At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were a myriad of racial theories circulating throughout Europe, all of which had their antecedents in the nineteenth century. A common link for these theories was an innate anti-Semitism... more
At the beginning of the twentieth century, there were a myriad of racial theories circulating throughout Europe, all of which had their antecedents in the nineteenth century. A common link for these theories was an innate anti-Semitism that kept the Jewish “race” separate and denigrated. Within occult circles in Germany and Austria, Theosophical theories of race and human evolution were intermingled with Pan Germanic nationalism, anti-Semitism and nostalgic appeals to a Germanic heritage prior to Christianity. This potent cocktail of ideas were consumed heavily by various groups such as the German Order, the Thule Society, and promoted by Ariosophists such as Guido von List (1848-1919) and Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels (1874-1954). Together, these individuals and organizations laid the foundation for a variety of ideas that informed Nazi race theory and contributed to the Nazi Holocaust, claiming the lives of over 20 million. While there are no direct links, most, if not all of these individuals and organizations found inspiration and validation within the work of the Theosophical Society and in particular the materials of Madame Blavatsky.
