Today, many people, having heard the word "swastika", immediately imagine Adolf Hitler, concentration camps and the horrors of the Second World War. But, in fact, this symbol appeared before the new era and has a very rich history. It also received wide distribution in Slavic culture, where there were many of its modifications. A synonym for the word "swastika" was the concept of "solar", that is, sunny. Were there any differences in the swastika of the Slavs and the Nazis? And if so, what were they expressed in?
First, let's recall what a swastika looks like. This is a cross, each of the four ends of which is bent at a right angle. Moreover, all corners are directed in one direction: to the right or to the left. Looking at such a sign, a feeling of its rotation is created. There are opinions that the main difference between the Slavic and fascist swastikas lies in the direction of this very rotation. For the Germans, this is right-hand traffic (clockwise), and for our ancestors it is left-hand (counterclockwise). But this is not all that distinguishes the swastika of the Aryans and Aryans.
External differences
Also an important distinguishing feature is the constancy of color and shape of the sign of the Fuhrer's army. The lines of their swastika are quite wide, absolutely straight, black. The underlying background is a white circle on a red canvas.
But what about the Slavic swastika? First, as already mentioned, there are many swastika signs that differ in shape. The basis of each symbol, of course, is a cross with right angles at the ends. But the cross may not have four ends, but six or even eight. Additional elements may appear on its lines, including smooth, rounded lines.
Secondly, the color of the swastika signs. There is also diversity here, but not so pronounced. The predominant symbol is red on a white background. The red color was not chosen by chance. After all, he was the personification of the sun among the Slavs. But there are also blue and yellow colors on some of the signs. Thirdly, the direction of movement. Earlier it was said that among the Slavs it is the opposite of fascist. However, this is not quite true. We meet both right-handed swastikas among the Slavs, and left-handed ones.
We have considered only the external distinctive attributes of the swastika of the Slavs and the swastika of the Nazis. But much more important facts are the following:
- Approximate time of sign appearance.
- The value given to it.
- Where and under what conditions was this symbol used.
Let's start with the Slavic swastika
It is difficult to name the time when it appeared among the Slavs. But, for example, among the Scythians, it was recorded in the fourth millennium BC. And since a little later the Slavs began to stand out from the Indo-European community, then, for sure, they were already used by them at that time (the third or second millennium BC). Moreover, among the Proto-Slavs they were fundamental ornaments.
Swastika signs abounded in the everyday life of the Slavs. And therefore it is impossible to attribute the same meaning to all of them. In fact, each symbol was individual and carried its own semantic load. By the way, the swastika could be either an independent sign or be part of more complex ones (moreover, most often it was located in the center). Here are the main meanings of the Slavic swastika (solar symbols):
- Sacred and Sacrificial fire.
- Ancient wisdom.
- Unity of the Genus.
- Spiritual development, self-improvement.
- The patronage of the gods in wisdom and justice.
- In the sign of Valkykria, it is a talisman of wisdom, honor, nobility, justice.
That is, in general, we can say that the meaning of the swastika was somehow sublime, spiritually high, noble.
Archaeological excavations have given us a lot of valuable information. It turned out that in ancient times the Slavs put similar signs on their weapons, embroidered on a suit (clothes) and textile accessories (towels, towels), carved on elements of their homes, household items (dishes, spinning wheels and other wooden devices). They did all this mainly for the purpose of protection, in order to protect themselves and their home from evil forces, from grief, from fire, from the evil eye. After all, the ancient Slavs were very superstitious in this regard. And with such protection, they felt much more secure and confident. Even mounds and settlements of the ancient Slavs could have a swastika shape. At the same time, the ends of the cross symbolized a certain direction of the world.
Nazi swastika
- Adolf Hitler himself adopted this sign as a symbol of the National Socialist movement. But, we know that he did not come up with it. In general, the swastika was used by other nationalist groups in Germany even before the emergence of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. Therefore, we take the time of appearance for the beginning of the twentieth century.
