The Occult Reich

by J.H. Brennan

British account of occultism during the Third Reich.

It is one of the most prominent books on the subject matter. It was first published in the UK in 1974 by Futura Publications

Genres: Nonfiction, Occult, Conspiracy Theories, World War II, History, Mythology, Magic

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1974

About the author

James Herbert "Herbie" Brennan is a lecturer and the author of over one hundred fiction and non-fiction books for adults, teens, and children.

His works have been translated into approximately fifty languages, he has also written books on the Occult and New Age. He initially trained in esoteric teachings and Qabalah with the Fraternity of the Inner Light, and later became associated with Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki and the Servants of the Light.

In 1995 he contributed two novels to the Horrorscopes series under the house pen name Maria Palmer.

In 2003, Brennan published the children's book The Book of Wizardry: The Apprentice's Guide to the Secrets of the Wizards' Guild under the pseudonym Cornelius Rumstuckle.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

At this point I'm still not sure if this was supposed to be fiction or non-fiction. If you're a history buff, like me, then this book is pure fiction. According to the author, Hitler sacrificed the Jews to Satan. Yep, you read that right. Although I am sure that there are people out there who believe this kind of stuff, I am not one of them. Even if this book was non-fiction, it was poorly written. The author makes no valid thesis, which is needed in every historical piece, and he doesn't explain his points clearly or concisely. Fortunately the book is only 184 pages, but even with it being so short it still took me 2-3 days just to force myself through it. And the only reason I kept reading it was because it was so entertaining. If you're a historian and you need a good laugh, then this book is for you.

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a rather disturbing book for anyone who (1) believes in the existence and power of the demonic, or (2) doesn't so believe but sees that people who do may be dangerous. Quite a number of the top Nazis from Hitler on down are said to have been involved in various occult societies and to have had associations with various adepts. Towards the end of the book, Brennan states: "In short, how Hitler lived, thought, and acted was the way a Satanist would have lived, thought, and acted.....Hitler is an example of what happens when an individual believing in the darker doctrines of occultism finds himself in a position of political power." This book was written for a general audience and so there are no footnotes, endnotes or bibliography for those who want to pursue further reading; however he does mention various writers and sources in the text which the reader can follow up with.

[Fiona Robson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book chronicling the occult influence on the Third Reich. This was an interesting read, but I did wonder how much of it was actually true as some of it seemed too fantastical for even them! It's so bizaare to think that less than a century ago, not only did people support the Nazis politically, but also bought into the weird spirituality which went along with it.

[Paulio Himmelmench · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is interesting and seemingly well-researched, however, I have no idea of the actual historicity of any of the claims made here. Also, this book is really mistitled. It is really a quick history of occult things with nazi X-Files sprinkled on the back-end (for the most part).

[Vladimir Veškovac · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gotovo dvadeset godina čekala na red da bude pročitana. Gomila smeća potkrepljena nekakvom literaturom o veštičarenje i okultizmu. Autor je alergičan na rune i ostale simbole iz germanske istorije, a s druge strane je "jedna sjajna Ruskinja Madam Helena Petrovna Blacvacki".

[Rick · Rating 4 out of 5]

An authoritative book.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very different take
on WW2. I just found
this book incredibly interesting.

There have been a few other
similar books previously
written.