Recommended Reading: Why the Swastika Deserves an Informed Perspective

The swastika is one of the world’s oldest sacred symbols, revered across many civilizations and faith traditions for thousands of years. For the 1.2 billion Hindus around the globe, it carries a particularly profound meaning, representing auspiciousness, well-being, and cosmic harmony. Similar reverence exists in Jain, Buddhist, Native American, and several ancient cultures. In recent history, however, the symbol has been widely misinterpreted in the Western world because of the belief that Adolf Hitler adopted the swastika itself for the Nazi project, antisemitism, and the Holocaust. What the Nazis used was the Hakenkreuz, or hooked cross, which is visually and conceptually distinct from the sacred swastika. This confusion has led to widespread misunderstanding and, at times, hostility toward a symbol central to many living traditions.

To help readers navigate this complex history, we have curated a collection of 57 articles from diverse sources that explain the origins, evolution, and spiritual significance of this much-misunderstood emblem.

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• “Basque Cross and Nkontim Symbol (The Lauburu): Symbols Similar to the Swastika.” https://www.seiyaku.com.
• “Elephant Gate Swastika Carvings.” Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com.
• “Ghost Swastikas at the Glyptotek.” Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com.
• Heller, Steven. “SVA MFA Design Co-Chair Steven Heller Examines the Swastika in ‘Symbols of Hate.’” School of Visual Arts. https://sva.edu.
• “Hakenkreuz = Hooked Cross, NOT Swastika.” MehtaWorld. https://mehtaworld.com.
• “Interfaith Leaders Promote Dialogue and Tackle Misconceptions Around the Swastika.” CoHNA. https://cohna.org.
• “Learn the History of the Swastika.” ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com.
• Mall, Sarin. “Hinduism Symbol Swastika in American Churches and Universities.” https://sarinmall.com.
• “ProSwastika News Bulletin.” ProSwastika Alliance. http://pt.proswastika.org.
• “Swastika.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika.
• “Swastika: A Sacred Symbol of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.” Indica Today. https://www.indicatoday.com.
• “Swastika: Ancient Origins and Modern Misuse.” Norse Mythology. https://norse-mythology.org.
• “Swastika Day Organizers Point to Symbol’s Native Origins.” Indian Country Today. https://indiancountrytoday.com.
• “Swastika Education & Awareness Campaign (SEAC).” CoHNA. https://cohna.org.
• “Swastika Is Not Hakenkreuz.” CoHNA. https://cohna.org.
• “Swastika: Explaining Hindu Roots of the Symbol.” Hinduism Facts. https://hinduismfacts.org.
• “Swastika Symbol.” Owlcation. https://owlcation.com.
• “The Meaning and Significance of Swastika in Hinduism.” HinduWebsite. https://hinduwebsite.com.
• Knapp, Stephen. “Swastika: Its Real Meaning.” Stephen-Knapp.com. https://www.stephen-knapp.com/swastika_its_real_meaning.htm

 2023

• “Swastika Symbol: History of Its Usage and Meaning Across the World.” World History Edu, July 28, 2023. https://worldhistoryedu.com/swastika-symbol-history-of-its-usage-and-meaning-across-the-world/.
• “Why Did Hitler Choose the Swastika, and How Did a Sanskrit Symbol Become a Nazi Emblem?” History Extra, October 12, 2023. https://www.historyextra.com.

2022

• Dey, Monidipa Bose. “Swastika Is Not Hitler’s Chosen Symbol, So Why Should Hindus Take Blame for It?” Firstpost, September 14, 2022. https://www.firstpost.com.
• “Swastika Drawn on Australian Soccer Field Sparks Outcry.” Algemeiner, April 18, 2022. https://www.algemeiner.com.
• “The Pro-Russian War Symbol ‘Z’ Is the New Swastika.” Washington Times, March 15, 2022. https://www.washingtontimes.com.
• “India Today Displays Its Hinduphobia, Equates Hindu Swastika to the Nazi Hakenkreuz and Russian Symbol of War ‘Z.’” OpIndia, March 2022. https://myvoice.opindia.com.
• “A Swastika in a Jewish Newspaper—100 Years Ago.” Elder of Ziyon, January 2022. https://elderofziyon.blogspot.com.
• “Banning of the Swastika in NSW a Step Closer.” JWire, October 12, 2022. https://www.jwire.com.au.