An interesting fact: the person who suggested to Hitler to take the swastika as a symbol initially presented a left-sided cross. But the Fuhrer insisted on replacing it with a right-hand one.
- The meaning of the swastika among the Nazis is diametrically opposed to that of the Slavs. According to one version, it meant the purity of German blood. Hitler himself said that the black cross itself symbolizes the struggle for the victory of the Aryan race, creative work. In general, the Fuhrer considered the swastika an ancient anti-Semitic sign. In his book, he writes that the white circle is the national idea, the red rectangle is the social idea of the Nazi movement.
- And where was the fascist swastika used? First, on the legendary flag of the Third Reich. Secondly, the military had it on the belt buckles, as a patch on the sleeve. Thirdly, the swastika "decorated" official buildings, occupied territories. In general, it could be on any attributes of the Nazis, but these were the most common.
So in this way, the swastika of the Slavs and the swastika of the Nazis has tremendous differences. This is expressed not only in external features, but also in semantic ones. If among the Slavs this sign personified something good, noble, high, then among the Nazis it was a truly Nazi sign. Therefore, you should not, having heard something about the swastika, immediately think about fascism. After all, the Slavic swastika was lighter, more humane, more beautiful.
The swastika and the six-pointed star are stolen Slavic symbols.
Swastika(Skt. स्वस्तिक from Skt. स्वस्ति, svasti, greeting, good luck) - a cross with curved ends ("rotating"), directed either clockwise (this is the movement of the earth around the sun), or counterclockwise.
(Old Ind. svastika, from su, lit. "associated with good"), one of the most archaic symbols, already found in the images of the Upper Paleolithic, in the ornament of many peoples in different parts of the world.
The swastika is one of the most ancient and widespread graphic symbols. "The symbol of the swastika crystallizes from the rhombo-meander ornament, which first appeared in the Upper Paleolithic, and then inherited by almost all peoples of the world." The oldest archaeological finds depicting a swastika date back to approximately 25-23 millennium BC (Mezin, Kostenki, Russia).
The swastika was used by many peoples of the world - it was present on weapons, everyday items, clothes, banners and coats of arms, and was used in the design of churches and houses.
The swastika as a symbol has many meanings, in most nations they are positive. The swastika among most ancient peoples was a symbol of the movement of life, the Sun, light, prosperity.
Celtic Kermaria Stone, 4th century BC
The swastika reflects the main type of movement in the Universe - rotational with its derivative - translational and is able to symbolize philosophical categories.
In the 20th century, the swastika (German Hakenkreuz) became famous as a symbol of Nazism and Nazi Germany, and in Western culture it is steadily associated with the Nazi regime and ideology.
History and meaning
The word "swastika" is a compound of two Sanskrit roots: सु, su, "good, good" and अस्ति, asti, "life, existence", that is, "well-being" or "well-being". There is another name for the swastika - "gammadion" (Greek γαμμάδιον), consisting of four Greek letters "gamma". The swastika is considered not only as a solar symbol, but also as a symbol of the fertility of the earth. This is one of the ancient and archaic solar signs - an indicator of the apparent movement of the Sun around the Earth and the division of the year into four parts - four seasons. The sign fixes two solstices: summer and winter - and the annual movement of the Sun. Has the idea of four cardinal points, centered around an axis. The swastika also suggests the idea of movement in two directions: clockwise and counterclockwise. Like "Yin" and "Yang", a dual sign: rotating clockwise symbolizes male energy, counterclockwise - female. In ancient Indian scriptures, male and female swastikas are distinguished, which depicts two female, as well as two male deities.
