The Ahnenerbe Conspiracy - Forgotten History

Summary

The video delves into the Ahnenerbe, a Nazi think tank founded by Heinrich Himmler, which was obsessed with proving the superiority of the Aryan race. It explores their use of archaeology, mysticism, and pseudo-science to justify their racist ideology, including attempts to link Aryan origins to ancient civilizations. The Ahnenerbe's work influenced Nazi propaganda and the Holocaust, despite their findings being largely fabricated. The video also highlights the Nazis' exploitation of these theories for political gain and hints at their legacy in modern culture through movies like Indiana Jones.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ Ahnenerbe was a Nazi think tank established by Heinrich Himmler, focused on promoting the Aryan race's superiority and its historical and cultural influence.
• 🎥 The Indiana Jones film series, while fictional, draws inspiration from the real-life Nazi expeditions to find holy relics, symbolizing their quest for power and validation of their ideology.
• 🔍 The Nazis funded numerous expeditions worldwide to find and fabricate evidence of an ancient Aryan civilization, aiming to rewrite history to support their racial agenda.
• 🧙‍♂️ Himmler was influenced by occultists like Karl Maria Wiligut, who contributed to the SS's beliefs and practices, including the establishment of Wewelsburg Castle as a center for SS operations.
• 📚 The Nordic Academy was created by Himmler to educate SS officers in the Nazi ideology, including the fabricated history of the Aryan race.
• 🗝️ The Ahnenerbe scholars manipulated historical and archaeological evidence to fit the Nazi narrative, even claiming that ancient Rome was founded by Nordic incomers.
• 🌐 The Ahnenerbe's research was used to indoctrinate young SS officers, particularly those destined for roles in concentration and death camps, reinforcing the dehumanizing Nazi propaganda.
• 📜 The Ahnenerbe's claims about the Aryan race's origins and achievements were often baseless, with theories such as Aryans evolving in the Arctic and establishing an advanced society that sank into the sea.
• 🎁 Himmler used the Ahnenerbe's research as a gift for Hitler's 50th birthday, indicating the importance of these pseudoscientific findings in Nazi leadership.
• 🚫 Towards the end of the war, Dr. Heinz Brücher was ordered to destroy Ahnenerbe's facilities to prevent the evidence of their eugenics program and connection to the Holocaust from being captured.
• 🎬 Despite the dark history behind it, the Ahnenerbe's activities have indirectly contributed to popular culture, inspiring films and discussions about the Nazi's obsession with the occult and ancient relics.

Q & A

What was the purpose of Ahnenerbe in Nazi Germany?

Ahnenerbe was a think tank created by Heinrich Himmler to support the Nazi ideology of Aryan racial superiority by conducting research and expeditions to find evidence of ancient Aryan civilizations.

Who was Heinrich Himmler and what role did he play in Nazi Germany?

Heinrich Himmler was the Reichsfuehrer SS and one of the most powerful men in Adolf Hitler's cabinet. He was the architect of the Holocaust and a firm believer in the occult.

How did the Indiana Jones film series relate to the real historical events of Ahnenerbe?

The Indiana Jones films, while fictional for entertainment, are inspired by the real historical events where the Nazis, including the Ahnenerbe, went on expeditions to find holy relics and artifacts to support their agenda.

What was the Nordic Academy and why was it created?

The Nordic Academy was created by Himmler in 1933 to educate and indoctrinate newly commissioned SS officers with the Nazi ideology and beliefs about the Aryan race.

Who was Karl Maria Wiligut and what was his role in the SS?

Karl Maria Wiligut was a well-known occultist hired by Himmler who joined the SS and became a Brigadeführer. He was considered a self-proclaimed modern-day Nostradamus and was employed to read fortunes for high-ranking Nazis.

What was the significance of Wewelsburg Castle in the context of Ahnenerbe?

Wewelsburg Castle was established by Himmler as the headquarters for SS operations, including research, a museum, and ceremonies. It was intended to be the epicenter for the Ahnenerbe's activities.

What was the role of Hermann Wirth and Richard Walter Darre in Ahnenerbe?

Hermann Wirth was a scholar of ancient religions and symbols, and Richard Walter Darre was the Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture. Both joined Himmler in promoting the Nazi ideology and supporting the Ahnenerbe's research.

How did the Ahnenerbe attempt to rewrite history and support the Holocaust?

The Ahnenerbe scholars loosely interpreted and even fabricated evidence to fit into Hitler's and Himmler's beliefs about the Aryan race. They used this pseudo-scientific research to justify the Holocaust and the extermination of those deemed 'sub-human'.