2021

• “Lost in Mistranslation: Why the Hindu Swastika Is Nothing Like the German Hakenkreuz.” India Facts, October 14, 2021. https://indiafacts.org.
• “How the West Projected Hitler’s ‘Hooked Cross’ as the Swastika with the Help of The New York Times.” TFI Post, October 12, 2021. https://tfipost.com.
• “Hitler Called It ‘Hooked Cross,’ Church Named It ‘Swastika’ — Part 1.” Kreately, September 20, 2021. https://kreately.in.
• Rajghatta, Chidanand. “Hindu Group in US Rejects Criminalisation of Swastika…” Times of India, April 2021. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com.

2020 and Older

• “South Asian Americans’ Complicated Relationship with the Swastika.” NBC News, March 2022 (Note: original story posted 2020; using updated 2022 date). https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/south-asian-americans-complicated-relationship-swastika-rcna18599
• “How to Differentiate Between the Swastika and the Nazi Hakenkreuz.” Brown Girl Magazine, July 27, 2020. https://browngirlmagazine.com.
• “Finnish Air Force Drops Swastika Logo.” ABC News, July 1, 2020. https://abcnews.go.com.
• “Museum’s Future Clouded by Discovery of Swastika Hiding in Plain Sight.” ArtDaily, August 2020. https://artdaily.com.
• Berkowitz, Adam E. “Hindu Fight to Reclaim Swastika as Ancient Symbol of ‘Well-Being.’” Israel365 News, July 2020.
• “The Curious Case of Swastika.” OpIndia, August 9, 2020. https://myvoice.opindia.com.
• “Ancient Greek Origins of the Swastika in Archaic Greece.” Greece High Definition, January 22, 2019. https://www.greecehighdefinition.com.
• Nagagaki, T. K. “The Buddhist Swastika and Hitler’s Cross: Rescuing a Symbol of Peace from the Forces of Hate.” New York: ITR Publications, 2018. https://www.stonebridge.com/catalog/the-buddhist-swastika-and-hitler’s-cross
• “Swastika: A Cultural History.” OpenSIUC, 2018. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu.
• “10 Historical Swastikas Unrelated to the Nazis.” Listverse, March 14, 2017. https://listverse.com.
• “Sears and Amazon Remove Swastika Jewelry from Marketplaces.” Retail Dive, 2017. https://www.retaildive.com/news/sears-amazon-remove-swastika-jewelry-from-marketplaces/321329/
• Kaminsky, Todd. “Kaminsky Introduces Bill to Ban Public Display of Swastikas.” New York State Senate, May 2016. https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2016/todd-kaminsky/kaminsky-introduces-bill-ban-public-display-swastikas
• Blumberg, Antonio. “The Swastika, an Ancient Symbol of Prosperity, Struggles to Overcome Nazi Connections.” Huffington Post, February 2015. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/swastika-hinduism_n_6582828
• “US University Mulling Banning Sacred Hindu Symbol Swastika.” India TV, April 2015. https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/world/us-university-mulling-banning-sacred-hindu-symbol-swastika-24065.html
• “Adinkra Symbols and the Rich Akan Culture.” AfroLegends, August 27, 2014. https://afrolegends.com.
• “International Raelian Movement Promotes Swastika Acceptance.” Guardian Liberty Voice, June 2012. https://raelcanada.org/the-international-raelian-movement-marks-swastika-rehabilitation-day-with-a-global-call-for-awareness-and-understanding/
• “The Swastika.” The American Theosophist, December 1975. https://www.theosophical.org/files/resources/articles/Swastika.pdf
• Wilson, Thomas. “The Swastika: The Earliest Known Symbol and Its Migrations; With Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Pre-Historic Times.” Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1896. https://archive.org/details/32882006810041/page/n27/mode/2up