thumb|right|World War II-era [[Independent State of Croatia|Croatian propaganda poster, depicting the Italian fasces and the German swastika alongside the Ustaše symbol.|235px]]

Fascist symbolism is the use of certain images and symbols which are designed to represent aspects of fascism. These include national symbols of historical importance, goals, and political policies. The best-known are the fasces, which was the original symbol of fascism, and the swastika of Nazism.

Symbols

Organized fascist movements have militarist-appearing uniforms for their members; use historical national symbols as symbols of their movement; and use orchestrated rallies for propaganda purposes. Fascist movements are led by a "Leader" (e.g. Duce, Führer, Caudillo,Conducator) who is publicly idolized in propaganda as the nation's saviour. A number of fascist movements use a straight-armed salute.

The use of symbols, graphics, and other artifacts created by fascist, authoritarian, and totalitarian governments has been noted as a key aspect of their propaganda. Most fascist movements adopted symbols of Ancient Roman or Greek origin, for example, the German use of Roman standards during rallies and the Italian adoption of the fasces symbol. The Spanish Falange took its name from the Spanish word for the Greek phalanx.

Fasces

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The original symbol of fascism in Italy under Benito Mussolini was the fasces. This is an ancient Imperial Roman symbol of power carried by lictors in front of magistrates; a bundle of sticks featuring an axe, indicating the power over life and death. Before the Italian Fascists adopted the fasces, the symbol had been used by Italian political organizations of various political ideologies, called Fasci ("leagues") as a symbol of strength through unity.

Italian Fascism utilized the color black as a symbol of their movement, black being the color of the uniforms of their paramilitaries, known as Blackshirts. The blackshirt derived from Italy's daredevil elite shock troops known as the Arditi, soldiers who were specifically trained for a life of violence and wore unique blackshirt uniforms. The colour black, as used by the Arditi, symbolized death.

Other symbols used by the Italian Fascists included the aquila, the Capitoline Wolf, and the SPQR motto, each related to Italy's ancient Roman cultural history, which the Fascists attempted to resurrect.

Swastika

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The nature of German fascism, as encapsulated in Nazism, was similar to Italian Fascism ideologically and borrowed symbolism from the Italian Fascists such as the use of mass rallies, the straight-armed Roman salute, and the use of pageantry. Nazism was different from Italian Fascism in that it was officially racist. Its symbol was the swastika, at the time a commonly seen symbol in the world that had experienced a revival in use in the western world in the early 20th century. German völkisch Nationalists claimed the swastika was a symbol of the Aryan race, who they claimed were the foundation of Germanic civilization and were superior to all other races.

As the Italian Fascists adapted elements of their ethnic heritage to fuel a sense of Nationalism by use of symbolism, so did Nazi Germany. Turn-of-the-century German-Austrian mystic and author Guido von List was a big influence on Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler, who introduced various ancient Germanic symbols (filtered through von List's writings) more thoroughly into the SS, including the stylized double Sig Rune (von List's then-contemporary Armanen rune version of the ancient sowilo rune) for the organization itself.

The black-white-red tricolor of the German Empire was utilized as the color scheme of the Nazi flag. The color brown was the identifying color of Nazism (and fascism in general), due to its being the color of the SA paramilitaries (also known as Brownshirts).

Other historical symbols that were already in use by the German Army to varying degrees prior to the Nazi Germany, such as the Wolfsangel and Totenkopf, were also used in a new, more industrialized manner on uniforms and insignia.

Although the swastika was a popular symbol in art prior to the regimental use by Nazi Germany and has a long heritage in many other cultures throughout history - and although many of the symbols used by the Nazis were ancient or commonly used prior to the advent of Nazi Germany - because of association with Nazi use, the swastika is often considered synonymous with Nazism and some of the other symbols still carry a negative post-World War II stigma in Western countries, to the point where some of the symbols are banned from display altogether.

Yoke and arrows

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The fascist Falange in Spain utilized the yoke and arrows as their symbol. It historically served as the symbol of the shield of the monarchy of Ferdinand and Isabella and subsequent Catholic monarchs, representing a united Spain and the "symbol of the heroic virtues of the race". The original uniform of the Falangistas was the blue shirt – derived from the blue overalls of industrial workers – which was later combined with the red beret of the Carlists to represent their merger by Franco.

