Wotanism

This article is about the white separatist movement. For the Germanic mysticist concept of Guido von List, see Wotanism (Guido von List). For the worship of Wotan, see Wotan. For other uses, see Wotanism (disambiguation).

Wotanism (pronounced Voh-tahn-ism) is the name of a form of Nordic racial paganism, founded in the 1990s by Ron McVan and David Lane (1938–2007) while Lane was serving a 190-year prison sentence for his actions in connection with the white nationalist paramilitary group The Order, of which he was a founding member. Lane's "14 Word Press" was merged with McVan's Wotansvolk project from whence sprung the modern Wotanist religion.

Based on the essay entitled Wotan by Carl Jung, the term Wotanism in modern times heavily emphasizes white nationalism, white separatism and an ethnocentric, pan-European interpretation of modern Paganism. W.O.T.A.N. is also used as an acronym for Will Of The Aryan Nation, by some Wotanists.[1] Unlike many Germanic neopagans within Heathenry, most Wotanists don't just revere the Nordic pantheon of Asatru but all the deities of European mythology, emphasize dualism, are initiates in the Hermetic wisdom school, see David Lane as a prophet and the "Fourteen Words" as a divine commandment and view the Gods primarily in Jungian archetypal terms though Lane said one could be deist, pantheist or even atheistic and still be Wotansvolk.[2][3] Some Wotanists consider the Havamal to be their holiest text while rites of practice are outlined in "Creed of Iron: Wotansvolk Wisdom" and "Temple of Wotan: Holy Book of the Aryan Tribes". Religious organization of Wotansvolk follows the same structure found in Germanic neopaganism. The earliest Wotansvolk organization, the "Wotan's Kindred" in Portland, Oregon was organized by Reinhold and Cathy Clinton along with Ron McVan who was a former high-ranking member of the Church of the Creator at that time.. The "Temple of Wotan", a now obscure Wotanist organization was both founded under the direct influence of David Lane, by his wife Katja Lane (Katuscha Maddox) and Ron McVan. The Temple of Wotan organization was inspired by the book Temple of Wotan: Holy Book of the Aryan Tribes.[4]

Late in his life, Lane authored a short story entitled KD Rebel, a fictional account of two members (Eric and Trebor) of a guerilla army (Kinsland Defenders) most of which whom practice Wotanism as a religion who have "taken over" portions of the Rocky Mountain region of the United States through their migration to that area and set up colonies and venture out into "System territory" to kidnap young white girls and women (In the case of the story, two strippers and a high-school girl about to engage in miscegenation.) from urban areas and force them into marriage, often into polygamy to further the Aryan race.[5]

Wotansvolk existed prior as "Wotan's Kindred" in Portland, Oregon before merging with David Lane's "14 Word Press". Wotansvolk and the Temple of Wotan were known for having prisoner outreach ministries. In 2001 there were prison kindreds linked with Wotansvolk in all federal states of the USA and the groups supported more than 5000 prisoners. Research by Mattias Gardell indicated "a pagan revival among the white prison population, including the conversion of whole prison gangs to the ancestral religion.".[6] "Partly due to the reputation of David Lane and its association with the legendary Brüders Schweigen, Wotansvolk name-recognition is high among the Aryan prison population."[6] The Temple of Wotan dissolved and reformed into the "National Prison Kindred Alliance", (NPKA) which has no relation with Wotanism. Wotansvolk and the NPKA are not the only groups active in prisoner outreach; however, in 2001 "Wotansvolk seem[ed] more successful in its outreach efforts than other Asatrú/Odinist programs."[6] The formerly active women's group "Sigrdrifa" (now known as "Women For Aryan Unity" (W.A.U.14)) focused on White cultural identity and had chapters in the United States and Canada. Sigrdrifa ran a special "Odinism in Prison" project. The Odinic Rite and the Asatru Alliance also have extensive prisoner outreach programs, albeit not based on race or politics. In an interview[7] about the role of race-based gangs and other extremists in America's prisons, the historian Mark Pitcavage came to the conclusion that, "[n]on-racist versions of Asatrú and Odinism are pretty much acceptable religions in the prisons." But materials from racist variants of these religions may be prohibited by corrections departments. Wotanism has been described as the "most violent strain" of Odinism in prisons, and its materials have been prohibited as a result.[8]

Most if not all universalist Asatruars and some non-folkish Odinists have rejected what they perceive as an attempt to appropriate the revival of the ancient native faith of northern Europe for political and racial ends.[9] Lane stated that he had chosen the name "Wotanism" in conscious contrast to the existing usage of the term "Odinism" by universalists:

“ So, I first chose the name Wotanism over Odinism. First because W.O.T.A.N. makes a perfect acronym for Will Of The Aryan Nation. Secondly because he was called Wotan on the European continent and only called Odin in Scandinavia. Therefore Wotan appeals to the genetic memory of more of our ancestors. And finally because a split had to be made with the game players, deceivers and universalists who had usurped the name Odin. ”

References

  1. ↑ Wotanism (Odinism) - By David Lane
  2. ↑ see: Gambanreidi Statement; Wotanism by Professor Carl Gustav Jung Compiled by the late, Jost Turner
  3. ↑ Gardell 2003, p. 270
  4. ↑ Temple of Wotan, online edition.
  5. ↑ Lane, David (2004). KD Rebel
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Gardell 2003, p. 217
  7. ↑ Interview with Mark Pitcavage - Behind the Walls
  8. ↑ Prisoners of Belief
  9. ↑ Gardell 2003, pp. 273–283

Further reading