National socialism as a political religion: Potentials and limits of an analytical concept

In this paper, I test the analytical value and pertinence of the concept of political religion with respect to National Socialism in three steps: (1) I point out the religious' elements in the area of organisation and cult, and I show that the Nazi festivals and ceremonies provided ritual forms...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Totalitarian movements and political religions 2005-06, Vol.6 (1), p.87-95
Main Author: VONDUNG, KLAUS
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Cults
Dominant Ideologies
Holocaust
Nazism
Politics
Religion
Religion & politics
Religion Politics Relationship
Rituals
Socialism
Theology
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Summary:In this paper, I test the analytical value and pertinence of the concept of political religion with respect to National Socialism in three steps: (1) I point out the religious' elements in the area of organisation and cult, and I show that the Nazi festivals and ceremonies provided ritual forms for confessions of faith. (2) Following Eric Voegelin, I maintain that the 'articles of faith' that were presented in the Nazi cult can be understood as the manifestation of an existential core of religious character. (3) Finally I demonstrate that 'believing intellectuals' outlined a Nazi 'theology' and a Nazi 'history of salvation' and that Hitler himself and other leading Nazis cherished an apocalyptic world-view that must be seen as the most poignant manifestation of the National Socialist political religion and as the only plausible explanation of the holocaust.
ISSN:1469-0764
2156-7689
1743-9647
2156-7697
DOI:10.1080/14690760500110205