White glazed netted orch, Yi Dynasty
The swastika personifies a moral characteristic: movement along the sun is good, against the sun is evil. (()) In the symbolism of auspiciousness, the sign is depicted in the form of a cross with the ends bent at an angle or oval (in the clockwise direction), which means “screwing” the energies , holding the flow of physical forces in order to control the lower forces. The right-handed swastika is perceived as a sign of dominance over matter and energy management (as in yoga: holding the body immobile, “screwing up” the lower energies makes it possible for the higher forces of energies to manifest themselves). The left-handed swastika, on the contrary, means the unwinding of physical and instinctive forces and the creation of an obstacle to the passage of higher forces; the direction of movement favors the mechanical, earthly side, the exclusive striving for power in matter. The counterclockwise swastika is also seen as a symbol of black magic and negative energies. As a solar sign, the swastika serves as an emblem of life and light. It is perceived as an incomplete zodiac circle or as a wheel of life. Sometimes the swastika is identified with another solar sign - a cross in a circle, where the cross is a sign of the daily movement of the Sun. As a symbol of the Sun, an archaic coiled swastika with a symbol of a ram is known. A symbol of rotation, continuous movement, expressing the invariance of the solar cycle, or the rotation of the Earth around its axis. A rotating cross, the blades at the ends of which represent the movement of light. The swastika contains the idea of eternal overcoming of the inertia of the square by the wheel of rotation.
The swastika is found in the culture of the peoples of many countries of the world: in the symbols of Ancient Egypt, in Iran, in Russia, in the ornaments of different communities. One of the oldest forms of the swastika is Asia Minor and is an ideogram of the four cardinal points in the form of a figure with four cross-shaped curls. Back in the 7th century BC, images similar to the swastika were known in Asia Minor, consisting of four cross-shaped scrolls - rounded ends are signs of cyclic movement. There are interesting coincidences in the image of Indian and Asia Minor swastikas (dots between the branches of the swastika, jagged thickenings at the ends). Other early forms of the swastika - a square with four plant-like roundings along the edges - are a sign of the earth, also of Asia Minor origin. The swastika was understood as a symbol of the four main forces, the four cardinal points, the elements, the seasons and the alchemical idea of the transformation of the elements.
In the cultures of countries
The swastika is one of the most archaic sacred symbols, already found in the Upper Paleolithic among many peoples of the world. India, ancient Rus', China, Ancient Egypt, the Mayan state in Central America - this is the incomplete geography of this symbol. Swastika symbols denoted calendar signs back in the days of the Scythian kingdom. The swastika can be seen on old Orthodox icons. The swastika is a symbol of the Sun, good luck, happiness, creation (the “correct” swastika). And, accordingly, the swastika of the opposite direction symbolizes darkness, destruction, the “night Sun” among the ancient Russians. As can be seen from ancient ornaments, in particular, on jugs found in the vicinity of Arkaim, both swastikas were used. This has deep meaning. Day replaces night, light replaces darkness, new birth replaces death - and this is the natural order of things in the Universe. Therefore, in ancient times there were no "bad" and "good" swastikas - they were perceived in unity.
The first swastika drawings appeared at an early stage in the formation of the symbols of the Near East Neolithic cultures. Swastika-like figure 7 thousand BC from Asia Minor consists of four cruciform scrolls, i.e. signs of vegetation, and, obviously, is one of the variants of the ideogram of the concept of "four cardinal points". The memory that the swastika once symbolized the four cardinal directions is recorded in medieval Muslim manuscripts, and has also survived to our time among the American Indians. Another swastika-like figure, belonging to the early stage of the Asia Minor Neolithic, consists of the sign of the Earth (a square with a dot) and four plant-like appendages adjoining it. In such compositions, one should, apparently, see the origin of the swastika - in particular, its variant with rounded ends. The latter is confirmed, for example, by the ancient Cretan swastika, combined with four plant elements.
