During the era of the Crusades, 12 large and many small orders of knighthood were created in Europe, which over time turned into large supranational formations that ruled the life of the old continent. By the 20th century, their representatives formed the basis of the military command of the countries that took the side of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, although Hitler himself was not at all happy about this.
Substitution of concepts
As you know, the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany was a passionate admirer of the occult, building the ideology of the Third Reich on the basis of ancient teachings of the pre-Christian sense. It is not surprising that Hitler did not have a special love for the knightly orders, which were inherently defenders of the Christian doctrine. At the same time, the head of the Third Reich sincerely believed in the miraculous power of Christian relics, collecting them all over the world. He could not dismiss the influence of the Teutonic Order, which for centuries was one of the pillars of the German state and military machine. In this situation, Hitler's close associates did not think of anything better than to declare the Third Reich a new Teutonic Order. At the same time, during the creation of the SS troops, Himmler took the structure of the knightly orders of Germany, including the Teutonic Order, as the basis for the organization. At the same time, the Nazis did not stand on ceremony with the Teutonic Order itself. In the period from 1939 to 1945, it actually ceased to exist, and its property was confiscated. Back in 1813, Prussia made its main military award the Iron Cross, which had previously been the symbol of the Teutonic Order. The Nazis went even further. Beginning in 1938, they, announcing that they were the spiritual heirs of the order, consistently confiscated its property in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War. In the period from 1939 to 1945, it actually ceased to exist, and its property was confiscated. Back in 1813, Prussia made its main military award the Iron Cross, which had previously been the symbol of the Teutonic Order. The Nazis went even further. Beginning in 1938, they, announcing that they were the spiritual heirs of the order, consistently confiscated its property in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War. In the period from 1939 to 1945, it actually ceased to exist, and its property was confiscated. Back in 1813, Prussia made its main military award the Iron Cross, which had previously been the symbol of the Teutonic Order. The Nazis went even further. Beginning in 1938, they, announcing that they were the spiritual heirs of the order, consistently confiscated its property in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War. Back in 1813, Prussia made its main military award the Iron Cross, which had previously been the symbol of the Teutonic Order. The Nazis went even further. Beginning in 1938, they, announcing that they were the spiritual heirs of the order, consistently confiscated its property in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War. Back in 1813, Prussia made its main military award the Iron Cross, which had previously been the symbol of the Teutonic Order. The Nazis went even further. Beginning in 1938, they, announcing that they were the spiritual heirs of the order, consistently confiscated its property in Austria, Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War. Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War. Czechoslovakia and Germany. The new "Teutonic Order", led by Reinhard Heydrich, included many of the highest ranks of the Third Reich, while membership in the former order under the Nazis was persecuted. At the same time, many hereditary representatives of the Teutonic Order honestly fought for Nazi Germany on the fields of the Second World War.
Order of Malta: forced ally
The second largest knightly order in Europe by the beginning of World War II was, founded in Palestine in 1048, the Jerusalem Hospitaller Order of St. John. Later, he received his second name of the "Order of Malta" for its location. Moreover, before the war, Malta was actually a stronghold and unspoken capital of all European chivalry. However, branches of the order were also located in Germany, Austria and Italy. The fact that the knights of the "Order of Malta" during the Second World War sided with Germany seems quite logical. At the same time, one of the independent branches of the order in Germany was the knightly order of the Johannites, which actively supported the rise of Adolf Hitler to power. At the same time, a paradoxical situation has developed. Hitler was very suspicious of the old knightly orders, preferring to create his own similar in form, but different, in fact, order structures. The service of representatives of the ancient orders of knighthood in the Wehrmacht, as well as their entry into the NSDAP and the SS was not welcomed. At the same time, a significant part of the senior officers of the Third Reich were hereditary members of the knightly orders of Germany. In fact, on the fronts of the Second World War, the armies of the Third Reich were commanded by the Johannites, the Maltese and the Teutons, as centuries earlier, at a time when the orders themselves were in a semi-legal position. Not surprisingly, many representatives of the ancient orders took part in the conspiracy against Hitler. In particular, the famous Colonel Schenk von Staufenberg, who tried to kill the Fuhrer, came from a family of knights of the Johannites. German historian K. Freiher, when asked why the knights of the Order of John, despite his persecution, continued to serve Hitler, said that these people belonged to the military class and did not see themselves outside the German and Prussian armies, whoever led them.
Dmitry Sokolov
Promotional video: