Peter Staudenmaier

Thanks to all who commented on the essay. Several of the complaints seem to stem from the condensed format of the piece. I don’t think it makes sense to fault Aeon or the editors for this; if I failed to get my argument across, the responsibility lies with me, not with the magazine. In my view, Aeon should be commended for supporting short-form essays, an important opportunity to explore ideas and examine controversial questions.

The point I tried to make in the essay is this: There are a number of widely circulated beliefs about the supposed relationship between Nazism and occultism, beliefs that do not stand up to historical scrutiny. Those beliefs can get in the way of a clearer...