Beyond Redemption
The swastika is the most powerful graphic symbol ever devised; nothing else comes close. Although the mark itself is bold and striking, the genocide and evil that it represents are what drives its strength and subsequent reactionary emotions. But take a look at pre-1930s imagery and you might be surprised to see the swastika appearing on everything from a Girl's Club magazine to a cartoon monkey named Bingo. The ancient symbol of a hooked cross can be traced back to several cultures, particularly the sanskrit word svastika, meaning "well being, good fortune, and luck." Hitler claimed the symbol as his own and even went so far as to make up a fake origin as a unique symbol of the Aryan race. It was a branding that evoked fear while unifying the movement. Because of this tainting, the symbol is beyond redemption, argues Steven Heller in his book The Swastika: Symbol Beyond Redemption?. Heller is the senior art director of The New York Times Book Review and has written hundreds of books and articles on design. We were lucky enough to speak with him today in a teleconference during Hank's 5:30 AM History of Design class.
My questions dealt with the swastika in modern culture, like the Indiana Jones movies (my first encounter with Nazi history) and the recent furor over a backwards swastika appearing on Pokemon cards (actually the Japanese symbol "manji"). Spielberg did his research - the SS wing of the Nazi party were wildly concerned with finding religious artifacts like the holy grail. By using symbolism like the ark of the covenant burning through a crate's swastika, Speilberg created the ultimate bad guys and preserved the evil associated of the symbol, so as not to forget the atrocities it stands for. Heller's ultimate argument is that the swastika can't be redeemed to its original state if even a hint of evil is associated with it. It would take time and a mass cultural consciousness to redeem it - but is redemption even the right thing to do? For many it evokes memories and feelings, serving as a reminder of the Holocaust, something history can't afford to forget.
It's an interesting read, especially for the visual references of the swastika in action before WWII. From a graphic design view, it's remarkable how strong that simple symbol is, and how its meaning was forcefully changed.
Tuesday, August 3 at 7:48 AM
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