This symbol was found on clay vessels from Samarra (the territory of modern Iraq), which date back to the 5th millennium BC. The swastika in the left-handed and right-handed form is found in the pre-Aryan culture of Mohenjo-Daro (Indus River basin) and ancient China around 2000 BC. In Northeast Africa, archaeologists have found a burial stele of the kingdom of Meroz, which existed in the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. The fresco on the stele depicts a woman entering the afterlife, and a swastika also flaunts on the clothes of the deceased. The rotating cross also adorns the golden weights for scales that belonged to the inhabitants of Ashanta (Ghana), and the clay utensils of the ancient Indians, and the carpets of the Persians. The swastika was on almost all amulets among the Slavs, Germans, Pomors, Skalvians, Curonians, Scythians, Sarmatians, Mordovians, Udmurts, Bashkirs, Chuvashs and many other peoples. In many religions, the swastika is an important religious symbol.
Ancient Greek Funerary Vessel, circa 750 B.C. BC.
Details of an ancient Greek burial vessel
The swastika in India has traditionally been seen as a solar sign - a symbol of life, light, generosity and abundance. It was closely associated with the cult of the god Agni. She is mentioned in the Ramayana. In the form of a swastika, a wooden tool was made to produce the sacred fire. They laid him flat on the ground; the recess in the middle served for the rod, which was rotated until the appearance of fire, kindled on the altar of the deity. It was carved in many temples, on the rocks, on the ancient monuments of India. Also a symbol of esoteric Buddhism. In this aspect, it is called the "Seal of the Heart" and, according to legend, was imprinted on the heart of the Buddha. Her image is placed on the hearts of the initiates after their death. Known as the Buddhist cross (it resembles a Maltese cross in shape). The swastika is found everywhere where there are traces of Buddhist culture - on rocks, in temples, stupas and on Buddha statues. Together with Buddhism, it penetrated from India to China, Tibet, Siam and Japan.
Torso of a female sculpture, 6th century BC
In China, the swastika is used as a sign of all the deities worshiped in the Lotus School, as well as in Tibet and Siam. In ancient Chinese manuscripts, it included such concepts as "region", "country". Known in the form of a swastika are two curved mutually truncated fragments of a double helix, expressing the symbolism of the relationship between "Yin" and "Yang". In maritime civilizations, the double helix motif was an expression of the relationship between opposites, a sign of the Upper and Lower Waters, and also meant the process of becoming life. Widely used by Jains and followers of Vishnu. In Jainism, the four arms of the swastika represent the four levels of existence.
Swastika in India
On one of the Buddhist swastikas, each blade of the cross ends in a triangle indicating the direction of movement and crowned with an arch of a flawed moon, in which, like in a boat, the sun is placed. This sign represents the sign of the mystical arba, the creative quaternary, also called Thor's hammer. A similar cross was found by Schliemann during the excavations of Troy. In Eastern Europe, Western Siberia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, it occurs from the II-I millennium BC. In Western Europe it was known to the Celts. Depicted in pre-Christian Roman mosaics and on the coins of Cyprus and Crete. An ancient Cretan rounded swastika made of plant elements is known. The Maltese cross in the form of a swastika of four triangles converging in the center is of Phoenician origin. It was also known to the Etruscans. In early Christianity, the swastika was known as the gamma cross. According to Guénon, until the end of the Middle Ages it was one of the emblems of Christ. According to Ossendowski, Genghis Khan wore on his right hand a ring depicting a swastika, into which was set a magnificent ruby - a sun stone. Ossendovsky saw this ring on the hand of the Mongol governor. At present, this magical symbol is known mainly in India and Central and East Asia.
Swastika in Russia
In Rus', swastika symbols have been known since ancient times.
The rhombo-meander swastika ornament in the Kostenkovo and Mezin cultures (25-20 thousand years BC) was studied by V. A. Gorodtsov.
As a special type of swastika, symbolizing the rising Sun-Yarilu, the victory of Light over Darkness, Eternal Life over death, Kolovrat was called (literally, “wheel rotation”, the Old Slavic form Kolovrat was also used in the Old Russian language).
In Russian folk ornamentation, the swastika was one of the common figures until the end of the 19th century.
