Adolf Hitler, the architect of World War II, was a figure shrouded in paradox. While his military might, spearheaded by formidable tanks and swift aircraft, was undeniable, a lesser-known aspect of his conviction lay in the shadowy realms of astrology and occult beliefs. Even as defeat loomed with the Soviet army advancing on Berlin, Hitler clung to the idea of a miraculous turnaround, a hidden force that would grant him ultimate victory. This deep-seated faith in the supernatural profoundly influenced his decisions, leading him to ignite a conflict that reshaped the world.
The Early Fascination with the Mystical
Hitler’s interest in the occult began in his youth. By 1909, he had fallen under the spell of Dr. Jörg Lanz von Liebenfels, a former monk who had renounced Christianity to establish his own mystical doctrine, teaching magic and astrology from a castle on the Danube.
A pivotal moment arrived in the summer of 1912 when Dr. Walter Stein, an expert in Byzantine and medieval art, purchased a 13th-century astrological book. This ancient text spoke of the Holy Grail, the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper, and the Holy Lance, both objects of intense medieval questing during the Crusades. Intriguingly, Dr. Stein discovered penciled notes in the margins of the book, discussing racial superiority, astrology, and the supernatural power of those descended from German knights and crusaders. Upon inquiring about the book’s previous owner, Dr. Stein was astonished to learn it was a young Adolf Hitler.
The Allure of the Holy Lance
Hitler’s extensive knowledge of ancient myths and his unwavering belief in the magical power of the Holy Lance deeply impressed Dr. Stein. Hitler spoke of seeing the Lance, housed in the Hofburg Museum, and recounted the legend: a Roman soldier, having pierced Christ with the Lance, dreamt he was piercing God himself, imbuing the relic with immense magical power. While two other lances of similar description exist in the Vatican and a Paris museum, Hitler was captivated by the Habsburg Lance in Vienna, believed to have been found by Crusaders in Antioch.
Legends surrounding this particular Lance were potent. Emperor Charlemagne was said to have carried it through 47 victorious military campaigns, only to die immediately after losing it. Later, it passed to King Henry the Fowler of Saxony, who drove the Poles from eastern Germany, and then to Frederick Barbarossa in the 12th century, who conquered Italian forces and even exiled the Pope.
Describing his first encounter with the Lance in the Vienna museum, Hitler told Dr. Stein, “I realized there was a secret power around it. I felt that a great destiny awaited me, and I was convinced that the blood flowing in my veins would one day become an inspiring popular spirit for my people.”
The Swastika and Deepening Beliefs
For 25 years, the Lance remained in the museum, and during this period, Hitler’s belief in magic and the hidden deepened significantly. More than a decade later, Hitler emerged as the charismatic leader of the Nazi movement, adopting the swastika as its symbol. This ancient symbol, representing the sun or good luck in Hinduism, or Thor’s hammer in Viking mythology, was reinterpreted. In the late 19th century, German religious leader Guido von List, an atheist who led his followers to worship ancient gods, also used it. Finally, Hitler embraced it as a powerful counter-symbol to the communist hammer and sickle.
By the early 1930s, Hitler’s mystical beliefs astonished many of his aides. In October 1933, while laying the cornerstone for the German Art Museum in Munich, the silver hammer he was using broke. Hitler was reportedly terrified, telling his Minister of War, Albert Speer, that it was a bad omen and predicted an impending “evil force” strike. This dread persisted for three months until the architect of the museum died. Hitler then declared, “The curse is gone; the engineer was the intended target, not me.”
Hermann Rauschning, a close friend of the Führer, wrote of Hitler during this period: “He wakes up at night screaming and pleading. He is terrified and trembles, uttering incomprehensible phrases, seemingly on the verge of choking.”
The Occult and the War Machine
Hitler’s overt fears seemingly vanished on March 14, 1938, when he, as Chancellor of Germany, declared to a massive crowd in Vienna his intention to annex Austria into the Nazi Empire. Immediately after his speech, his soldiers entered the museum, transferring all Habsburg relics, including the Holy Lance, to St. Catherine’s Church in Nuremberg, considered the spiritual heart of the Nazi movement. With the Holy Lance in his possession, Hitler declared war on Europe the following year.
For the first four years of the war, many were convinced Hitler possessed supernatural power as he moved from one victory to another. The Führer even established an Astrology Office in Berlin to assist with war management, employing astrologers and psychologists. German generals began awaiting consultations from the Astrology Office before implementing or canceling their plans. Hitler’s naval astrology consultant, engineer Ludwig Straniak, even directed fleet movements in the Atlantic, claiming to know enemy ship locations through “psychic vibrations” and placing his staff on maps in the correct spots.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was aware of Hitler’s belief in astrology. He enlisted the help of astrologer Walter Stein, who had fled Nazi Germany, to establish an astrology department aimed at anticipating Hitler’s thoughts to counter or thwart his plans.
The Final Days and the Legacy of Obsession
In October 1944, as Nuremberg came under Allied bombardment, Hitler ordered the relocation of St. Catherine’s Church’s possessions, including the Holy Lance, to a specially constructed vault. In the spring of 1945, with the fall of the Third Reich imminent, Hitler continued to predict a miraculous turnaround.
When Germany fell to the Allies in April 1945, a wounded captured officer claimed Hitler had sacrificed thousands of his men to ensure the Allies would not seize the Holy Lance, which American forces eventually reached in the fortified vault. On that same day, Hitler took his own life. Today, the Holy Lance remains among the possessions of the United States government.
Hitler’s story is a chilling reminder of how deeply rooted beliefs, even those considered irrational, can profoundly shape the course of history and the lives of millions. His reliance on ancient mysticism and astrological prophecy, alongside his military might, paints a complex picture of a leader convinced he was guided by unseen forces towards a destiny of global domination.