Other symbols

thumb|right|125px|Symbol of the [[British Union of Fascists]]

thumb|right|125px|Symbol of the Hungarian [[Arrow Cross Party]]

thumb|right|125px|Symbol of the Croatian [[Ustaše]]

thumb|right|125px|Flag of the [[Silver Legion of America]]

thumb|right|125px|Symbol of the Norwegian [[Nasjonal Samling]]

thumb|right|125px|Flag of the [[Golden Dawn (Greece)]]

thumb|125px|[[Celtic cross on a neo-Nazi flag]]

thumb|125px|Flag of the [[Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging]]

thumb|125px|Flag of the [[Nationalist Liberation Alliance]]

Many other fascist movements did not win power or were relatively minor regimes in comparison and their symbolism is not well-remembered today in many parts of the world, although the BUF's Flash and Circle was later used by the non-fascist People's Action Party of Singapore.

In alphabetical order by nation:

  • In Argentina, the Nationalist Liberation Alliance, used the Andean condor.
  • Austria's Fatherland's Front, that ruled the country from 1933 to 1938, used the crutch cross as its symbol.
  • Lightning bolts were a common symbol of Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists, appearing on uniforms, newspaper mastheads, badges and on the movement's flags. The symbol completely replaced the fasces used from 1932 to 1935 with the adoption of the Flash and Circle.
  • The Brazilian Integralist Action used an upper case sigma (Σ), to represent the summation of all things under the State.
  • The symbol of the Bulgarian national-socialist Ratnik movements was a sun cross named "Bogar".
  • The symbol of the Croatian Ustaše movement was capital letter U with the flaming grenade and the Croatian coat of arms.
  • A prominent symbol of the Greek 4th of August Regime was the Labrys/Pelekys, the double-headed axe which Ioannis Metaxas thought to be the oldest symbol of all Hellenic civilizations.
  • Greece's far-right, ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn Party uses a flag depicting a meandros in a style and color scheme reminiscent of the Nazi swastika.
  • The symbol of Hungary's fascistic Arrow Cross Party was the Arrow Cross.
  • The National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (NSB) used the Wolfsangel as its main symbol.
  • The symbol of the Norwegian Nasjonal Samling was a golden/yellow sun cross on red background.
  • The symbol of Salazar's Portuguese Estado Novo regime was a stylized version of the Christ Cross and shield found on the national flag to distinguish its rivals in the Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista used the Order of Christ Cross.
  • The symbol of the Romanian Iron Guard was a triple cross (a variant of the triple parted and fretted) – three parallel verticals intersected with three parallel horizontals, usually in black; it was meant to represent prison bars, as a badge of martyrdom. It was sometimes deemed the Archangel Michael Cross, after the patron saint of the movement.
  • The symbol of the Silver Legion of America was a silver flag with a scarlet letter L.
  • The Russian Movement Against Illegal Immigration used the black-colored road sign "Stop Prohibited" (similar to the swastika) as their main symbol.
  • The quasi-Fascist Yugoslav ZBOR used a green shield with a blade of wheat on it, with a sword crossing the shield.

Finland

Finnish fascist Lapua Movement used the logo of a bear-rider with a club, referencing the coat of arms of Lapua and the Cudgel War peasant uprising. The leader of the movement Vihtori Kosola even claimed to be a descendant of Klaus Fleming, one of the main figures of the war. After Lapua Movement was banned for a failed uprising of its own, its successor Patriotic People's Movement re-used the symbol with minimal alterations.

<gallery class="center" widths="175px" heights="125px">

File:Lapuan liike.svg|Symbol of the Lapua Movement

</gallery>

Several neo-Fascist organizations like the Blue-and-Black Movement use the pagan Kalevalaic "Hands of the runesigners" as their symbol.

<gallery class="center" widths="175px" heights="125px">

File:National Union Council logo.png|Symbol of the National Union Council

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Poland

<gallery widths="200" heights="150" class="center">

File:Mieczyk Chrobrego.jpg|«Mieczyk Chrobrego»

File:Stronnictwo Narodowe emblem.svg|Version of the «Mieczyk Chrobrego» used by the «National Party»

</gallery>Older far-right organizations in Poland, such as the «National Party» and the «Camp of Great Poland» used the «Mieczyk Chrobrego» symbol of Bolesław the Brave. A modern interpretation of the symbol is used by the «All-Polish Youth» party.<gallery class="center" widths="200" heights="150">

File:SM SN, ONR emblem.svg|Older version of the «Falanga» symbol

File:Falanga (symbol).svg|Modern interpretation of the «Falanga» symbol

</gallery>Organizations espousing «National-Radicalism» («National Radical Camp», «National Party») have used the «Falanga» symbol to identify themselves. A modern interpretation of the symbol is used by the «National Rebirth of Poland» and the modern incarnation of the «National Radical Camp».<gallery widths="200" heights="150" class="center">

</gallery>Organizations such as «Zadruga» and «Niklot» have also used the «Toporzeł» symbol. A variant of this symbol exists called the «Topokrzyż», which replaces the eagle's head with a cross, was to identify churches that «weren't owned by the Jewish people».

Me ne frego

The slogan “Me ne frego” (I don’t care) is a historic fascist and nationalist motto that expresses a contempt for fear, pain and death in service of the nation. It originated in Gabriele d’Annunzio’s writings, and was employed in World War I as a motto among the Italian Arditi, monarchists who volunteered to fight at the front. It served as a war cry for courage and daring, expressing “I don’t mind dying for freedom”. During the interwar period, the slogan became closely associated with the fascist movement in Italy as it was adopted by Mussolini’s Black Shirts and later by the Fascist regime, symbolizing a new Italian lifestyle and the interpretation of life as duty, exaltation and conquest. Following World War II, the slogan has been revived by modern fascist and neo-fascists movements in Italy.

Fascist use of heraldry

Fascist governments often saw the need to change the heraldry of their nations; in Germany, the arms of Coburg, featuring the head of Saint Maurice, was looked down upon for its religious and un-Aryan nature. It was replaced in 1934 with a coat of arms featuring a sword and swastika. Thuringia also saw the need to support the Nazi regime by adding a swastika to the paws of the lion on its coat of arms. In Italy, the chief of a coat of arms is often used to indicate political allegiance. Under the government of Mussolini, many families and locales adopted a red chief charged with a fasces to indicate allegiance to the National Fascist Party; this chief was called the capo del littorio. Francisco Franco, Chief of State of Francoist Spain, used a personal coat of arms featuring the Royal Bend of Castile, a heraldic symbol used by the Crown of Castile.

Contemporary usage

Some neo-Nazi organizations continue to use the swastika, but many have moved away from such inflammatory symbols of early fascism. Some neo-fascist groups use symbols that are reminiscent of the swastika or other cultural or ancestral symbols that may evoke nationalistic sentiment but do not carry the same racist connotations. The use of fascist symbols is subject to legal restrictions in many countries.

  • Crosses:
  • Arrow cross – Arrow Cross Party in Hungary
  • Celtic cross – used by neo-Nazi white nationalist groups worldwide, the Italian New Force, Stormfront, David Duke's website, VSBD/PdA, a banned German neo-Nazi party and the British People's Party, a banned British neo-Nazi party
  • Cross crosslet – Lithuanian National Socialist Party
  • Sun cross – Swedish Nordic Realm Party, Knights Party
  • Swastika – continues to be used by neo-Nazi groups such as the American Nazi Party, the São Paulo Skinheads in Brazil, and was used by the National Socialist Front of Sweden
  • Bladed swastika – Russian National Unity
  • Fylfot - Patriotic Popular Front
  • Wolfsangel symbol
  • Used by the SS and Hitlerjugend as well as various neo-Nazi groups
  • Azov Battalion in Ukraine
  • Black Sun - Used by the Azov Battalion and Vanguard America as well as other groups such as Volksfront. The shooter behind the Christchurch mosque shootings engraved it on his guns and put it on the cover of his manifesto.
  • Labrys (or Pelekys) – a Minoan double-headed axe, used by some fascist Greek nostalgics
  • Runes:
  • Lebensrune + Todesrune (life/death rune) – Allgermanische Heidnische Front, National Alliance in the United States
  • Odal SS-rune - common among various neo-Nazi groups
  • Sigel SS-rune, especially on the Schutzstaffel badge, sometimes confused with or used interchangeably with Eihwaz
  • Tyr SS-rune - featured on the badge of the SA Reichsführerschulen in Nazi Germany, and is sometimes used by neo-Nazis such as Nordic Resistance Movement
  • Orkhon script letters – used by followers of Nihal Atsiz, e.g.Türkçü Toplumcu Budun Derneği
  • Triskelion-like symbol composed of three 7s used by the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (Afrikaner Resistance Movement), a White Supremacist, Neo-Nazi organization in South Africa
  • Neo-Nazis typically use Nordic Pagan symbols, including Mjölnir.
  • Others, continued to be used by the National Socialist Japanese Workers' Party in Japan and formerly used by the Canadian Nazi Party and the New Triumph Party in Argentina

Fasces

Emblems

<gallery>

File:Fascist Eagle.svg|A perched eagle clutching a fasces was a common symbol used on Italian Fascist uniforms.

File:Emblem_of_Italian_Blackshirts.svg|Helmet decal of the Voluntary Militia for National Security.

File:Emblem of the Hlinka Guard.svg|Emblem of the Hlinka Guard.

</gallery>

Flags

<gallery>

Image:Flag of the National Fascist Party (PNF) variant 2.svg|Flag of the National Fascist Party, bearing the fasces, which was the primary symbol of Italian Fascism.

Flag of Mussolini as Capo del governo of Fascist Italy.svg|Personal Flag of Benito Mussolini during his rule (1923-1943).

File:War flag of the Italian Social Republic.svg|War flag of the Italian Social Republic.

|Flag of Albania (1939–1943).

File:Flag_of_the_British_Union_of_Fascists_(original).svg|Original flag of the British Union of Fascists.

File:Flag_of_the_British_Union_of_Fascists_(alternate).svg|Alternative flag of the British Union of Fascists.

File:Flag of Fascist Party of Argentina.svg|Flag of the Argentine Fascist Party.

File:Flag_of_Patriot_Front.svg|Flag of Patriot Front.

File:Flag of Frontal Action.svg|Flag of Frontal Action, an Italian neo-fascist group.

</gallery>

Swastika

Emblems

<gallery>

File:National Socialist swastika.svg|The Hakenkreuz was the main symbol of National Socialism.

File:11._SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division_„Nordland“.svg|Insignia of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland.

File:5th_SS_Division_Logo.svg|Insignia of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking.

File:Reichsadler_Deutsches_Reich_(1935–1945).svg|Reichsadler (1935–1945) of Germany.

File:Всероссийская_фашистская_партия.svg|Emblem of the All-Russian Fascist Party.

File:Pērkonkrusts_logo.svg|Emblem of the Pērkonkrusts.

File:DNSAP-emblem.svg|Emblem of the National Socialist Workers' Party of Denmark.

</gallery>

Flags

<gallery>

File:Flag_of_the_NSDAP_(1920–1945).svg|Flag of the National Socialist German Workers Party.

File:Standarte_Adolf_Hitlers.svg|Personal standard of Adolf Hitler.

File:War_ensign_of_Germany_(1938–1945).svg|War ensign of Germany (1938–1945).

File:Flag_of_German_American_Bund.svg|Flag of the German American Bund.

File:Flag_of_the_Bulgarian_National_Socialist_Workers_Party.svg|Flag of the National Socialist Bulgarian Workers Party.

File:Flag_of_the_Imperial_Fascist_League.svg|Flag of the Imperial Fascist League.

File:Flag_of_Russian_Fascist_Party.svg|Flag of the All-Russian Fascist Party.

File:LANC_Flag_historically_accurate_representation.png|Flag of the National-Christian Defense League.

File:Flag_of_Nationalsocialistiska_Arbetarpartiet.svg|Flag of the National Socialist Workers' Party (Sweden).

File:Flag_of_the_Parti_National_Social_Chrétien.svg|Flag of the National Unity Party of Canada.

</gallery>

Yoke and Arrows

Emblems

<gallery>

File:Emblem of Spanish Falange.svg|The yoke and arrows as the emblem of the Falange Española, the premier symbol of Falangism.

File:Coat of Arms of Spain (1939-1945).svg|State coat of arms of Spain (1939–1945).

File:Coat of Arms of Spain (1945-1977).svg|State coat of arms of Spain (1945–1977).

</gallery>

Flags

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File:Bandera FE JONS.svg|Flag of the Falange Española de las JONS, still in use by Falangist activists.

File:Flag of The Phalanx (alternative).svg|Flag of Spain defaced with the yoke and arrows.

File:Flag of Falange Venezolana (new).svg|Flag of the Falange Venezolana.

File:Flag of Falange Nacional Garciana Ecuatoriana.svg|Flag of the Falange Nacional Garciana Ecuatoriana.

File:Flag of the Ukrainian Falange.svg|Flag of the Ukrainian Falange.

</gallery>

See also

  • Anarchist symbolism
  • Communist symbolism
  • Rising Sun Flag#Controversy
  • Schwarze Sonne
  • Strafgesetzbuch section 86a
  • Western use of the swastika in the early 20th century
  • Modern display of the Confederate flag
  • Z (military symbol)

References

Bibliography

  • Neonazi flags
  • Neonazi flag symbolism
  • Fascist signs and symbols at Forbidden Symbols