What was the Ahnenerbe's stance on the origins of the Aryan race?

The Ahnenerbe claimed that the Aryan race originated in the Arctic region and had established advanced societies, such as the lost city of Atlantis, which later sank into the sea.

What were some of the expeditions conducted by the Ahnenerbe and what were they looking for?

The Ahnenerbe conducted various expeditions worldwide, such as to Val Camonica in Italy and Ukraine, to find evidence of ancient Aryan civilizations, including traces of Nordic runes and artifacts that could support their theories.

What was the final fate of the Ahnenerbe and its research facilities?

In February 1945, Dr. Heinz Brücher was ordered to destroy the Ahnenerbe's 18 active research facilities to avoid their capture by the Soviets. However, Brücher refused to destroy historical artifacts and managed to escape, continuing his work as a botanist after the war.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Nazi Occultism and the Ahnenerbe

The Ahnenerbe, a Nazi think tank established by Heinrich Himmler, aimed to prove the superiority of the Aryan race through archaeological expeditions. Himmler, a believer in the occult, employed occultists and scholars to support his theories. The Nordic Academy was created to indoctrinate SS officers with the idea of an advanced Aryan civilization. Expeditions sought evidence of this civilization, often fabricating findings to align with Nazi propaganda. The Ahnenerbe's headquarters, Wewelsburg Castle, was renovated to house a museum and research center, with a focus on finding holy relics like the Holy Grail and the Spear of Destiny. The Ahnenerbe's activities were deeply intertwined with the Holocaust, as their pseudoscientific theories were used to justify the extermination of 'sub-human' races.

05:04

🌐 Ahnenerbe's Expeditions and Pseudoscientific Claims

The Ahnenerbe conducted various expeditions, including one to interview the Sami people, whose folklore was used to support the Arctic origin theory of the Nordic race. Despite the academic consensus on the origins of writing, the Ahnenerbe claimed that ancient Rome was founded by Nordic people, based on supposed findings of Nordic runes. They also enlisted the help of known racists and eugenicists to bolster their claims, even attempting to link Adolf Hitler's ideology with that of Buddha. The Ahnenerbe's research was used as a tool for indoctrination and was closely tied to the Nazi's eugenics program. Towards the end of the war, efforts were made to destroy evidence of the Ahnenerbe's activities to avoid incrimination in war crime trials. The legacy of the Ahnenerbe is one of pseudoscience and manipulation, serving as a dark chapter in the history of archaeology and racial ideology.

Keywords

💡Ahnenerbe

Ahnenerbe, meaning 'ancestral heritage' in German, was a Nazi think tank established by Heinrich Himmler. It was tasked with promoting and researching the supposed superiority of the Aryan race, which was a central tenet of Nazi ideology. The organization funded expeditions to find historical and archaeological evidence to support this belief, as mentioned in the script.

💡Heinrich Himmler

Heinrich Himmler was a leading member of the Nazi Party and one of the main architects of the Holocaust. As the Reichsfuehrer SS, he held immense power and was instrumental in creating institutions like the Ahnenerbe to further the Nazi's racial theories. His role and influence are central to understanding the video's theme of the misuse of history and archaeology for political ends.

💡Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany refers to the period from 1933 to 1945 when Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers' Party ruled Germany in a totalitarian manner. The video discusses the Ahnenerbe's role within this regime, highlighting how it was used to propagate the Nazi's racial and ideological beliefs.

💡Holocaust

The Holocaust was a genocide during World War II in which Nazi Germany, aided by collaborators, systematically murdered six million Jews.

Highlights

Ahnenerbe was a Nazi think tank created by Heinrich Himmler, a key architect of the Holocaust, between 1935 and 1945.

The organization aimed to find holy relics, such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail, to support the Nazi's agenda of rewriting history and promoting the occult.

Himmler's fascination with the Aryan origins of civilization led to the creation of the Nordic Academy for SS officer indoctrination.

Karl Maria Wiligut, an occultist, was hired by Himmler to support his beliefs in the occult and the superiority of the Aryan race.

Wewelsburg Castle was established as Himmler's headquarters and the center for SS operations, including research and ceremonies.

Ahnenerbe scholars manipulated and fabricated evidence to support Hitler's and Himmler's beliefs about the ancient Aryan civilization.

Aryan civilization was claimed to have been destroyed by 'untermensch' or sub-human types, aligning with Nazi propaganda against Jews and others.

