PAGAN RITES
A SOLSTICE PYRE NAZIS' CHRISTMAS SYMBOLIC CEREMONY HOLY FIRES LIGHTED TURNING OF THE SUN
By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received December 26, 8.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, Dec. -25
The Berlin correspondent of the ]Cew York Times says a definite effort to transform Christmas symbolism into something closer to the 'Nazi idea of "blood and soil"' was noticeable this year. For the first time, perhaps, since the Christianisation of the Germanic tribes a Christmas celebration, in which new rites were introduced, was observed by selected representatives of the labour service army. In the presence of the Commander-in-Chief, Hierlnt Rlmlsdorf, near Berlin, they set fire to a solstice pyre saying: "These holy fires we light to celebrate the turning of the Sun." Before the pyre the inmates of the camp stood with burning torches. The Governor of Brandenburg in a journalistic contribution —of which there were several similar in tone by lending Nazi figures to-day—said: " The day of the winter solstice was holy to otir ancestors and the period was filled with the fairyland magic of the Nordic bo id."
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21993, 27 December 1934, Page 9
Word Count
178PAGAN RITES New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21993, 27 December 1934, Page 9
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