The swastika was used in rituals and construction, in homespun production: in embroideries on clothes, on carpets. The swastika was used to decorate household utensils. She was also present on the icons
In the St. Petersburg Necropolis, Glinka's grave is crowned with a swastika.
In post-war children's legends, it was widely believed that the swastika consists of 4 letters "G", symbolizing the first letters of the names of the leaders of the Third Reich - Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler, Goering.
Swastika in India
In pre-Buddhist ancient Indian and some other cultures, the swastika is usually interpreted as a sign of auspicious destinies, a symbol of the sun. This symbol is still widely used in India and South Korea, and most weddings, holidays and festivities cannot do without it.
Swastika in India
Buddhist symbol of perfection (also known as manji, "whirlwind" (Jap. まんじ, "ornament, cross, swastika")). The vertical line indicates the relationship of heaven and earth, and the horizontal line indicates the relationship of yin-yang. The direction of short lines to the left personifies movement, gentleness, love, compassion, and their aspiration to the right is associated with constancy, firmness, intelligence and strength. Thus, any one-sidedness is a violation of world harmony and cannot lead to universal happiness. Love and compassion without strength and firmness are helpless, and strength and reason without mercy and love lead to the multiplication of evil.
Swastika in European culture
The swastika became popular in European culture in the 19th century, in the wake of the fashion of Aryan theory. English astrologer Richard Morrison organized the Order of the Swastika in Europe in 1869. It is found on the pages of books by Rudyard Kipling. The swastika was also used by the founder of the Boy Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell. In 1915, the swastika, being very common in Latvian culture since ancient times, was depicted on the banners of the battalions (later regiments) of the Latvian riflemen of the Russian army.
Altars with swastika V Europe:
From Aquitaine
Then, since 1918, it became an element of the official symbols of the Republic of Latvia - the emblem of military aviation, regimental insignia, insignia of societies and various organizations, state awards, and is still used today. The Latvian military order of Lachplesis was in the form of a swastika. Since 1918, the swastika has been part of the state symbols of Finland (now it is depicted on the presidential standard, as well as on the banners of the armed forces). Later it became a symbol of the German Nazis, after they came to power - the state symbol of Germany (depicted on the coat of arms and flag); after World War II, her image was banned in a number of countries.
Swastika in Nazism
The National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), which appeared in the 1920s, chose the swastika as its party symbol. Since 1920, the swastika has become associated with Nazism and racism.
There is a very common misconception that the Nazis chose the right-handed swastika as their emblem, thereby perverting the precepts of the ancient sages and defiling the sign itself, which is more than five thousand years old. In reality, this is not so. In the cultures of different peoples, both left-handed and right-handed swastikas are found.
Under the definition of "Nazi" symbols, only a four-pointed swastika, standing on an edge of 45 °, with the ends pointing to the right, can fit. It was this sign that was on the state banner of National Socialist Germany from 1933 to 1945, as well as on the emblems of the civil and military services of this country. The Nazis themselves used the term Hakenkreuz (literally “crooked (hooked) cross”), which is synonymous with the word swastika (German: Swastika), which is also used in German.
In Russia, the stylized swastika is used as an emblem by the All-Russian social movement Russian National Unity (RNE). Russian nationalists claim that the Russian swastika - the Kolovrat - is an ancient Slavic symbol and cannot be recognized as Nazi symbols.
Swastika in the cultures of other countries
As a separate symbol, the swastika has many meanings, and in a large number of peoples they are positive. So, for the ancient tribes, it had the meaning of movement, creation, light, the Sun, good luck, happiness, life and well-being. Personifying rotational movements converted into translational ones, it symbolizes philosophical specificity.
The swastika, as one of the oldest and archaic signs, indicates the visible activity of the Sun, its rotation around the Earth, due to which the earth year is divided into four parts - climatic seasons. The symbol also characterizes the winter and summer solstice in the annual movement of the Sun. In addition to solar symbols, the swastika has the meaning of the fertility of the earth, carrying the idea of the four parts of the world, centered around its axis. It also implies a two-way movement in the direction of the hour hand and against it, symbolizing the male and female principles of Yin and Yang, respectively. In the writings of ancient India, a distinction is made between male and female energy, there are images of deities personified from two male and two female swastikas.
