What was the reason for the Nazi fascination with the Knights Templar? Why have neo-fascists and the Far Right continued to be obsessed with their idea of the Templars? It’s a bizarre association that has little to do with the original knights and plenty to do with much later political and social conditions. But let’s explore!
In the early years of the development of the Nazi party, many of its leading lights had a strong interest in esoteric and occult theories. They blended this with “volkish” racism and anti-Semitism to create an ideology called Ariosophy. Essentially, they were trying to prove that the “Aryan” race – the “master race” – had an origin that was different from the rest of humanity. The Nazis were engaged in a futile attempt to overturn Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, which gave a common origin for all humans.
They co-opted Jesus and the Knights Templar into this origin myth, claiming that Jesus was an Aryan superhero and that the Templars were Aryan warriors. As early as 1900, an Austrian, ex-Cistercian monk – Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels – founded the Ordo Novi Templi (ONT – Order of the New Templars). This was a proto-fascist, neo-Templar organisation that didn’t use a cross as its logo – but a swastika. This was several years before the Nazi party was formed and used the same symbol.
Another Austrian who influenced early Nazi esoteric thought was Guido von List who believed that the Knights Templar had been the guardians of an ancient pagan religion: Armanism. They worshipped Baphomet, which is why they were persecuted to oblivion by the Roman Catholic church. However, they were able to transmit their Armanist teachings to Renaissance philosophers, Rosicrucians, and the Freemasons.
After the Nazis came to power, the leading Nazi – Heinrich Himmler – became a keen sponsor of expeditions to find the Holy Grail and the secrets of the Templars. As head of the SS, he founded a division within the SS – the Ahnenerbe – tasked with promoting esoteric theories, backed up by dubious research. He employed a hapless medievalist, Otto Rahn, to go on a futile Grail quest, which turned up nothing. Rahn ended up dead on an Alpine hillside in suspicious circumstances.
If you would like to know more about the Knights Templar, then get your hands on a copy of my book: The Knights Templar – History & Mystery. Published by Pen & Sword and available on Amazon, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and WHSmith. Don’t miss out on your copy!
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