Symbol Type

Neo-Nazi Symbol

Also Known As

?

Traditional Use/Origins

When shown in a counterclockwise direction, an ancient religious symbol that represented a sign of good luck.

Hate Group/ Extremist Organization

Neo-Nazis, Racist Skinheads, White Supremacists

Extremist Meaning or Representation

Emblem of various neo-Nazi groups

Background/ History

Germany’s Nazi Party adopted the swastika. Prior to the Nazis co-opting this symbol, it was known as a good luck symbol and still is used by various peoples and religious groups, from the Odinists, a religion of Aryan origin, to Native-American, Black and Asian cultures and peoples. Hitler made the Nazi swastika reversing the normal direction of the symbol so that it appeared to spin clockwise. In the Nazi flag the swastika symbolizes the Aryan people - compare with the meaning of Star of David in the Zionist flag and with the old South Africa flag of the apartheid years. Today, it is widely used, in various incarnations, by neo-Nazis, racist skinheads and other white supremacist groups and its use is prohibited in various countries.