The swastika, an ancient symbol used long before the 20th century, was originally always depicted pointing to the left. When the Nazis adopted it for themselves, they pointed it to the right. So either way is correct, there is no such thing as a "backwards" swastika.
The swastika means two completely different things based on which direction it's turning. Clock wise I believe means Good luck and prosperity. Counter Clock wise means death. I'm sure you know which the Germans used.
Yes, the swastika is an ancient (Hindu?) symbol, and the Nazi's depicted it facing to the right. However, I do believe that in this case it would be a movie slip-up to have it pointing to the left, because, even if it isn't "backwards" in the sense that it is pointing the same way as the original ancient symbol, it is "backwards" from the Nazi version of the symbol, which is what the guy with the t-shirt would have meant to have on his shirt.
Actually there is such a thing as a backwards swastika. The swastika was actually a Native American symbol (wasn't called a swastika though) which symbolized their migration over America: North, South, East and West (hence the 4 "arms" pointing up, down, left and right). The Nazis "borrowed" the symbol and mirrored it. I've also heard that the "backwards swastika" means good luck in some Native American cultures.
The old flipped "swastika" is actually the Tibetan Buddhist symbol of life and goes the other way, The Nazi one goes the other way and therefore represents death. It is the symbol of life as in all Buddhism clockwise motion represents life. In many films you will see Tibetan Monks going around religious monuments clockwise with their hands.
this is a true slip-up because according to the encyclopedia the "backwards" swastika is actually a symbol used by the Hebrews to symbolize peace (obviously this is not what the movie wanted)
Guys, don't be so Naive. It was "backwards" in that it was NOT the correct way for the Nazi Swastika.
Anyway, just to set you straight. The Nazi Swastika was not to represent death.
How do you think Hitler ever came to power, with a symbol representing Death on the party stationary. Can u imagine the party slogans,
"Vote for the National Socialist workers party for Death!" Wouldn't really have worked, eh?
The Swastika was reversed to identify it as a different symbol, not reversing its meaning. It was then tilted to give the impression of movement, and progression.
Anyway, its a Hindu symbol. Its inscribed all over any Hindu temple you might visit, like the one near my home. But its going anti-clockwise and is sitting flat not tilted.
This comes from a website that talks about the swastika
QUOTE
"One little Big Lie making the rounds in recent decades is the idea that Hitler and the National Socialists of Germany meanly exploited the ancient swastika symbol by "turning it backwards" to produce some sort of magical effect. The assertion goes something like this:
The swastika was originally a wonderful, holy symbol for people all around the world. The swastika was usually turned to the right, sun-wise, to symbolize good luck. Then the Nazis came and exploited it, turning it backwards to symbolize hate and destruction as a magical means to world conquest. Ever since, the swastika has meant evil to people all around the world, regardless of direction, so now we have to get back at the Nazis by writing endless articles in New Age journals and websites, exposing them for what they really were." END QUOTE
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