Hermann Wirth proposed the unfounded theory that Aryans evolved in the Arctic and established an advanced society in the North Atlantic, now lost to the sea.

Ahnenerbe conducted expeditions worldwide to find evidence of ancient Aryan civilizations, including to Val Camonica, Italy, for rock inscriptions.

Hans Friedrich Karl Gunther, a proponent of scientific racism and eugenics, was used by Himmler to increase credibility, despite skepticism.

Dr. Walter Wüst expanded on the theory connecting Germanic mythology with history and comparative societies, claiming a common heritage with Buddha.

Himmler presented Hitler with a set of leather-bound books, including Ahnenerbe research, for his 50th birthday.

Dr. Heinz Brücher led an expedition to Ukraine and Crimea, identifying with SS ranks and conducting botanical research.

The main Ahnenerbe headquarters were evacuated from Berlin to Schloss Oberkirchberg and staff to Waischenfeld due to RAF bombings.

Brücher was ordered to destroy Ahnenerbe's research facilities to avoid capture by the Soviets but refused, escaping to continue his work elsewhere.

The Ahnenerbe's efforts resulted in a pseudo-scientific indoctrination program and contributed to the Nazi's genocidal agenda, with no substantial archaeological findings.

Transcripts

Ahnenerby was a think tank in Nazi Germany  between 1935 and 1945. it was created by  

Heinrich Himmler Reichsfuehrer SS one of the most  evil and powerful men Adolf Hitler's cabinet.

Himmler would later go on to be  the architect of the Holocaus.t

In the film series Indiana Jones SS archaeologists  go on expeditions to find holy relics that have  

the power of God imbued in them such as  the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail.  

These are films meant to entertain but  they are based upon real historical events.  

Why did the Nazis fund major Expeditions  all over the world to find relics?  

How did they plan to rewrite history  and use the occult to suit their agenda?  

How did their interpretation of  History support the Holocaust?  

Hello I'm Colin Heaton former Soldier, Marine Corps  scout sniper, history Professor, historian and book  

author and we will answer these questions and  other issues on this segment of Forgotten History.

According to SS Obergruppenfeuhrer or  Lieutenant General Karl Wolf quotel "Hitler and  

Himmler had this fascination with the origins  of civilization primarily the Aryan influence.  

This included languages science architecture  literature and the concept of government.  

We Aryans were supposed to be the superior  race the creators of culture and to prove that  

theory to the world the research was created and  expeditions were sent out all over the world." In  

1933 Himmler created the Nordic Academy to educate  and indoctrinate newly commissioned SS officers.  

Himmler being a firm believer in the occult hired  the well-known occultist Karl Maria Wiligut whom  

many considered a charlatan. Wiligut joined the  SS later becoming a Brigadeführer or Major General.  

Joining him were Hermann Wirth a scholar of ancient  religions and symbols and Richard Walter Darre are the  

Reich Minister of Food and Agriculture. Wiligut  was a self-proclaimed modern-day Nostradamus whom  

Hitler ,Himmler, Goering, Goebbels and others employed  on occasion to read their fortunes. Again according  

to Wolf quote; "Himmler followed his advice and  established Wewelsburg Castle in Westphalia as  

his headquarters. Wewelsburg would also be the  epicenter for SS operations including research,  

museum and ceremonies," end quote. Renovations to  the castle were made to fit Himmler's needs and  

he hired architect Hermann Bartels to remodel  the place. One of the additions was the Grail  

room with a rock crystal placed on a pedestal  until the actual Grail itself could be found.  

The castle also had a private museum at the  castle annex managed by archaeologist Wilhelm Jordan.  

Soon the looted treasures of Europe would  be brought there to be placed on display  

along with the Holy Grail, the Spear of Destiny  soon to be in Hitler's hands in 1938 when he  

had taken it from the museum in Vienna, and would be  joined by other objects of Aryan cultural value . 

Ironically while Himmler was looting  museums for artifacts Reich Marshal  

Hermann Goering was actively working  on looting Europe's art museums to steal  

classical art especially paintings by the  Old Masters for his personal collection.  

In 1937 the Ahnenerbe was renamed the Research  and Teaching Community of the Ancestral Heritage.  

