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Invisible Eagle
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Invisible Eagle: The History of Nazi Occultism is a book written by Alan Baker. It was first published in 2000 by Virgin Books. The book is focused on the intersection of occultism and Nazism. Among other subjects the book deals with the popular mythology of Hollow Earth theory, the Vril Society and similar speculative theories that were associated with Nazi Germany. Baker argues that there is little evidence for this postwar Nazi mythology, though argues some Nazi currents were influenced by esotericism. The book was seen as speculative and sometimes sensationalistic, though saw some praise.
Key Information
Contents
[edit]The book is focused on the intersection of occultism and Nazism, and its manifestations and influences on other occult elements.[1] He particularly examines the influence of Ariosophy on Nazi ideas of the occult. He further notes the influence of Helena Blavatsky's Theosophy on such conceptions, but emphasizes that her ideas were hijacked, and argues she would have been against such manifestations.[2]
Among other subjects the book deals with the popular mythology of Hollow Earth theory, Welteislehre, the Vril Society, the Holy Lance, foo fighters, and similar speculative theories that were associated with Nazi Germany postwar. Esotericist Raymond W. Bernard and his Hollow Earth theories are covered. While many other writers considered him to be merely a fraud, Baker argued that he was misled by his associates.[3][4] Most of his chapter on Hollow Earth is unrelated to Nazism, rather Hollow Earth theories in general.[3]
It also discusses the association of UFOs with Nazi conspiracies.[5] He refers to the castle of Wewelsburg, though does not name it, and discusses an alleged ritual thought of by Himmler, to "to influence the mind of a person in the next room through the concentration of will-power".[6] Baker ultimately argues that there is very little evidence for this postwar Nazi mythology, though argues some Nazi currents were influenced by esotericism.[1] It contains notes, a bibliography, and an index.[3]
Publication history
[edit]Invisible Eagle was published in London in 2000 by Virgin Books.[5][7] Its first edition was 322 pages. It was authored by British author Alan Baker.[5][7][8] Invisible Eagle was part of a then-lucrative market for explorations of this topic matter.[9]
Reception
[edit]Scholar Peter Staudenmaier named it among a list of works on the subject of Nazism and occultism that were improved from the "extensive and largely trivial" and "decidedly inadequate works" on the topic, alongside Unholy Alliance by Peter Levenda and Hitler and the Occult by Ken Anderson, describing them as "thoughtful popular works that are less credulous though still derivative and excessively sensationalistic".[10]
Scholar Eva Kingsepp criticized the academic book Vril: Eine okkulte Urkraft in Theosophie und esoterischen Neonazismus by Julian Strube for "legitimizing some speculative writers as reliable sources by making references to their books", naming this as an example; she also noted scholar Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke utilizing it as a source, which she found odd.[11] The book was criticized by scholar Christian Giudice in 2022 as "under-researched".[9] Despite this, it has been cited in several academic publications.[1][11][12] Scholars Goodrick-Clarke and Strube were more positive in their assessments of the book.[1][12] Goodrick-Clarke noted it as critically examining the subject matter. He noted that Baker "sought to document and analyze" the subject matter, despite its complications; he agreed with Baker it was "a valid field of inquiry, irrespective of the dubious nature of this latter-day literature".[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas (2002). Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity. New York University Press. pp. 126–127, 323–324. ISBN 978-0-8147-3124-6.
- ^ McCann, Gillian (2012). Vanguard of the New Age: The Toronto Theosophical Society, 1891-1945. Montreal: McGill–Queen's University Press. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-7735-8697-0.
- ^ a b c Flowers, Stephen E. (2022). The Occult in National Socialism: The Symbolic, Scientific, and Magical Influences on the Third Reich. Rochester: Inner Traditions. ISBN 978-1-64411-575-6.
- ^ Folk, Holly (2021). "Raymond W. Bernard, Hollow Earth, and UFOs". In Zeller, Benjamin E. (ed.). Handbook of UFO Religions. Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion. Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 316. doi:10.1163/9789004435537_015. ISBN 978-90-04-43437-0. ISSN 1874-6691.
- ^ a b c Barkun, Michael (2003). A Culture of Conspiracy: Apocalyptic Visions in Contemporary America. Comparative Studies in Religion and Society. Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 142, 212, 221. ISBN 978-0-520-23805-3.
- ^ Siepe, Daniela (2022). "Wewelsburg Castle in Fantasy Literature". In John-Stucke, Kirsten; Siepe, Daniela (eds.). Myths of Wewelsburg Castle: Facts and Fiction. Schriftenreihe des Kreismuseums Wewelsburg. Paderborn: Brill Publishers. pp. 99, 109. ISBN 978-3-657-79200-9.
- ^ a b "Invisible Eagle: The History of Nazi Occultism by Alan Baker". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
- ^ "THE GLADIATOR: The Secret History of Rome's Warrior Slaves". Publishers Weekly. New York City. ISSN 0000-0019. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ a b Giudice, Christian (2022). Occult Imperium: Arturo Reghini, Roman Traditionalism, and the Anti-Modern Reaction in Fascist Italy. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 122. ISBN 978-0-19-761024-4.
- ^ Staudenmaier, Peter (1 January 2009). "Occultism, Race and Politics in German-speaking Europe, 1880—1940: A Survey of the Historical Literature". European History Quarterly. 39 (1): 47–70. doi:10.1177/0265691408097366. ISSN 0265-6914.
- ^ a b Kingsepp, Eva (1 January 2014). "Julian Strube,Vril: Eine okkulte Urkraft in Theosophie und esoterischen Neonazismus, München: Wilhelm Fink 2013. 222 pp. ISBN 978-3-7705-5515-4". Aries. 14 (2): 264–267. doi:10.1163/15700593-01402009. ISSN 1567-9896.
- ^ a b Strube, Julian (2019). Vril: Eine Okkulte Urkraft in Theosophie und Esoterischem Neonazismus. Boston: Brill Publishers. ISBN 978-3-7705-5515-4.
