"Rahn's personal diary
from his travels as occult investigator for the Third Reich - First
English translation of the author's journeys in search of a Nordic
equivalent to Mt. Sinai - Explains why Lucifer the Light Bringer, god of
the heretics, is a positive figure Otto Rahn's lifelong search for the
Grail brought him to the attention of the SS leader Himmler, who shared
his esoteric interests. Induced by Himmler to become the chief
investigator of the occult for the Nazis, Rahn traveled throughout
Europe--from Spain to Iceland--in the mid 1930s pursuing leads to the
Grail and other mysteries. Lucifer's Court is the travel diary he kept
while searching for "the ghosts of the pagans and heretics who were
his] ancestors." It was during this time that Rahn grasped the positive
role Lucifer plays in these forbidden religions as the bearer of true
illumination, similar to Apollo and other sun gods in pagan worship.This
journey was also one of self-discovery for Rahn. He found such a
faithful echo of his own innermost beliefs in the lives of the heretics
of the past that he eventually called himself a Cathar and nurtured
ambitions of restoring that faith, which had been cruelly destroyed in
the fires of the Inquisition. His journeys on assignment for the
Reich--including researching an alleged entrance to Hollow Earth in
Iceland and searching for the true mission of Lucifer in the caves of
southern France that served as refuge for the Cathars during the
Inquisition--also led to his disenchantment with his employers and his
mysterious death in the mountains after his break with the Nazis."
It's not easy to add anything more. This book is definietly a must-read. The first book I've finished reading in 2012.
Another book he strongly recommended to read is "The Lightning And The Sun" by Savitri Devi. This book really says it all. Not an easy read but those who it's addressed to, can definietly understand. Goodreads says:
"A classic philosophical
work about the historical inevitability of cultural decay and rebirth,
written by one of Adolf Hitler's most devoted admirers. Savitri Devi
couches her arguments in metaphor, using "lightning" to refer to forces
of destruction and "sun" to refer to building in accordance with
nature's eternal laws. Both are necessary, says Devi, since to build the
pure and new one must first sweep away the rotting debris of the
corrupt old order. Violence, per se, has no moral assignment; it's
either worth its while or not, depending on what it aims for. For
illustration, the author examines in detail the lives of three figures
from history: Akhnaton, Genghis Khan, and Adolf Hitler. She argues that
we are at the end of a cycle of history in which corruption and lies
prevail over honor and truth, and that the time is ripe for the storm of
violence that will precede the next golden age."
My own thoughts:
"Savitri
Devi, Hitler's priestess. There can be a lot to be said about her. The
Woman Against Time who influenced not only her contemporaries involved
in National Socialism but as well as many modern day thinkers, Pagans,
whether one agrees with her completely or not. She was insanely obsessed
with Hitler, Nazism and esoteric Aryanism, and her most influental
book, The Ligtning And The Sun, is dedicated to Hitler as well. Insane
or not, she was a very intelligent and brilliant thinker.
This book - in which she explains not only about esoteric Aryanism and her thoughts about vegetarian radicalism (she was a devout defender of animal rights that it can be called like that)- contains three main parts about three historical figures: Genghis Khan, the Lightning, the survivor, fighter and destroyer; Akhnaton, the Sun, the one who creates; and Hitler, both Lightning and Sun, who destroys and creates.
Strange ideas she has sometimes and I personally don't agree with all of them 100%, no one really have to, actually, to realise that this book, neverthless, is full of great thoughts. It makes people think, who can look past her obvious insanity and discover the genious and philosopher. This great book is definietly worths reading, although it's not at all an easy read and I daresay not for everyone. Once read it, history is seen differently. Modern life as well, is seen differently. This book is brilliantly synthetizing Hinduism, refering to the Book of Books, the Bhagavad Gita many times, with National Socialist philosophy, which she sees not as a political movement but as "the true religion" of all those of Aryan ancestry. NS or not, everyone can find truth in this book.
The book dedicated to Hitler is obvious for that the chapter written about him, is clearly obsessive, the longest part of The Lightning And The Sun. She saw him as an Avatar of God. Everyone who reads this book can decide for him/herself how to take this."
This book - in which she explains not only about esoteric Aryanism and her thoughts about vegetarian radicalism (she was a devout defender of animal rights that it can be called like that)- contains three main parts about three historical figures: Genghis Khan, the Lightning, the survivor, fighter and destroyer; Akhnaton, the Sun, the one who creates; and Hitler, both Lightning and Sun, who destroys and creates.
Strange ideas she has sometimes and I personally don't agree with all of them 100%, no one really have to, actually, to realise that this book, neverthless, is full of great thoughts. It makes people think, who can look past her obvious insanity and discover the genious and philosopher. This great book is definietly worths reading, although it's not at all an easy read and I daresay not for everyone. Once read it, history is seen differently. Modern life as well, is seen differently. This book is brilliantly synthetizing Hinduism, refering to the Book of Books, the Bhagavad Gita many times, with National Socialist philosophy, which she sees not as a political movement but as "the true religion" of all those of Aryan ancestry. NS or not, everyone can find truth in this book.
The book dedicated to Hitler is obvious for that the chapter written about him, is clearly obsessive, the longest part of The Lightning And The Sun. She saw him as an Avatar of God. Everyone who reads this book can decide for him/herself how to take this."
His interest in Germanic Paganism and Runes made him read "The Secret Of The Runes" by Guido von List. Those who are interested in esoteric nazism and occultism are definietly familiar with the name. I ordered a copy and read this book too:
"A
classic work by List, founder of the Armanian Order. A fine work about
the Rune symbology synthetised with German linguistics and pre-Christian
Aryan language, about the magical meanings of the Runes and it was
interesting to learn about how the hooked cross and Aryan Runes in
general, were hidden in Christian symbols during the Christianisation of
the German people. I learned a lot about how the Runes are one with the
Aryan culture, from pre-Christian times to modern days, although very
often I got lost in what I was reading and the book being a hard read,
it was hard to understand sometimes. "
Yes hard to understand. Definietly needs attention. But this book gives knowledge.
And also not to forget that Robert was a great Tolkien-fan. This year, so far, I've read "The Hobbit", one of his favorites. I'm so sad that he's no longer alive to see the upcoming movie...