The Ahnenerbe scholars loosely interpreted and  even fabricated evidence to fit into Himmler's and  

Hitler's beliefs. They sent out various expeditions  all over the world intent on finding evidence  

of the ancient Aryan civilization. One of their  determinations was that Aryan civilization had  

been destroyed by untermensch or sub-human types.  This insane theory fitted nicely with the Nazi  

propaganda claiming that Jews and others were  the poison in modern societies. In fact when young  

SS officers who were being specifically selected  and trained for work in the concentration and  

death camps, and yes there was a difference between  the two, this ideology was part of their training.  

Attempting to explain the lack of any  archaeological or historical evidence for an  

ancient and advanced Nordic civilization Hermann  Wirth claimed without any evidence that Aryans had  

evolved in the Arctic two million years ago. It was  from there they established their advanced society  

in the North Atlantic which had since sunk into the  sea thus creating the stories about the lost city  

of Atlantis. Initially there were two departments  within the SS handling archaeology and Himmler  

appointed Wolfram Sievers as the General Secretary  of the Ahnenerbe while a Himmler himself eventually  

became the president. In 1935 Himmler contacted  a Finnish nobleman and author  Yrjö von Grönhagen.

An expedition traveled to meet with  and interview and film and record  

the storytellers of the Sami people. They  still believed in mysticism and shamanism  

and their tales of folklore followed  the beliefs of Hitler and Himmler.  

They were of the opinion that due to these stories  and traditions, the Arctic region was the Nordic  

race had originated and created the  great civilizations and language. It was already  

well established in the academic world that the two  oldest scripts were those of Mesopotamia and Egypt  

and that northern Europe only developed literacy  using an alphabet of Nordic runes possibly due to  

the influence of the Etruscans between 400 BCE and  50 CE. The fact that Hebrew was a written language  

for thousands of years was quietly dismissed  as Jewish propaganda or stolen knowledge from  

the ancient Aryans. In 1937 the Ahnenerbe sent  archaeologists Franz Altheim and his wife the  

photographer Erica Trautmann to Val Camonica to  study prehistoric rock inscriptions in Italy.  

The two returned to Germany claiming that  they had found traces of Nordic runes on the  

Rocks supposedly confirming that ancient Rome was  founded by Nordic incomers. In 1937 again Himmler  

decided that he would increase his credibility  by using Hans Friedrich Karl Gunther a well-known  

German writer and advocate of scientific racism  and Eugenics. Gunther was also a friend and devote  

of American Margaret Sanger. Gunther's claims  that early Aryans had conquered much of Asia  

including China and Japan in approximately 2000  BC were looked at with skepticism and he provided  

no evidence. They even claimed that Gautama Buddha  was himself an Aryan offshoot of the Nordic race.  

Dr. Walter Wüst director at the University of  Munich later expanded on this theory. His PhD  

thesis was on the connection between Germanic  mythology history and comparative societies.  

Wüst stated in a public speech that Adolf  Hitler's ideology mirrored that of the Buddha as  

both men had a common heritage. Among the presents  Himmler presented to Hitler on his 50th birthday  

one was a set of leather-bound books and one of  these was the record of the Ahnenerbe research. In  

June 1943 27 year old or SS-Untersturmführer or lieutenant Dr. Heinz Brücher who held a PhD  

from Tübingen University in botany was tasked  with an expedition to Ukraine and Crimea. SS  

Hauptsturmführer or Captain Konrad Von Rauch and  an interpreter identified as Steinbrecher were  

also involved in this expedition. On July 29 1943  the Royal Air Force's firebombing of Hamburg led  

Himmler to order the immediate evacuation of  the main Ahnenerbe headquarters out of Berlin.  

The Collection was moved to Schloss Oberkirchberg near Ulm while the staff was moved to the village  

of Waischenfeld near Bayreuth in Bavaria. In February  1945 Brücher was destroyed ordered to destroy the  

Ahnenerbe's 18 active research facilities to avoid  their capture by the Soviets. Due to the connection  

with their eugenics program and the Holocaust  many of the files would have incriminated them  

in the coming war crimes trials. Brücher refused  to destroy historical artifacts and he managed  

to escape and after the war continued his work  as a botanist in Argentina and Trinidad. Given all  

the time and expense regarding the program what  did the Nazis actually obtain for their efforts  

other than a pseudo-scientific indoctrination  program to convince their own people of going  

along with a ludicrous genocide program and  rewriting their history? What purpose did it  

serve? The answer is simply that Himmler  and others were so desperate to prove the  

superiority of the Aryan race they were willing to  go to any lengths even fraud to prove their case  

but we did get some good movies out of it. We  hope you enjoyed this segment of Forgotten  

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