Victor and Victoria Trimondi are German cultural philosophers and authors of “Hitler-Buddha-Krishna-An Unholy Alliance from the Third Reich to the Present Day” (2002).
In this book they talk about the aproach of Nazi Germany to hinduism and buddhism. To me is a very interesting issue, due to the evident contradiction between compassive methods of buddhism in particular, and the tangible act of mass agression of the nazi’s.
Also because there is not common to see how an extremely pragmatic and scientific oriented minds of an elite(and the german idiosyncrasy) merge with metaphysical, deep philosophical-doctrinal and in last instance even “mystical” aspects of hinduist and buddhist cultures.
The most evident and vastly known example is the use of the Swastika in the Nazi flag as a main icon.
The not so known evidence of this mix and approach is the practice of meditation and Yoga that Heinrich Himmler imposes to his Obergruppenführer’s and officers in Wewelsburg castle in Paderborn. The interest of Himmler to ancient indian castes like Kshatriya, an aristocratic and warrior elite that were habitual visitors of monasteries to spiritual retreats, in a very similar way that templar knight’s did in medieval age. Even got his own “crusade” sending a nazi expedition to Tibet in 1938. The interest in Samurai and Zen doctrine, etc.
The concept of warrior monk it was very impregnated in the mind of Himmler, who saw his “SS wolves” more like an spiritual elite than a mere special operations unit. He believed in Kamma, reincarnation and always were carrying his pocket Bhagavad Gita. He encouraged the curator of the SS-Ahnenerbe, Walther Wüst, to give discourses about buddhism, in the context of the creation of the new “aryan religion”.
Some people has said and theorized that meditation and Yoga were used as a practical tool to “dehumanize” the ones who where in charge of the most emotionally and psychological shocking act of mass killing; Waffen SS in the concentration camps, and the ones in foreign countries destroying complete towns.
I let you an interview to the Trimondi’s where they extend in the matter:
http://downthecrookedpath-meditation-gurus.blogspot.cl/2012/04/tuesday-april-10-2012-1046-am-edt.html?m=1
[Edition after Cara closing the topic:
To Deeele(post N°3);
There are many branches of buddhism, some of them are not extrictly followers of the original path. To my consideration Theravada tradition is the closest to the initial teachings of the Buddha, while “tibetan buddhism” is a mix of Bon, hinduism and buddhism(and even traces of shamanism).
So when I say that there is a contradiction between buddhism and nazism, I am refering to the teachings of Theravada tradition, who NEVER incited to an open war against other sentient beings, nor the extermination of the weakest.
Also, Krishna belong to hinduism, not a buddhist figure. I never say there were a contradiction between hinduism and nazism, actually the original post and the link of the interview let see many similarities.
Finally, it was Himmler rather than Hitler who most interest showed in touching oriental philosophies, religions and doctrines. Adolf even jokes to Heinrich because of his fanatic orientation to Asia instead of being a purely nordic germanic pagan devote.]
