
Eagle catching Fish or Eagle catching Ichthys ''(
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
: Adler fängt Fisch'' or ''Adler fängt Ichthys)'' is a
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
**Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ger ...
anti-Christian
Anti-Christian sentiment or Christophobia constitutes opposition or objections to Christians, the Christian religion, and/or its practices. Anti-Christian sentiment is sometimes referred to as Christophobia or Christianophobia, although these term ...
and
neo-pagan
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...
symbol.
It depicts an
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...
catching an
Ichthys
The ichthys or ichthus (), from the Greek (, 1st cent. AD Koine Greek pronunciation: , "fish") is (in its modern rendition) a symbol consisting of two intersecting arcs, the ends of the right side extending beyond the meeting point so as to res ...
, a fish symbol associated with
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
. The symbol is supposed to represent pagan strength and victory over
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...
.
The symbol was first created in
1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxon Valdez oil tanker ru ...
, and later registered as a trademark in 2003 by
Holocaust denier
Holocaust denial is an antisemitic conspiracy theory that falsely asserts that the Nazi genocide of Jews, known as the Holocaust, is a myth, fabrication, or exaggeration. Holocaust deniers make one or more of the following false statements:
...
Jürgen Rieger
Jürgen Hans Paul Rieger (11 May 1946, Blexen, Lower Saxony – 29 October 2009) was a Hamburg lawyer, avowed anti-semite, and deputy chairman of the National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) (as of October 2009), known for his Holocaust de ...
for the
far-right
Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of bein ...
German
neo-pagan
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...
organisation
''Artgemeinschaft Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft''.
Another anti-Christian symbol known as "''Odins Raben''" (
Odins Ravens) similarly depicts two
raven
A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned ...
s attacking an Ichthys.
While the symbol originated from, and also mostly associated with,
far-right pagan circles, this association is not always the case.
Usage
The design of the symbol can often vary.
A variant of the symbol was used on a
hoodie
A hoodie (in some cases spelled hoody and alternatively known as a hooded sweatshirt) is a sweatshirt with a hood. Hoodies with zippers usually include two pockets on the lower front, one on either side of the zipper, while "pullover" hoodi ...
named "No Inquisition" produced by the clothing brand
Thor Steinar
Thor Steinar is a German clothing brand manufactured by Thor Steinar Mediatex GmbH, a subsidiary of International Brands General Trading, a Dubai-based company.
In Germany, the brand is considered closely associated to neo-Nazism by the '' Ve ...
, which is popular among the far-right in Germany. Some German
pagan metal
Pagan metal is a genre of heavy metal music which fuses extreme metal with " the pre-Christian traditions of a specific culture or region" through thematic concept, rustic melodies, unusual instruments or archaic languages, Wiederhorn 2009, p. ...
bands, such as
XIV Dark Centuries,
/sup>">e/sup> also have previously used the symbol.
[{{Cite web, title=Aufkleber Adler-Fisch from XIV Dark Centuries on bandcamp (in German), url=https://xivdarkcenturies.bandcamp.com/merch/aufkleber-adler-fisch-ws-sw-11x9-cm, url-status=live, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127053527/https://xivdarkcenturies.bandcamp.com/merch/aufkleber-adler-fisch-ws-sw-11x9-cm , archive-date=2020-11-27 ]
Assessments
The
Evangelical Association
The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known in the early 1800s as the Albright Brethren, was a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Methodi ...
of Saxony and the Office for Worldview and Sect Issues of the
Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Saxony (''Evangelisch-Lutherische Landeskirche Sachsens'') is one of 20 member Churches of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), covering most of the state of Saxony. Its headquarters are in Dresden, and its b ...
recognizes the symbol as clearly anti-Christian symbolism. It did not, however, conclude an inherent and clear association to the
far-right extremist scene.
See also
*
Artgemeinschaft
The Artgemeinschaft Germanic Faith Community (german: Artgemeinschaft Germanische Glaubens-Gemeinschaft; abbreviated AG GGG) is a German NeopaganStefanie von Schnurbein: ''Göttertrost in Wendezeiten. Neugermanisches Heidentum zwischen New Age un ...
*
Esoteric Nazism
Esoteric Nazism, also known as Esoteric Fascism, refers to a range of mystical interpretations and adaptations of Nazism. After the Second World War, esoteric interpretations of the Third Reich were adapted into new religious movements of white na ...
*
Modern Paganism
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...
*
Christian Blasphemy
*
Anti-Christian sentiment
Anti-Christian sentiment or Christophobia constitutes opposition or objections to Christians, the Christian religion, and/or its practices. Anti-Christian sentiment is sometimes referred to as Christophobia or Christianophobia, although these term ...
*
Variations of the ichthys symbol
The Ichthys symbol (or "Jesus fish") is a sign typically used to proclaim an affiliation with or affinity for Christianity. The fish was originally adopted by early Christians as a secret symbol, but the many variations known today first appeare ...
References
Religious symbols
Anti-Christian sentiment in Germany
Modern paganism in Germany
Far-right politics in Germany
1980s in modern paganism