In general, despite the popular and widespread use of the swastika in art and painting, and its ancient and long legacy in many cultures, after the association of Nazi Germany with it, the swastika began to have a negative meaning and its use was considered synonymous with imitation of Nazism. Unfortunately, many other symbols, such as runes, also took on a negative connotation after the end of World War II.
History knows a large number of similar fascist movements, which appeared mainly between the two terrifying wars of the twentieth century, as well as the very diverse symbols of the Nazi movement. National Emblems were used as symbols, as a sign of the unity of the nation, as well as various figures that had historical significance. Some Nazi organizations symbolically used armed salutes.
The adoption and widespread wearing of symbols created by totalitarian fascist governments was considered one of the key aspects of Nazi propaganda.
In the understanding of Hitler himself, she accurately personified the triumph of his struggle for the superiority of the Aryan race over all the nations of the world. This choice combined both mystical and occult meanings, the meaning of the swastika as a symbol of the Ancient Aryan race was formed. In addition, its already established use by extreme right-wing political forces - it was used by some Austrian radical parties, it was also used during the Kapp putsch, not without the influence of the Baltic countries - served a good propaganda role. But already in the twenties, the swastika was directly associated with Nazism, and after the thirties it was perceived mainly as a Nazi symbol, the result was a complete ban on the image of the swastika in some countries, and it was also excluded from the emblems of the children's scout movement.
The German Nazis borrowed showmanship, the use of rituals and saluting from the Italian fascists. Nazism differed from fascism in a pronounced racist vector, so Nazi Germany used the swastika as a symbol of the Aryan race in order to confirm its superiority. The Third Reich used a specific version of the swastika - a hexagon inscribed in a square rotated at an angle of 45 degrees, with rays directed clockwise and bent at right angles. It was mainly depicted in black, against a white or red circle, sometimes against any other background (for example, on camouflage). Also, this swastika was located on the state German flag, as well as on the emblems of state and military organizations of the country. A blue swastika was used by the pro-German regime in Finland, a similar sign, but red, was used as an identification symbol of the Latvian air forces in the pre-war period. Moreover, it is known that some units of the Red Army during the Civil War used this particular type of swastika on stripes and banners even before the adoption of the Red Star as a national symbol.
The meaning of the swastika
Today the swastika symbol, which everyone associates only with evil and war. The swastika is falsely credited with being associated with fascism. This symbol has nothing to do with fascism or war or Hitler, and this is a delusion of many people!
Origin of the swastika
The swastika symbol is tens of thousands of years old. Initially the swastika meant our galaxy, because if you look at the rotation of the galaxy, then a connection with the sign of the "swastika" is drawn. This association was the beginning for the further use of the swastika sign. The Slavs used the swastika as amulets, decorated houses and temples with this sign, applied it as an ornament to clothes and weapons. For them, this sign was a symbolic image of the sun. And for our ancestors, it represented all the brightest and purest in the world. And not only for the Slavs, for many cultures it meant peace, goodness and faith. So how did it happen that such a good sign, carrying a thousand-year history, suddenly became the personification of everything bad and terrible in the world?
In the Middle Ages, the symbol was forgotten, and only occasionally popped up in patterns.
And only in the 1920s the swastika "saw" the world again. Then the swastika began to be depicted on the helmets of the militants, and the very next year it was officially recognized as the emblem of the fascist party. And later Hitler performed under the banners with the image of the swastika.
What is the swastika
But here you need to clarify and dot all the i's. The swastika is a two-digit symbol, because. can be depicted as with curved clockwise ends, and against. And both of these images carry a completely opposite semantic load, balancing each other. The swastika, the rays of which are directed to the left (i.e. counterclockwise) denotes the rising sun, goodness and light. The swastika, which is depicted clockwise, has the opposite meaning and means evil, misfortune and misfortune. Now let's remember which swastika was the emblem of Hitler. It's the last one. And this swastika has nothing to do with the ancient symbols of goodness and light.
