people forget that it also has positive interpretation. All over the world it is associated precisely with the fascists, but not with the sun, ancient gods and wisdom... Museums that have in their collections ancient tools, vases and other antiquities decorated with swastikas are forced to remove them from exhibitions, because people do not understand the meaning of this symbol. And this, in fact, is very sad... No one remembers that the swastika was once a symbol of the humane, bright and beautiful. Unknowing people who hear the word “swastika” immediately remember the image of Hitler, pictures of war and terrible concentration camps. Now you know what the Hitler sign means in ancient symbolism.

Urban legend Soviet pioneers said that the swastika is four letters G gathered in a circle: Hitler, Goebbels, Goering, Himmler. The children didn’t think about what German G’s actually are different letters- H and G. Although the number of leading Nazis in G really went off scale - you can also remember Grohe, and Hess, and many others. But it's better not to remember.

The German Nazis used this sign even before Hitler came to power. And why they showed such interest in the swastika is not at all surprising: for them it was an object of mystical power that came from India, from the original Aryan territories. Well, it also looked beautiful, and the leaders of the national socialist movement always attached great importance to issues of aesthetics.

Statue of an Indian elephant with a swastika on the site of the old Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen. The statue has nothing to do with Nazism: pay attention to the dots near the center

If we consider the swastika not as part of patterns and designs, but as independent object, then its first appearance dates back to approximately the 6th-5th centuries BC. It can be seen on objects found in excavations in the Middle East. Why is it customary to call India the birthplace of the swastika? Because the word “swastika” itself is taken from Sanskrit (a literary ancient Indian language), means “well-being”, and purely graphically (according to the most common theory) symbolizes the Sun. Four-pointedness is far from necessary for it; there is also a great variety of angles of rotation, inclination of rays and additional patterns. In classical Hindu form, she is usually depicted as in the picture below.

There are many interpretations of which direction the swastika should rotate. There is even discussion of dividing them into female and male, depending on the direction

Due to the high popularity of the Sun among people of all races, it is logical that the swastika is an element of symbolism, writing and graphics among hundreds and hundreds of ancient peoples scattered throughout the planet. Even in Christianity it has found its place, and there is an opinion that the Christian cross is its direct descendant. Family traits are really easy to discern. In our dear Orthodoxy, swastika-like elements were called “gammatic cross” and were often used in the design of temples. True, now it is not so easy to detect their traces in Russia, since after the start of the Great Patriotic War even harmless Orthodox swastikas were eliminated.

Orthodox gamma cross

The swastika is such a widespread object of world culture and religion that what is rather surprising is the rarity of its appearance in modern world. Logically, she should follow us everywhere. The answer is really simple: after the collapse of the Third Reich, it began to evoke such unpleasant associations that they got rid of it with unprecedented zeal. This is amusingly reminiscent of the story of the name Adolf, which was extremely popular in Germany at all times, but almost disappeared from use after 1945.

Craftsmen have gotten used to finding swastikas in the most unexpected places. With the advent of space images of the Earth in the public domain, the search for natural and architectural incidents has turned into a kind of sport. The most popular site for conspiracy theorists and swastikophiles is the naval base building in San Diego, California, designed in 1967.

The US Navy spent $600 thousand to somehow rid this building of its resemblance to a swastika, but the final result is disappointing

The Russian Internet and some station stalls are filled with all sorts of interpreters of Slavic pagan swastikas, where they meticulously explain in pictures what “yarovrat”, “svitovit” or “posolon” ​​means. It sounds and looks exciting, but keep in mind that there is no trace of any scientific basis behind these myths. Even the term “Kolovrat”, which has come into use, supposedly Slavic name swastikas are the product of speculation and myth-making.

A beautiful example of rich Slavophile fantasy. Pay special attention to the name of the first swastika on the second page

Outlandish mystical powers attributed to the swastika, hence the interest in it from people who are suspicious, superstitious or prone to the occult. Does it bring happiness to the wearer? Think about it: Hitler used it both in the tail and in the mane, but it ended so badly that you wouldn’t wish it on your enemy.

Empress Alexandra Feodorovna was a big fan of swastikas. She drew the symbol everywhere she could reach with pencils and paints, especially in her children’s rooms, so that they would grow up healthy and not worry about anything. But the empress was shot by the Bolsheviks along with her entire family. The conclusions are obvious.