Sig Rune
Encyclopedia
Sig is the name given by Guido von List
for the Sigel
(Sigrunen) or s rune of the Armanen Futharkh
, and is also used by Karl Maria Wiligut
for his runes
.
While the rune itself has no direct connection to National-Socialism, the Sig rune used by Karl Maria Wiligut
(Himmler's official occultist) in his own runic row (Wiligut runes
) was used in the context of Nazi mysticism
and is most commonly used to refer to the insignia of the Schutzstaffel
(SS) of the Third Reich.
Guido von List
in his "Armanen runes
" called the rune "Sig", apparently based on Sigel, thus changing the concept associated with it from "Sun" to "victory" (German Sieg), arriving at a sequence "Sig", "Tyr" in his row, yielding Sigtyr (God of victory), a name of Odin
. Under this name of "Sig rune", the s-rune played a certain role in Fascist symbolism
, most notably in the badge of the Schutzstaffel
(SS), but this is credited to the Wiligut runic
row of Karl Maria Wiligut
as opposed to Guido von List.
The SS Sig Runes design was created in 1931 when Walter Heck, a Sturmführer
in the SS, drew two reversed and inverted Sig Runes side by side and noticed the similarity to the initials of the SS. Heck sold the rights of the Sig Runes to the SS for 2.5 Reichsmarks
, and the runes were quickly adopted as the insignia of the Schutzstaffel and became one of the most commonly used forms of SS unit insignia.
The Hitler Youth
also used a single Sig Rune, but not as the emblem of its organization. The similarity to the SS insignia was an indication that the Hitler Youth was considered by many to be a central recruiting area for membership in the SS.
Wiligut wrote of the rune in 'Whispering of Gotos – Rune-Knowledge' under the pseudonym Jarl Widar in the magazine Hagal
11 (1934), Heft 7, pp. 7-15]' in the section '6. Runes Speak!':
Guido von List
Guido Karl Anton List, better known as Guido von List was an Austrian/German poet, journalist, writer, businessman and dealer of leather goods, mountaineer, hiker, dramatist, playwright, and rower, but was most notable as an occultist and völkisch author who is seen as one of the most important...
for the Sigel
Sowilo rune
*Sowilō or *sæwelō is the reconstructed Proto-Germanic name of the s-rune, meaning "sun". The name is attested for the same rune in all three rune poems...
(Sigrunen) or s rune of the Armanen Futharkh
Armanen runes
The Armanen runes, or Armanen 'Futharkh' as Guido von List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based in shape on the Younger Futhark...
, and is also used by Karl Maria Wiligut
Karl Maria Wiligut
Karl Maria Wiligut was an Austrian Ariosophist- Biography :...
for his runes
Wiligut runes
The Wiligut runes are a runic row developed by Karl Maria Wiligut in 1934. Wiligut rejected Guido von List's Armanen runes and his overall philosophy.Wiligut claimed to have been initiated into "runic lore" by his grandfather Karl Wiligut ....
.
Nazism
Karl Maria Wiligut
Karl Maria Wiligut was an Austrian Ariosophist- Biography :...
(Himmler's official occultist) in his own runic row (Wiligut runes
Wiligut runes
The Wiligut runes are a runic row developed by Karl Maria Wiligut in 1934. Wiligut rejected Guido von List's Armanen runes and his overall philosophy.Wiligut claimed to have been initiated into "runic lore" by his grandfather Karl Wiligut ....
) was used in the context of Nazi mysticism
Nazi mysticism
Speculation about Nazism and occultism has become part of popular culture since 1959. Aside from several popular documentaries, there are numerous books on the topic, most notably The Morning of the Magicians and The Spear of Destiny ....
and is most commonly used to refer to the insignia of the Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
(SS) of the Third Reich.
Guido von List
Guido von List
Guido Karl Anton List, better known as Guido von List was an Austrian/German poet, journalist, writer, businessman and dealer of leather goods, mountaineer, hiker, dramatist, playwright, and rower, but was most notable as an occultist and völkisch author who is seen as one of the most important...
in his "Armanen runes
Armanen runes
The Armanen runes, or Armanen 'Futharkh' as Guido von List referred to them, are a row of 18 runes that are closely based in shape on the Younger Futhark...
" called the rune "Sig", apparently based on Sigel, thus changing the concept associated with it from "Sun" to "victory" (German Sieg), arriving at a sequence "Sig", "Tyr" in his row, yielding Sigtyr (God of victory), a name of Odin
Odin
Odin is a major god in Norse mythology and the ruler of Asgard. Homologous with the Anglo-Saxon "Wōden" and the Old High German "Wotan", the name is descended from Proto-Germanic "*Wodanaz" or "*Wōđanaz"....
. Under this name of "Sig rune", the s-rune played a certain role in Fascist symbolism
Fascist symbolism
As there were many different manifestations of fascism, especially during the interwar years, there were also many different symbols of Fascist movements...
, most notably in the badge of the Schutzstaffel
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
(SS), but this is credited to the Wiligut runic
Wiligut runes
The Wiligut runes are a runic row developed by Karl Maria Wiligut in 1934. Wiligut rejected Guido von List's Armanen runes and his overall philosophy.Wiligut claimed to have been initiated into "runic lore" by his grandfather Karl Wiligut ....
row of Karl Maria Wiligut
Karl Maria Wiligut
Karl Maria Wiligut was an Austrian Ariosophist- Biography :...
as opposed to Guido von List.
Sturmführer
Sturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party which began as a title used by the Sturmabteilung in 1925 and became an actual SA rank in 1928...
in the SS, drew two reversed and inverted Sig Runes side by side and noticed the similarity to the initials of the SS. Heck sold the rights of the Sig Runes to the SS for 2.5 Reichsmarks
German reichsmark
The Reichsmark was the currency in Germany from 1924 until June 20, 1948. The Reichsmark was subdivided into 100 Reichspfennig.-History:...
, and the runes were quickly adopted as the insignia of the Schutzstaffel and became one of the most commonly used forms of SS unit insignia.
The Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
also used a single Sig Rune, but not as the emblem of its organization. The similarity to the SS insignia was an indication that the Hitler Youth was considered by many to be a central recruiting area for membership in the SS.
Wiligut wrote of the rune in 'Whispering of Gotos – Rune-Knowledge' under the pseudonym Jarl Widar in the magazine Hagal
Hagal
Hagal may refer to:*The Old High German for "hail"*Hagall, the Younger Futhark h rune*Hagal , the derived rune in Germanic mysticism*Hagal , a fictional planet in Frank Herbert's Dune universe...
11 (1934), Heft 7, pp. 7-15]' in the section '6. Runes Speak!':
- "In the Al Gotos’ fire of Spirit in Matter demonstrates – Through Energy the “sig-sal-sol-sun-rune,” and mastery of creation…"