Therefore, these two characters should not be confused. The swastika can still serve as a talisman for you if you draw it correctly. And people who round their eyes in fear at the sight of this symbol need to make an excursion into history and tell about the ancient symbol of our ancestors, which made the world kinder and brighter.
One Russian tourist, having visited Southeast Asia, shared his impressions on social networks. In Bangkok, he saw a man with a large swastika on the front and back of his T-shirt.
The tourist rushed to the head with blood. He wanted to immediately explain to the stupid aborigine what kind of muck he was wearing. But, having cooled down a bit, the Russian decided to refrain from communication: maybe the local resident simply doesn’t know anything about “German fascism”? Nevertheless, the shock from what he saw was so great that, upon returning home, he turned to the forum visitors with the question: “What to do in such a situation?”
Swastika past and present
Indeed, most Asians do not know who Hitler is. Some may have heard of World War II. But even the most educated people are unlikely to be able to say exactly who fought with whom and because of what. But in India, almost everyone knows well that the swastika is a symbol of prosperity, the sun, a sign of auspicious destinies. Not a single wedding in India, Nepal, South Korea is complete without this symbol.
The swastika appeared in antiquity and was widespread throughout Eurasia. It is an integral part of Buddhism, with which it came to China, Siam and Japan. This symbol is also used by other religions. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, due to the enthusiasm for the culture of the East, the swastika became very popular in Europe.
In the summer of 1917, the Provisional Government of Russia even placed a large swastika on the 250-ruble bill, against the backdrop of a double-headed eagle. The swastika was placed on their shoulder straps by some detachments of whites. The Bolsheviks also did not escape the general craze and used the swastika as a revolutionary symbol.
The seal of the Moscow Provincial Council of Workers' and Peasants' Deputies of 1919 in the form of a swastika looks especially impressive today. The red sleeve patch of the Red Army of the South-Eastern Front with a star and a swastika is also impressive. In the end, the People's Commissar Lunacharsky in a harsh manner stopped this "outrage" in 1922.
At present, Europeans perceive the swastika only as a symbol of Nazism (the National Socialist Party of Germany) with all its horrors. Today it is difficult to imagine that our distant and not very ancestors found something attractive in this symbol, it seems so sinister to us.
The denial of the swastika is firmly soldered into the minds of most European peoples. But humanity consists not only of Europeans, and this must be taken into account, especially when traveling abroad. As they say, they don’t go to a foreign monastery with their charter.
Fascia of the Nazis
The symbol of fascism, the fascia, unlike the swastika, is not a sign that irritates the post-Soviet space. Yes, and in Europe they are treated very tolerantly. One of the reasons, apparently, lies in the fact that the Nazis did not do as much trouble as the Nazis. At the very least, they were going "only" to conquer other peoples, but by no means to destroy them.
Fascia on the facade of the Central Station, Milan.
Here it is necessary to note the different understanding of the term "fascism" in the former USSR and the rest of the world. On the initiative of I. Stalin, the Comintern (an international association of communist parties under the control of the Soviet leadership) proposed calling the National Socialists "German fascists." Fascists are members of the Italian radical party created by B. Mussolini.
The fact is that then there were certain difficulties in identifying the enemy. Hitler's party, the NSDAP, was listed as both socialist and workers, had a red flag and celebrated the May 1 proletarian holiday. To explain to not very literate people how Hitler's socialism differs from Stalin's was simply an unbearable task. And there were no problems with the term "German fascists". In Soviet Union.
But in Europe it did not take root, despite all the efforts of the Comintern. People there simply did not understand what was at stake when, instead of the usual word "Nazi", they heard the long and indigestible "German fascism." Therefore, the European Communist Parties, in order to be understood by their compatriots, were forced to use the generally accepted term - “Nazi”.
Fascia - a symbol of power in ancient Rome
The term "fascism" itself comes from the word "fascia". Fascia was a symbol of power in ancient Rome. It was a bundle of birch rods, into which an ax was stuck. Fasces were worn by lictors - accompanying persons and at the same time guards of high-ranking officials.
Lictor with fasciae
Later, in heraldry, fascia became a symbol of state and national unity, a symbol of state protection. This symbol is widely used today. Fascia is present in the symbols of the Russian federal penitentiary services and bailiffs. It is also on the emblem of the Ukrainian Ministry of Emergency Situations. And in the coat of arms of France, the fascia is even a central element.
Mussolini used the fascia on the banner of the Fascist Party as a symbol of the unity of the state and the people, of all sectors of society - from the rich and noble to the poorest. In general, something similar to the well-known slogan "The people and the party are united."
Of course, one cannot call all structures, and even more so states, fascist because of the presence of fascias on their banners and coats of arms. Fascia was more fortunate than the swastika. - She does not cause such rejection. Although on the territory of Moscow from 1997 to 2002 there was a law that provided for punishment for promoting fascia.
Red Star
A very popular symbol is the red star. After the October Revolution, when the question arose about the symbols of the Red Army, they settled on a five-pointed red star. The red star in May 1918 was officially, by order of Trotsky, declared the emblem of the Red Army. In this order, she was called "Mars star with a plow and a hammer."
The god of war Mars in the then Soviet tradition was considered the protector of peaceful labor. The plow after some time was replaced by a sickle. Wearing the red star emblem was supposed to be on the chest. But later the star began to be worn on headdresses, instead of a cockade.
The five-pointed star (pentacle, pentagram) has been known for almost 6000 years. She was a symbol of safety and protection from all sorts of adversities. The pentagram was used by different religions and peoples. But during the time of the Inquisition, the attitude towards the pentagram in Europe changed radically, and it began to be called the "witch's leg." Later, a clarification followed that the symbol of Satan is only an inverted star - when one ray is directed down, and two rays looking up form, as it were, horns.
And a star “standing on two legs” is quite pleasing to God. The "flaming" pentagram, with flames between the rays of the star, is one of the main symbols of the Masons. Already from the beginning of the 19th century, stars “climbed” onto epaulettes and shoulder straps.
The stars on the American flag were originally eight-pointed. But under the influence of local Masons, they were very quickly replaced by five-pointed ones. The US military, like its Soviet counterparts, uses the pentacle to indicate the nationality of military equipment.
"George Ribbon"
Recently, the red star, the only symbol of the Soviet army and its victories, has a competitor - the orange and black "St. George's Ribbon". For all its external attractiveness and even resemblance to the St. George ribbon, it is unlawful to call it so. On a real St. George ribbon there are three black and two yellow stripes, which symbolizes three deaths and two resurrections of St. George the Victorious.
From 1917 until 1992, the St. George ribbon was not used in any Soviet award. But she was involved in the White Army and the Russian Corps, which fought on the side of Hitler. A person with such a ribbon, who fell into the hands of the NKVD or Smersh during the war years, would at best be sent to a concentration camp. The current "St. George's Ribbon" repeats the colors of the blocks of the Order of Glory and the medal "For the Victory over Germany" and has nothing to do with the life and death of George the Victorious.
In any case, the Russians liked the ribbon and are perceived today as a symbol of the Great Patriotic War. It is perceived in the same way in Belarus. But in Ukraine, the perception of this symbol is ambiguous.
People who are nostalgic for the USSR, although they claim that this is a symbol of the past war, still perceive the ribbon as a symbol of the Soviet past. Another part of the population has a sharply negative attitude towards the ribbon, considering it an element of "imperial" propaganda, along with other Soviet symbols.
Anatoly PONOMARENKO
"Secrets of the XX century"
