The swastika is a symbol that was used in the 20th century by of one of the most hated men ever to have lived, a symbol that now represents the slaughter of millions of people and one of the most destructive wars on Earth. But Adolf Hitler was not the first to use this symbol. In fact, swastika origins are far more complex. Before Hitler, it was used as a positive and powerful symbol thousands of years before he ever existed, across many cultures and continents.
A swastika is a symbol found in many cultures, with different meanings, drawn in different styles. (Mennas Dosbin / CC BY-SA 4.0 )
Spiritual Swastika Origins from Around the World
For the Hindus and Buddhists in India and other Asian countries, the swastika was an important symbol for many thousands of years. To this day, the swastika symbol can still be seen in abundance – on temples, buses, taxis, and on the cover of books. It was also used in ancient Greece and Rome, and can be found in the remains of the ancient city of Troy, which existed 4,000 years ago.
The ancient Druids and the Celts also used the swastika symbol, reflected in many artifacts that have been discovered. It was used by Nordic tribes, and even early Christians used the swastika as one of their symbols, including the Teutonic Knights , a German medieval military order, which became a purely religious Catholic Order. But why is this symbol so important and why did Adolf Hitler decide to use it?
Mosaic swastika in excavated Byzantine…
